Tony Allen

[Fafnir]

I think ONE posession TA played good D out there on Gordon. The rest were terrible. He was being jerked right and left on every crossover putting him out of position defensively. If Gordon wasn't hurt he'd have likely had 10 more free throws on him. Marbury did a much better job.

  FWIW, Doc said that Tony made a dumb foul but also that he (and Perk) changed the game with his defense.

I see. So Doc said it. My bad. No way he can be trying to pump up his players...

I know what I saw. TA two steps behind Gordon the entire time reading the back of his jersey. That wasn't good D. That was a guy not smart enough to knock Noah on his butt running through his moving screens one time so he stops getting picked off.

His play reminds me of this guy we play pickup ball that is an unbelievable crossover guy. Every time I end up switched on him he has me wobbling back and forth until he decides to either blow past me or raise up. When he misses one from outside does that mean I played good defense?!

TA is out of control out there which is a big reason he commits so many stupid fouls.

Tony had some good defensive possessions, and he did help slow Gordon down.

And then, as always, his brain froze up and he undid it all.

I have to agree. Tony played pretty well until he fouled Gordon twice in OT.

I liked how he ran hard in fast break situations with Rondo. Baby, Rondo, and Tony all ran hard in transition.

[guava_wrench]

We definitely had a good defensive run when TA came in.

[ScoobyDoo]

Tony will make mistakes, everyone does. Rondo made a horeendous turnover down the dstretch by leaping in the air with nowhere to go, lead to a fast break. Pierce had some bad turnovers, Ray committed some incredibly stupid fouls tonight. Perkins couldn't hold onto the ball for a better part of the game...Tony also makes some mistakes.

Bottom line, he's a hard nosed guy that sticks up into people and gets dirty on D. Guys who play like that will get some fouls called on them becasue they are so aggressive. Tony does make some bad mistakes.

But against this team and also because yeah, we don't have a Posey or a better option, I'm playing him more minutes against Rose, Gordon and Salmons. By more I mean I'm saying 15-20 minutes, keep him active in the game.

As Doc said, we made a defnsive run with Tony in there.

I like his toughness out there. We need it. I'd get him more run early in the next game. Also as someone said, we're gonna need him as we move forward.

But he's a lightning Rod type of player. You pretty much love him or hate him. I'll take his tough aggressive style and live with the mistakes, the playoffs are a fist fight, he's a guy you can count on to get dirty with, mistakes and all.

[guava_wrench]

I think ONE posession TA played good D out there on Gordon. The rest were terrible. He was being jerked right and left on every crossover putting him out of position defensively. If Gordon wasn't hurt he'd have likely had 10 more free throws on him. Marbury did a much better job.

  FWIW, Doc said that Tony made a dumb foul but also that he (and Perk) changed the game with his defense.

I see. So Doc said it. My bad. No way he can be trying to pump up his players...

I know what I saw. TA two steps behind Gordon the entire time reading the back of his jersey. That wasn't good D. That was a guy not smart enough to knock Noah on his butt running through his moving screens one time so he stops getting picked off.

His play reminds me of this guy we play pickup ball that is an unbelievable crossover guy. Every time I end up switched on him he has me wobbling back and forth until he decides to either blow past me or raise up. When he misses one from outside does that mean I played good defense?!

TA is out of control out there which is a big reason he commits so many stupid fouls.

Tony had some good defensive possessions, and he did help slow Gordon down.

And then, as always, his brain froze up and he undid it all.

I have to agree. Tony played pretty well until he fouled Gordon twice in OT.

I liked how he ran hard in fast break situations with Rondo. Baby, Rondo, and Tony all ran hard in transition.

From what I've seen, Doc has no problem criticizing TA. If Doc compliments TA, he probably means it.

[kheeko]

Tony will make mistakes, everyone does. Rondo made a horeendous turnover down the dstretch by leaping in the air with nowhere to go, lead to a fast break. Pierce had some bad turnovers, Ray committed some incredibly stupid fouls tonight. Perkins couldn't hold onto the ball for a better part of the game...Tony also makes some mistakes.

Bottom line, he's a hard nosed guy that sticks up into people and gets dirty on D. Guys who play like that will get some fouls called on them becasue they are so aggressive. Tony does make some bad mistakes.

But against this team and also because yeah, we don't have a Posey or a better option, I'm playing him more minutes against Rose, Gordon and Salmons. By more I mean I'm saying 15-20 minutes, keep him active in the game.

As Doc said, we made a defnsive run with Tony in there.

I like his toughness out there. We need it. I'd get him more run early in the next game. Also as someone said, we're gonna need him as we move forward.

But he's a lightning Rod type of player. You pretty much love him or hate him. I'll take his tough aggressive style and live with the mistakes, the playoffs are a fist fight, he's a guy you can count on to get dirty with, mistakes and all.

Well said, I agree

[thedawg]

What really grinds my gears is Doc Rivers and his way of rotating the team. Does the man even know we are having problems in terms of injuries???  Mikki Moore does not play at all even though we need height and some defence. Eddie House is forgotten as usual but when Eddie House is given some minutes (especially at home) he wont disappoint us. Even Stephon Marbury is given the go-ahead ahead of House and that really tells us hw much he rates him!  Stephon Marbury is definitely lacking some confidence (eventhough it sounds funny to say it) as he passed on a shot when he should have taken it during key moment in last game.  We are NOT going to win any games by NOT using and trusting the players we have and most certainly NOT going to win on the starting five playing 99% of the minutes every game!  Shape up or ship out, Doc!

