Tony Allen is the Celtics Fan's Early Christmas Present

[afflatus]

I'm sooooo Happy for Tony Allen. With all expectations down the drain, and reduced to nothing more than trade bait (with no fish biting), he has worked hard and has kept a positive attitude, he has made us miss Marquis Daniels a little less. His emotion for EVERY play is amazing. Easy to notice his emotion when he makes a good shot, but have you guys noticed we see the same emotion on every pass he makes? Or any extra pass he is involved in? He is definitely at a point in his career where he does not take anything for granted.

He has also made our bench a lot deeper. In the beginning, we were around 9 deep with Wallace, Marquis, House and Big Baby when all are healthy. He just made us 10 deep. You could even argue that we are 12 deep with Scal and Williams. Most "deep" teams are usually saddled with Ego issues (remember the Blazers early in the decade?), or a bunch of players who need the ball to be effective. But this "Deep" team has no egos. I'm really enjoying watching these guys.

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm sooooo Happy for Tony Allen. With all expectations down the drain, and reduced to nothing more than trade bait (with no fish biting), he has worked hard and has kept a positive attitude, he has made us miss Marquis Daniels a little less. His emotion for EVERY play is amazing. Easy to notice his emotion when he makes a good shot, but have you guys noticed we see the same emotion on every pass he makes? Or any extra pass he is involved in? He is definitely at a point in his career where he does not take anything for granted.

He has also made our bench a lot deeper. In the beginning, we were around 9 deep with Wallace, Marquis, House and Big Baby when all are healthy. He just made us 10 deep. You could even argue that we are 12 deep with Scal and Williams. Most "deep" teams are usually saddled with Ego issues (remember the Blazers early in the decade?), or a bunch of players who need the ball to be effective. But this "Deep" team has no egos. I'm really enjoying watching these guys.

Wow..Deja Vu. I just posted something similar to this in the "Marquis out Tuesday, Tony in" thread. Not even 5 min ago.

TP for you.

[Roy Hobbs]

Tony has looked very good over the past two games.  However, it's two games.  I'm skeptical that Tony has finally "got it" after six seasons {especially since Bad Tony has made a few appearances already this season), but I suppose stranger things have probably happened.

[GreenFaith1819]

Tony has looked very good over the past two games.  However, it's two games.  I'm skeptical that Tony has finally "got it" after six seasons {especially since Bad Tony has made a few appearances already this season), but I suppose stranger things have probably happened.

The last part of your post (stranger things have happened) is so true.

I say that because I was deployed in the middle of the Indian Ocean when I first heard about "The Trade" back in 2007. The Spurs had just won the the championship and one of the big-mouthed Spurs fans onboard came up to me and said "Hey man your team just got KG and Ray Allen".......

That being said, "Anything's Possible"...even with TA. Just stay healthy, man. If he doesn't have to focus on his knee or some other body part, then he can focus on basketball.

[Drucci]

Tony has looked very good over the past two games.  However, it's two games.  I'm skeptical that Tony has finally "got it" after six seasons {especially since Bad Tony has made a few appearances already this season), but I suppose stranger things have probably happened.

I agree with you. I'm really glad and pleasantly surprised to see TA contribute like he does, and the thought of seeing Marquis AND Tony playing well on the bench makes me giddy but it's just two games... let's not get too hyped up, and let's see if he can keep up this level of performance throughout the year.

However, I have to admit I had never seen TA play like this before. I'm not talking about his points or buckets but just his overall game, he seems to take only smart decisions! He makes the pass when he has to (and he doesn't make it because he is scared of blowing a layup), he runs really quickly but takes time to finish his plays, he draws fouls, doesn't commit turnovers or offensive fouls anymore... and he plays excellent D. I was also surprised when he pump faked a shot to free himself... sure, he threw a brick but the idea was there and he took a good shot.

His energy and hustle are also really good. Keep it up Tony!

[GreenFaith1819]

Tony has looked very good over the past two games.  However, it's two games.  I'm skeptical that Tony has finally "got it" after six seasons {especially since Bad Tony has made a few appearances already this season), but I suppose stranger things have probably happened.

I agree with you. I'm really glad and pleasantly surprised to see TA contribute like he does, and the thought of seeing Marquis AND Tony playing well on the bench makes me giddy but it's just two games... let's not get too hyped up, and let's see if he can keep up this level of performance throughout the year.

However, I have to admit I had never seen TA play like this before. I'm not talking about his points or buckets but just his overall game, he seems to take only smart decisions! He makes the pass when he has to (and he doesn't make it because he is scared of blowing a layup), he runs really quickly but takes time to finish his plays, he draws fouls, doesn't commit turnovers or offensive fouls anymore... and he plays excellent D. I was also surprised when he pump faked a shot to free himself... sure, he threw a brick but the idea was there and he took a good shot.

His energy and hustle are also really good. Keep it up Tony!

So true...you mentioned the "Mental" part of TA's game. Roy Hobbs and Nickagneta have always harped on this about TA, which I can certainly understand.

