Ray with 20 in Heat playoff debut

[Gurleyman]

Didn't even shoot all that well (6-13, 2-8 threes). Missed some wide open looks. Played a pretty solid game, though.

The playoffs for UConn guys this year are essentially Caron in the first and third quarter for the Clips, Ray in the second and fourth for the Heat, Rip in spot minutes for the Bulls, and Hasheem waving a towel for the Thunder.

 

[huskyharry]

Don't forget JLamb waving the towel as well.
Hasheem had a good dunk and nice steal, albeit in a Thunder blowout

 

[Hoophound]

Ray has been playing reduced minutes to keep him healthy for the playoffs. We may see more of him than we have been. He was even creating off the dribble last night. He looked very good. He is much more mobile than he was when the Celtics won the title with him. He seems to have gotten a few years back.

 

[traitor71]

Spoelstra has managed him very well I think. On that point, the guy needs to be given some credit for the way he runs the Heat as he really seems to have a good feel for when to play guys and how much to play them. Not easy when this town yells to see every guy, every game because they want to see what they might do next on the court.

 

[Huskyforlife]

He was better on the Celtics. But best of luck to Ray. Win another ring!!

 

[Hoophound]

He was better on the Celtics. But best of luck to Ray. Win another ring!!

Not sure if you mean that literally or not. He was already declining badly when the C's got him but he was pretty good in year 1. However, he literally is more mobile today than he was with the Celtics. Seeing him right now, you can clearly tell he was in pain most of the time in Boston. He is much more agile and his first step is faster right now. I'm not saying he is getting better with age, I'm just saying he was always in pain in Boston. Otherwise, there is no explanation for why he can jump higher now than he could then.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Not sure if you mean that literally or not. He was already declining badly when the C's got him but he was pretty good in year 1. However, he literally is more mobile today than he was with the Celtics. Seeing him right now, you can clearly tell he was in pain most of the time in Boston. He is much more agile and his first step is faster right now. I'm not saying he is getting better with age, I'm just saying he was always in pain in Boston. Otherwise, there is no explanation for why he can jump higher now than he could then.

You are likely blending 2012 Boston Celtic Ray Allen with 2008 and earlier versions. Ray was still a 18ppg scorer initially with the Celtics and until PP erupted for 38pts (in a loss) Ray was at least arguably the 08 finals MVP versus the Lakers. Remember he had a killer crossover to blow past Vucavic & sneak a layup by Gasol to clinch one of the games in LA. Ray averaged over 20PPG in that finals and shot >50% from field and 3. He was not the player with Boston that he was in Seatle or as explosive as he was in Milwaukee or Seattle, but his difficulty in creating his own shot only became a hindrance his last year or two tops in Boston.

This is Ray's 17th NBA season, remarkable.

 

[Hoophound]

You are likely blending 2012 Boston Celtic Ray Allen with 2008 and earlier versions. Ray was still a 18ppg scorer initially with the Celtics and until PP erupted for 38pts (in a loss) Ray was at least arguably the 08 finals MVP versus the Lakers. Remember he had a killer crossover to blow past Vucavic & sneak a layup by Gasol to clinch one of the games in LA. Ray averaged over 20PPG in that finals and shot >50% from field and 3. He was not the player with Boston that he was in Seatle or as explosive as he was in Milwaukee or Seattle, but his difficulty in creating his own shot only became a hindrance his last year or two tops in Boston.

This is Ray's 17th NBA season, remarkable.

He crossed over Vujecic (sp) who tripped and had a nasty reverse layup in which his feet got a full 6 inches off the ground! I'm not forgetting those plays but he was pretty bad for a lot of those playoffs.

His performance in the finals was great at times but mostly when games were already in hand. He struggled terribly against Cleveland in the Eastern Finals as well. He was being mocked all over Boston for being a no show and over the hill. Even in the clincher, most of his points came in a blowout. Ray had value in that playoff run but he was in bad, bad shape. He has so much more lift right now.

 

[Scoe]

He crossed over Vujecic (sp) who tripped and had a nasty reverse layup in which his feet got a full 6 inches off the ground! I'm not forgetting those plays but he was pretty bad for a lot of those playoffs.

His performance in the finals was great at times but mostly when games were already in hand. He struggled terribly against Cleveland in the Eastern Finals as well. He was being mocked all over Boston for being a no show and over the hill. Even in the clincher, most of his points came in a blowout. Ray had value in that playoff run but he was in bad, bad shape. He has so much more lift right now.

It must be that Heat in south beach no pun intended. Aside from winning a title he chose Miami because they do a better job of utilizing his skills.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I think he chose Miami because (a) he rightfully saw a better opportunity to win a ring; (b) he saw a diminished role in Boston with the emergence of Avery Bradley; and (c) he felt disrespected by the franchise.

I don't know that the Heat do a "better job utilizing his skills" than did Boston. He actually looks mobile for the first time in a while. He was pretty terrible for long stretches in Boston, and it certainly helps you find open looks when one of your teammates happens to be the best basketball player on the planet.

And I know it's unpopular to say this, but Paul Pierce has been the subject of far more trade discussions as a Celtic than Ray was (and was on the verge of being sent to Dallas a couple months ago) and did not do even a fraction of the whining Ray did.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I haven't seen a lot of him as a Heat (? a Heater, Heat) and I know he was coming off ankle surgery in 08, but I'm struggling to believe he jumps better now than he did 5yrs ago. Maybe its simply because he's not playing 36 mins per night anymore?


Got a compilation of Heat dunks for comparitive lift analysis?