[CoachBo]

Well, I definitely do not agree that Tony deserves more minutes after last night, and the catastrophic defensive mistake he made is proof why.

But, he's got to play - in short stretches so his short attention span doesn't beat us. We're simply too beat up to rout this team, and we can't afford that inability to think on the floor for any length of time. Maybe a couple of minutes at a time, but certainly no more.

[Quinn]

The only Celtic's jersey I own is a Tony Allen jersey.
...and he's become my least favorite player. (Celtics, the guy who I won't name from the Cavaliers with the hair is; and coming up close second is Noah.)
By no means is he bad, he's  a solid defender.
But he doesn't seem to do much on the court.

[satch]

Tony and Scal are just good enough to get you beat. Tony made another stupid mistake right after his bonehead foul. He threw an outlet pass to Perk in the open floor near the mid-court line. Perk was able to gather himself and center it back to Rondo. When this was happening I thought to myself Oh know not another one. Poor Scal is not very good and poor Tony is not very smart.

[CDawg834]

Tony will make mistakes, everyone does. Rondo made a horeendous turnover down the dstretch by leaping in the air with nowhere to go, lead to a fast break. Pierce had some bad turnovers, Ray committed some incredibly stupid fouls tonight. Perkins couldn't hold onto the ball for a better part of the game...Tony also makes some mistakes.

Bottom line, he's a hard nosed guy that sticks up into people and gets dirty on D. Guys who play like that will get some fouls called on them becasue they are so aggressive. Tony does make some bad mistakes.

You're right, all players will make mistakes, but usually they make enough positive contributions to counteract any mistakes they make on the court.  But TA doesn't do enough on the positive side to balance the awful mistakes he makes on the court.  I saw at least 2 different fast breaks where Rondo would pass to anyone except TA, which shows how much they trust him on the offensive end.

And as for Ray's fouls, those were borderline at best.  TA gets fouls called on him not just due to his aggressiveness, but because he puts himself in horrible positions.

[rutzan]

i'm far from being a TA apologist but i think with all things considered he played pretty good defense...yes he shouldn't have fouled Gordon on the 3 but you have to remember Gordon has been torching everyone...there is a reason Gordon was offered $60M...and taking into consideration TA just came back from the injury recently and played 4 or 5 minutes in the first 3 games...the thing that really gets me is that people on this blog talk like they could have guarded Gordon...let me repeat...Gordon was offerd $60M for a reason...he is a good player...most people on this blog couldn't guard a broomstick if given the chance...it's easy to be a monday morning quarterback and throw cheapshots and peanuts from the grandstand because of some sense of entitlement from being a fan...bottom line...posey is not walking thru the door...bottome line...we are going to need TA to play defense if we are going to advance and have a chance against Chi, Orl, Cle, LA...

[BballTim]

Well, I definitely do not agree that Tony deserves more minutes after last night, and the catastrophic defensive mistake he made is proof why.

But, he's got to play - in short stretches so his short attention span doesn't beat us. We're simply too beat up to rout this team, and we can't afford that inability to think on the floor for any length of time. Maybe a couple of minutes at a time, but certainly no more.

  That wasn't the first 3 shot foul we've given up this series, was it? We've also had a few late game fouls where people bit on pump fakes, and we had that clear path foul by Scal and not fouling Salmons at the end of the other game. Did you call all of those fouls disastrous? Did you call any of them catastrophic, or point them out about 10 times in the same thread?

[CDawg834]

i'm far from being a TA apologist but i think with all things considered he played pretty good defense...yes he shouldn't have fouled Gordon on the 3 but you have to remember Gordon has been torching everyone...there is a reason Gordon was offered $60M...and taking into consideration TA just came back from the injury recently and played 4 or 5 minutes in the first 3 games...the thing that really gets me is that people on this blog talk like they could have guarded Gordon...let me repeat...Gordon was offerd $60M for a reason...he is a good player...most people on this blog couldn't guard a broomstick if given the chance...it's easy to be a monday morning quarterback and throw cheapshots and peanuts from the grandstand because of some sense of entitlement from being a fan...bottom line...posey is not walking thru the door...bottome line...we are going to need TA to play defense if we are going to advance and have a chance against Chi, Orl, Cle, LA...

I don't think anyone is claiming that they could guard Ben Gordon, the way he is shooting no one could at this point.  I think what many of the posters are trying to say is that there is this perception out there that Tony is this elite defensive presence on the court, and a lot of us (myself included) just don't see it at all.  Even if it is true, is it worth basically playing 4 on 5 on the other end (due to his complete incompetence on offense) just to have him on the court?

If Tony Allen's defense is the key that is going to help us advance in the playoffs, then this team isn't going anywhere.

[rutzan]

nothing personal...but please re-read the post:

1)i never said he was an elite defender
2)i never said he was the key

and, finally, to say playing TA is like playing 4 on 5 is just plain ludicrous...forget about insulting...if that is truly the case...and i mean truly...then somebody should jump out of the stands and grab Doc and tell him to play 4 on 5 next time he wants to put TA in...

[Brickowski]

I still don't think it was a foul.  I thought Tony's defense was excellent, and on several possessions he denied Gordon the ball completely.

Aside from the virtually useless Marbury, the bench guy whose play has disappointed me is Eddie House.