The Boston Celtics best player has announced his retirement and agreed to terms on a new deal with a different team.
Ray Allen was at Kevin Garnett’s side when the Celtics retired his number at TD Garden earlier this month. To honor KG on his special night, the former Big Three put an end to their long-standing rivalry alongside teammate Paul Pierce. The reunion may have given Allen the opportunity to eventually see his own number raised to the rafters in addition to providing much-needed catharsis.
In an interview with Celtics Hall of Famer Cedric Maxwell on The Cedric Maxwell Podcast, the former Celtics sharpshooter discussed that evening and a lot more. Allen informed Max that it would mean everything to have his number raised to the rafters of TD Garden.
“Those jerseys are part of Celtic Nation, Celtics lore, and Celtics tradition when you walk into that building,” Allen remarked. And it’s one of the biggest honors in this game that I could ever have to be able to say that my number that I wore would be up there at some point in my life.
When KG announced his retirement, Allen, who had not seen his former teammates from the 2008 championship team since leaving for the Miami Heat in 2012, compared entering the Garden with a welcome and familiar feeling, akin to jumping into the pool after a day at the beach.
In the latter years of his Heat career, Allen experienced a stark contrast to this every time he had to suit up against the Boston Celtics. When Allen returned to the Garden after his abrupt departure to Miami during the 2012 playoffs, boos were always present.
During the NBA’s 75th anniversary ceremony over All-Star Weekend, there was a similarly chilly exchange. When Allen was introduced at the event, he gave LeBron James a fistbump, but he ignored Garnett. KG maintained a raised gaze, as if he was unable to even look at Allen.
Garnett talked about that evening in an interview with Kendrick Perkins on KG Certified, revealing that the Big Three actually took a photo together following the ceremony—a moment that held great significance for the Celtics icon.
Then, a few weeks ago, while celebrating with Garnett, Allen publicly put an end to their feud. According to Allen, the Hall of Fame forward did not realize he would be attending the ceremony until he stepped onto the court. That weekend, Garnett called out Allen to the crowd, and the two with Pierce embraced at center court.
He talked about how important the reunion was to him and how he still keeps in touch with his former Celtics teammates.
“What unites us is our steadfastness and the knowledge that no matter where we go, we always stay true to who we are,” Allen said to Maxwell. “No matter what, we’re always Celtics.”
Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks At TD Garden, image courtesy of Getty Images and Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe
After winning the 2008 NBA championship, Garnett, Allen, and Paul Pierce—who joined the two Celtics legends in their mid-court embrace—became indelibly embedded in Boston sports history. With all of Boston now that the Big Three are officially back on good terms, Allen is thrilled to have the chance to recognize their accomplishments.
“It’s critical that we can always enter that arena and say, ‘Wow, we had a great run, didn’t we?’ and then recognize some of the familiar faces in the stands who continue to attend games and just celebrate them as much as they celebrate us,” Allen stated.
The feud between Kevin Love and Kelly Olynyk is not Kevin Love’s fault. The man was forced to remove his shoulder from its socket during a tie-up with Olynyk. Love said something that you cannot hold responsible for at that time. Had Love claimed to be superior to Michael Jordan, we would have responded with something like, “I know, Sweetie, just try to calm down.” But he didn’t say that. Rather, Love claimed that Olynyk intentionally injured him, most likely less than an hour after the injury. And no one held Love responsible for being so direct, hostile, or accusing. Actually, he was believed by all. And never questioned him at all. To Olynyk’s dismay considerable. Savor your beef. Clara Morris wrote and produced the piece. Jiazhen Zhang directed and edited the film.
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After five years with the Celtics, the former NBA 3-point shooting champion averaged 16.7 points per game and made 41% of his three-point attempts. During that time, Boston made it to three conference finals and two NBA Finals. Allen was selected for the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team earlier this year.
Allen claimed that the final seconds of a defeat were one of his favorite times in the Garden. Before the pivotal Game 7, the crowd was cheering “let’s go, Celtics” during the closing seconds of Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, a game that many Celtics fans will never forget. Even though the Celtics lost that game and Allen left the team soon after, he will always remember that particular moment and how much Boston means to him.