 

[Gurleyman]

He crossed over Vujecic (sp) who tripped and had a nasty reverse layup in which his feet got a full 6 inches off the ground! I'm not forgetting those plays but he was pretty bad for a lot of those playoffs.

His performance in the finals was great at times but mostly when games were already in hand. He struggled terribly against Cleveland in the Eastern Finals as well. He was being mocked all over Boston for being a no show and over the hill. Even in the clincher, most of his points came in a blowout. Ray had value in that playoff run but he was in bad, bad shape. He has so much more lift right now.

Yes you are indeed forgetting those plays. The reverse layup which was a triple pump because he got caught under the rim and had to pump again (). That was with about 3 minutes to go, then he broke down the defense and fed Posey for a 3 with a little over a minute to go, then after the Lakers scored, he beat Vujacic off the dribble (however easy it might be to beat him) for the bucket to seal it. There was no tripping - Vujacic was just beat clean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=ewt_9R-3qes&feature=endscreen

Game 6 he poured it on in the second half after it was already lopsided, but given that the Celtics came back from 24 down in the second half to win Game 4, hitting those shots helped put the final nail in.

You are 100 percent correct about the Cleveland series - he was terrible. And last year he was putting off surgery and he couldn't move well enough off the ball to get open - he was a shadow of himself. In between, he had some moments - 51 against the Bulls, the ridiculous game-winner over Noah, eight threes in a row in the finals - but wasn't consistent any more (which you'd expect from someone 35+).

 

[Gurleyman]

I think he chose Miami because (a) he rightfully saw a better opportunity to win a ring; (b) he saw a diminished role in Boston with the emergence of Avery Bradley; and (c) he felt disrespected by the franchise.

I don't know that the Heat do a "better job utilizing his skills" than did Boston. He actually looks mobile for the first time in a while. He was pretty terrible for long stretches in Boston, and it certainly helps you find open looks when one of your teammates happens to be the best basketball player on the planet.

And I know it's unpopular to say this, but Paul Pierce has been the subject of far more trade discussions as a Celtic than Ray was (and was on the verge of being sent to Dallas a couple months ago) and did not do even a fraction of the whining Ray did.

Pierce has done plenty of whining. The whole reason the Big Three came about is that he was demanding a trade if they didn't find him more help. They pulled it off, but he might have been out of Boston in 2007 if Sam Presti wasn't hired as the Seattle GM and looking to rebuild around youth from day one.

 

[k9fanatic]

He crossed over Vujecic (sp) who tripped and had a nasty reverse layup in which his feet got a full 6 inches off the ground! I'm not forgetting those plays but he was pretty bad for a lot of those playoffs.

His performance in the finals was great at times but mostly when games were already in hand. He struggled terribly against Cleveland in the Eastern Finals as well. He was being mocked all over Boston for being a no show and over the hill. Even in the clincher, most of his points came in a blowout. Ray had value in that playoff run but he was in bad, bad shape. He has so much more lift right now.

So much wrong with your post, where to begin?

About the only thing you got right was that he had a miserable series against Cleveland -- who by the way made stopping Ray their number one defensive priority. Having said that, he was putrid, shooting a measly 33% and scoring but 9.3 points per game.

BUT -- that was one bad series that somehow has been transformed into an entire playoff run by a large number of Celtics fans.

In the first round against Atlanta, he averaged 16 points per game on 42% shooting (40% on 3s).

In the Detroit series he averaged 17.5 points per game on 44% shooting (39% on 3s)

And in the Finals against the Lakers he averaged 20.3 points on 51% shooting (52% on 3s) and the only game that was a blowout was game 6. The scores for the rest of the games were: 98-88, 108-102, 87-81, 97-91, 103-98, 131-92. Again, the only blow out was game 6 so I don't know where you get this "game in hand" bull.

Even in game 6, he started out well, but then spent a great chunk of the first half in the locker room after having his eye scratched. That's why when you see pictures of the celebration afterward he looks like he's winking.

 

[Joobie]

I miss seeing Ray in a Celtics uniform! Thanks for posting these....brought back many great memories.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think he chose Miami because (a) he rightfully saw a better opportunity to win a ring; (b) he saw a diminished role in Boston with the emergence of Avery Bradley; and (c) he felt disrespected by the franchise.

I don't know that the Heat do a "better job utilizing his skills" than did Boston. He actually looks mobile for the first time in a while. He was pretty terrible for long stretches in Boston, and it certainly helps you find open looks when one of your teammates happens to be the best basketball player on the planet.

And I know it's unpopular to say this, but Paul Pierce has been the subject of far more trade discussions as a Celtic than Ray was (and was on the verge of being sent to Dallas a couple months ago) and did not do even a fraction of the whining Ray did.

I think your first paragraph is ok. You neglected to mention the possible Rondo rift, but I think that'd be 'd)' at most. Interesting that when the Celtics surged after the Rondo injury the maybe Ray was right about RR gained a little more traction.

2nd para - Terrible for long stretches is simply not true and again an extrapolation of how Ray was playing on bad wheels at the end of last season. Earlier in the year he had a stretch of 20+PPG when Pierce was out.

3rd - Ray maybe spoke too much after leaving when saying nothing would have been better. But I challenge you to find quotes about him 'whining' from 2008-11. He definitely was rumored to be moved twice at trade deadlines, including the retroactive story that one trade was a done deal (Allen for OJ Mayo). Yet other than 1 year when his play suffered pre-deadline I don't recall any whining or other. And I think Ray was shopped a heck of a lot more often than the one or two Paul Pierce trade rumors over Pierce's entire career.