IMO, I really believe that the Knee Brace he had on seemingly forever was affecting him mentally. I have not seen him with it on this year.

Yes he has struggled a couple of times this year, but he is getting his confidence back, and getting his focus back.

I really believe that TA is going to be a handful for ORL to deal with on Christmas. All we need is for someone to deny Vince Carter the ball so he can't take 40 shots just to get 30 points, lol...

[KungPoweChicken]

Tony has looked very good over the past two games.  However, it's two games.  I'm skeptical that Tony has finally "got it" after six seasons {especially since Bad Tony has made a few appearances already this season), but I suppose stranger things have probably happened.

Why are people still debating this? When healthy and when he gets consistent minutes, he's a very solid role player, nothing more, nothing less. Most people on this board are just bitter because Tony didn't live up to their delusional expectations of becoming a franchise player, back in the dark ages when Pierce went down with the injury, now they just bash him and can't except that he is what he is (which is, when healthy, a solid role player).

[moiso]

I like Tony.  Sometimes he can't get out of his own way, but good or bad, he makes a ton of things happen.  He's the anti-Daniels.  He definitely is an instigator as Ainge would say.

[Roy Hobbs]

Tony has looked very good over the past two games.  However, it's two games.  I'm skeptical that Tony has finally "got it" after six seasons {especially since Bad Tony has made a few appearances already this season), but I suppose stranger things have probably happened.

Why are people still debating this? When healthy and when he gets consistent minutes, he's a very solid role player, nothing more, nothing less. Most people on this board are just bitter because Tony didn't live up to their delusional expectations of becoming a franchise player, back in the dark ages when Pierce went down with the injury, now they just bash him and can't except that he is what he is (which is, when healthy, a solid role player).

If Tony was a "very solid role player", people wouldn't be debating anything.  Unfortunately, that's not what he's been here.  He's been historically unreliable, whether due to injury or mental defect.

I doubt anybody expects Tony to contribute like he did last night consistently; if he could, he'd be a starter.  However, what frustrates people is that Tony is very much a Jekyll and Hyde type of player; there definitely is a Good Tony and a Bad Tony.  Unfortunately, nobody -- including Tony -- apparently has any control over which player shows up, and he can go between Good and Bad very quickly, sometimes on a quarter-to-quarter basis.  Every player is subject to ups and downs, but not to the extreme swings that Tony sees as a player.

Tony is a disruptive player.  Unfortunately, 50% of the time he's disrupting the other team, and 50% he's disrupting ours.

[Redz]

all I really wanted was my two front teeth, but TA will do (the good TA)

On a side note, I just finished reading Jekyll & Hyde for the first time.  A very short and odd tale, mostly told through narrated letters. 

[Chris]

I didn't think I was that bad this year.  What happened to just lumps of coal?  Is this Santa's version of going "green"?

[GreenFaith1819]

I didn't think I was that bad this year.  What happened to just lumps of coal?  Is this Santa's version of going "green"?

Now that is Cold, man...lol...c'mon give TA "some" love...it's the Season, right??

[Chris]

I didn't think I was that bad this year.  What happened to just lumps of coal?  Is this Santa's version of going "green"?

Now that is Cold, man...lol...c'mon give TA "some" love...it's the Season, right??

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.  Tony has done a decent job the last two games, and I hope he can keep it together until Daniels comes back...but we have seen this before.  Tony has never been able to show any consistency when it comes to his focus.  He will string together 2 or 3 good games, and then completely fall apart for 3 weeks. 

[GreenFaith1819]

I didn't think I was that bad this year.  What happened to just lumps of coal?  Is this Santa's version of going "green"?

Now that is Cold, man...lol...c'mon give TA "some" love...it's the Season, right??

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.  Tony has done a decent job the last two games, and I hope he can keep it together until Daniels comes back...but we have seen this before.  Tony has never been able to show any consistency when it comes to his focus.  He will string together 2 or 3 good games, and then completely fall apart for 3 weeks. 

Three Weeks ? Now I have tears in my eyes from the laughter. You've got my son looking over here at me wondering what's wrong.

Well I hope (for our sakes anyway) that he can string together at Least TWO more of these games..following your formula, he will be good against Indy, but not against ORL.

I really believe that TA will have a good game against ORL. As long as he can slow down Vince and deny him, Perk, KG and the crew will do the rest.

[moiso]

I didn't think I was that bad this year.  What happened to just lumps of coal?  Is this Santa's version of going "green"?

Now that is Cold, man...lol...c'mon give TA "some" love...it's the Season, right??

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.  Tony has done a decent job the last two games, and I hope he can keep it together until Daniels comes back...but we have seen this before.  Tony has never been able to show any consistency when it comes to his focus.  He will string together 2 or 3 good games, and then completely fall apart for 3 weeks. 

Part of the problem is that he can only stay healthy for short periods of time.  He's never stayed healthy enough to stay in a groove.  And I don't mean just the major injuries which he is perpetually recovering from.  He never goes three solid weeks without minor injuries that cause him to get out of his grooove.  And when TA misses a few games, generally it's like he's a rookie starting from scratch again when he comes back.