Ray Allen will turn 35 in July. On Sunday, he played his 92nd game of the season just three days after he shared the defensive responsibility against LeBron James. He scored 25 points on 16 shots to continue the Celtics' run of postseason upsets with a 92-88 win over the Magic in Game 1 of the Eastern finals.
When the Celtics traded for Allen in 2007, they predicted he would be unlike the great lost majority of shooting guards who lose their legs in their early 30s. They hoped he would be his generation's Reggie Miller, and that he is. On Sunday, he routinely outraced defenders Matt Barnes and J.J. Redick around the corner like a pinball on a roulette wheel. But, he added another destructive element by putting the ball on the floor and driving it inside.
The No. 2 seeded-Magic had spent the previous two days preparing for the Celtics to play through Rajon Rondo. Instead, the Celtics turned Allen into a primary ballhandler and played Rondo off the ball.
It went well because Allen's 14 NBA years have left him with the wisdom to know when to shoot or upfake, when to take it down the throat of the lane for a left-handed finish or when to pull up for a mid-range jumper or when to create for others. He has earned that insight without sacrificing his legs, but then that's what summers of hard work and day after day of running on the treadmill or showing up early for pregame workouts have done for him. He is old above the neck and young from the shoulders on down.
Boston's defense held Orlando to 20 percent shooting (4-of-20) to grab a 22-14 first-quarter lead that expanded to 31-16 after Orlando managed three shots and five turnovers over the opening five minutes of the second. As much as they succeeded in stifling Howard (3-of-10 for 13 points and seven turnovers) with the man-to-man defense of Kendrick Perkins or Rasheed Wallace, it was Allen who stuck them with the knives to punish them at the other end of the floor.
Just as Orlando was threatening a fourth-quarter comeback, Allen responded with a silencing mid-range jumper off the dribble. After the Magic had trimmed the deficit to 10 points, Allen caught a Kevin Garnett pass and connected on a three-pointer with 5:34 to go. When Vince Carter cleverly missed a free throw with 8.4 seconds remaining -- which was tipped in by Jameer Nelson sprinting in from the arc like a wing man recovering an onside kick -- it was Allen who sought the ball, was fouled and doubtlessly swished both free throws to finish the scoring and reclaim home-court advantage for the No. 4 seeded Celtics.
The Magic hadn't lost in 14 games since April 2, but their fluid offense congealed and forced Carter to go one-on-one for many of his 23 points. In the meantime, Allen was scoring smoothly in the flow, which should come as no surprise. Amid the injuries to Garnett and Pierce this season, he has been the most reliable of the Big Three all year.
When the Celtics traded for Allen in 2007, they predicted he would be unlike the great lost majority of shooting guards who lose their legs in their early 30s. They hoped he would be his generation's Reggie Miller, and that he is. On Sunday, he routinely outraced defenders Matt Barnes and J.J. Redick around the corner like a pinball on a roulette wheel. But, he added another destructive element by putting the ball on the floor and driving it inside.
The No. 2 seeded-Magic had spent the previous two days preparing for the Celtics to play through Rajon Rondo. Instead, the Celtics turned Allen into a primary ballhandler and played Rondo off the ball.
It went well because Allen's 14 NBA years have left him with the wisdom to know when to shoot or upfake, when to take it down the throat of the lane for a left-handed finish or when to pull up for a mid-range jumper or when to create for others. He has earned that insight without sacrificing his legs, but then that's what summers of hard work and day after day of running on the treadmill or showing up early for pregame workouts have done for him. He is old above the neck and young from the shoulders on down.
Boston's defense held Orlando to 20 percent shooting (4-of-20) to grab a 22-14 first-quarter lead that expanded to 31-16 after Orlando managed three shots and five turnovers over the opening five minutes of the second. As much as they succeeded in stifling Howard (3-of-10 for 13 points and seven turnovers) with the man-to-man defense of Kendrick Perkins or Rasheed Wallace, it was Allen who stuck them with the knives to punish them at the other end of the floor.
Just as Orlando was threatening a fourth-quarter comeback, Allen responded with a silencing mid-range jumper off the dribble. After the Magic had trimmed the deficit to 10 points, Allen caught a Kevin Garnett pass and connected on a three-pointer with 5:34 to go. When Vince Carter cleverly missed a free throw with 8.4 seconds remaining -- which was tipped in by Jameer Nelson sprinting in from the arc like a wing man recovering an onside kick -- it was Allen who sought the ball, was fouled and doubtlessly swished both free throws to finish the scoring and reclaim home-court advantage for the No. 4 seeded Celtics.
The Magic hadn't lost in 14 games since April 2, but their fluid offense congealed and forced Carter to go one-on-one for many of his 23 points. In the meantime, Allen was scoring smoothly in the flow, which should come as no surprise. Amid the injuries to Garnett and Pierce this season, he has been the most reliable of the Big Three all year.
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