Ray Allen will make you guys eat your words in Game 7. Remember I said this.

[get_banners]

To be honest, I think there is no chance Ray Allen can give us much this postseason. His bone spurs are clearly bothering him. Its more noticeable on defense...we can win games with Ray not doing a ton on offense (since he sucks up defenders no matter what, creating space for everyone else). However, Ray was at least a passable defensive player when healthy. He has some good moments (Game 5 vs. Philly was pretty good), but his defense in general has been awful post-injury.

[celticslove]

no way, he's done this playoffs. he's hurting us more than helping. but i hope he make me eat my words come game 7.

[ballin]

Basketball is a game of inches, and because of that, the difference between "injured-Ray" and the old Ray is MASSIVE.

On defense, that half-a-step difference in quickness is what made the old Ray passable on defense, whereas the new Ray looks like a revolving door. I saw the sixers go at him literally 3 possessions in a row, and each possession ended up in a bucket if I remembered correctly.

On offense, it's the difference between him coming around a screen and firing away a shot he usually makes, and what's happening now (he's comes around the screen too slow and his man is on him, so he can't even attempt to shoot and ends up just wasting the shot clock). Not only that, it's the difference between him having an all-time great jumpshot, and no jumpshot at all!

Playing Ray injured is, in reality, worse than just about any bench shooting guard in the league. He should be getting 10 minutes a night, if anything.

But alas, Doc is too stubborn when it comes to his vets, and it's a little late to start experimenting with other lineups now.

[xExCeLz.05]

It's not Ray's fault.  He's just a mismatch against the quicker Philly team.

If you guys look back on the game against Philly, when MP received the concussion.  I believe he started over Ray Allen in that game and the C's did a great job at containing the Sixer's offense in the first half.

[Rondo_is_better]

uhhhh ok

I will remember you said that.

[j804]

Nah non-injured Ray Allen would be lethal in a game 7 right now he isnt scaring anybody.

[aporel#18]

Hopefully Doc starts Pietrus so the Celtics have matchup advantages all over the court. Ray off the bench with 3 days to rest his ankle will have a chance to play good D and make 12-15 points. Rest will do wonders for KG and PP also, and I expect a monster triple-double game from Rondo.

Ray Allen is my favorite Celtic, and I hope he retires in green after one or two more seasons, but right now he can't play 100%. He's playing through pain and you can't expect consistent minutes from him. But at 60 or 70%, he can still come off the bench and help the team. This is a team game, and the Celtics are the best team.

As fans, we try to blame losses on this or that player or coach, but losses and wins are all about the team. Ray isn't the one to blame, and he may not score 30+ points in this playoffs, but he can win another game or two for the Celtics. And I'm sure the Ray "haters" will be happy to eat crow.

Go Celtics!

[LarBrd33]

Seriously, I would LOVE to see a vintage Ray game.  You can't really count him out.  He's had bad stretches during every season of his Boston career where everyone assumed he was done.  This is one of those stretches.  Not sure if he can battle through the ankle thing, but I wouldn't bet against him.  Ray Allen is a legend in the playoffs.

Go back to 2008, for example.  In our 7 game series against the Cleveland LeBrons (which we were lucky to win, btw... in game 7 we beat them by 5 points thanks to a transcendent 41 point Paul Pierce game) he averaged 9.3 points on 33% shooting and 17% from three.  Cue the "Ray is done... Ray is too old... Ray is garbage... trade Ray in the offseason" posts.  

Against Detroit he averaged 17 points on 44% shooting (40% from three) and then against the Lakers he averaged 20 points on 50% shooting (52% from three).  

Often it comes down to how teams defend him.  Philly is actively attempting to take Ray out of the game.  It's working.  I'm sure the ankle is part of it as well, but Ray isn't getting the same kind of looks he gets against other teams.

[coco]

Dude, I love Ray, but he can' get off the ground at this moment.  Bad ankles, and won't get better.

[Celtics4ever]

I saw some signs at the end of the game he drained a few so it is possible.   We all want to see it happen.   But who knows what the bone spurs will yield.

[CelticsFanNC]

  I hope he has a big game but it hard for jump shooters to excel when their legs aren't right.

[wdleehi]

Hopefully three days and another SG stepping up a taking extra minutes will give Ray the legs the team needs him to have to make his shots. 

[ChapelHillCeltic]

He's done.  Sad to see but he looks like Larry Holmes on his last legs.

It's over for this year.

[rickyfan3.0...]

JUST STOP!! STOP WITH THE RAY ALLEN DEFENSE!! This team is going down in flames because neither of our guards play defense and all I hear are these pedantic 'spacing' arguments. If he is so necessary, why did we score in the 60's last night? Geez!

I GUARANTEE he will not score more than 12 points in Game 7 unless there is garbage time.

[scaryjerry]

Hehe at this point even if youre right, you're wrong.
Theres not even a slight indication he will make anyone eat their words besides...YOU