By Joseph "Joey" ButtsRay Allen has been all over social media lately. I scroll through my Twitter feed, which is completely shrouded by sports analysts, journalists, and athletes. Most of them are talking about Ray right now. What I am seeing comes with support to the NBA’s all-time leading 3-point shooter. Recently, there was a reunion of the 2008 NBA Championship team, being the Celtics. The team was almost flawless. They had the distributer in Rondo. They had “The Truth” in Pierce. They had arguably the best power forward of all-time in Garnett. They had the two bruisers in Davis and Perkins and of course, they had the purest of shooters, in Ray. I guess I am a little bias, being that He Got Game is my all-time favorite movie. I even tried to perfect the Ray Allen jump shot, which is impossible unless you are just gifted like he is. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I watched him break Reggie Miller’s record. The rebound, hand-off to Rondo, and then the chest pass to Ray who was trailing on the wing during the fast break. The whole arena knew it was going in; they were on their feet as soon as Ray caught the ball. The explosion of the crowd was unreal after it sank. This is all coming from a Knicks fan, by the way. I hate the Celtics as much as the next Knicks fan but you cannot deny greatness. You cannot deny game. The Celtics had a special team and it was something worth watching, fan of them or not. But the NBA is a business. Players come and go. Dynasties fade in, and then they fade out. Ray decided that his time in Boston had come to an end. Ray had been subject to trade rumors ever since he arrived in Boston. Some for Tracy McGrady, and later, for OJ Mayo. He was coming off an injury which plagued his season in 2012. The chances for the original big three to stick together seemed less and less. After the swirling rumors, the Celtics decided to make Ray an offer to stay for another two years. But he decided to pack up his bags and head to Miami, in search of another ring alongside Lebron and Wade. There, he hit the most important shot of his career, which gave them the ring he came for. The bad blood left by Ray was apparent, it happens. The team didn’t necessarily need his services as much as they once did. Other players were coming in, taking his spot and changing the offense. He made his decision on business. He wanted to play, and be a vital piece of an offense. While he played less minutes in Miami than he did in the last season in Boston, he was a key part. Contributing 10.9 PPG while playing around 25 minutes, according to basketball-reference.com. He also helped out Lebron by altering his free throw routine. Making it look smooth and effective.
Ray Allen joined a rival team in the conference. That is what hurt the guys in Boston the most. But it has been 9 years since that day. How can they deny the greatness that they all had together? To not invite Ray to the reunion was just childish. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are already talking to each other again, and that breakup was far worse in my opinion, although eerily similar. Amends should be made. Ray might have to step up to the plate and be the bigger man. But maybe not? After that reunion show the other night, I would find it hard to get in touch with them. You have your legacy, you have your trophies, and you have your family. That’s all there is to it. Oh, and you were a part of the greatest sports movie of all time.
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