The rebirth of Ray Allen

BOSTON — Calling him simply "red hot" or "on fire" just didn't seem to do him justice.

Last night, Ray Allen was simply at a Hall of Fame level.

Following a season of ups and downs, more than a little frustration and nagging trade rumors, many wondered about the aging guard heading into the playoffs.

But last night, in Boston's 106-77 embarrassment of Miami, Allen reminded everyone why he is headed to the Hall on his way to lighting the Heat up for a game-high 25 points.

"Ray just opened up the game," said Celtics captain Paul Pierce. "There were times during the game I was on the court being a spectator watching Ray knock down shots. I didn't know what to think. We were making that extra pass and Ray was getting some great looks and was finishing."

It was hardly a dream season for Allen. Playing in 80 games, Allen seemed to be missing that golden touch that made him the NBA's second all-time 3-point shooter. He averaged the fewest points (16.3) since his rookie season, and shot the worst 3-pointer percentage (.363) since his third pro campaign. He was not selected to the NBA All-Star game for the first time since 2003, when he was traded midseason from the Milwaukee to Seattle.

While he struggled on the court, there was plenty of talk about him off of it. Due to his lofty salary ($18,776,860), combined with his age (34) and that he is in the final year of his contract, Allen seemed an enticing trade option for a team looking for an expiring contract. Allen eventually got his wish and remained in Boston, but the scuffling continued.

Allen struggled mightily once again in the first game of the playoffs against the Heat on Sunday. He shot just 2-of-9 from the floor, and 0-for-4 from 3-point range on his way to only eight points.

Last night did not start off any better, as he did not attempt a single shot in the first quarter. But heading into the second, the switch was flipped.

"I just had to move forward," said Allen. "Wade was chasing me, and when I got the ball I tried to make a quick pass. I figured it was my turn to dish tonight. Then the flow of the game just started going my way."

Allen knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter, and simply found his groove from there.

"I told the guys after the first quarter that we needed to get Ray shots," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "At the end of the half, it was a message to the bigs to get Ray open, and I think we did a great job of that. He has to make his shots, and he did."

Nearly all from his sweet spot from the corner in front of the Heat bench, Allen seemingly couldn't miss in the second half, hitting from a set position, moving and off balance.

Allen finished the day 7-of-9 from 3-point range despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter with the game firmly in hand. It was the most 3-ponters Allen had hit this season, and the most in any game since knocking down nine in a playoff loss to Chicago on April 30, 2009.

Even better, the swagger that was missing for most of this season also seemed to be back as Allen looked excited for shots.

"Paul noticed the game and saw how it was flowing and demanded Ray get the ball," said Celtics forward Glen Davis. "Ray was hot."

'The NBA is softer'

Reflecting on the outrage over the Game 1 scuffle between the Celtics and the Miami Heat, and the suspension that followed for Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen made a simple assessment.

The game has changed.

"The NBA is a lot softer than it was when I got into the league," said Allen, now in his 14th NBA season. "There's no fighting in the NBA anymore. It has changed a lot."

Allen entered the league in 1996-97, during the heart of an era in which teams such as Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers would regularly brawl with the likes of John Starks and the New York Knicks and Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. But, he said, the softening of the league goes beyond just fists.

"The league is a lot softer on offense," said Allen. "The best scorers in the league were very aggressive and strong to the hoop. Everybody knows Jordan and Reggie Miller. But guys like Mitch Richmond, who only NBA heads would think of, were so tough.

"It used to be a lot tougher. There was the 'no layup' rule. If you tried to get a layup and got knocked down, you got back up and got back on defense. Now, the slightest touch, and you're falling and going to the free throw line."

One player whose toughness — and occasional dirty play — Allen especially noted was Miller, the five-time All-Star, who happened to be in the building last night announcing the game for TNT.

"When I first got into the league, Reggie would grab my hands and throw me in one direction and go in the other direction," remembered Allen. "My coach would look at me and said, 'You have to guard him.' I'd think, 'How am I supposed to do that?'"

No support for Wade

While the Celtics have managed to spread out the production, Miami has been unable to find any outside of superstar Dwyane Wade, who has scored 55 points in the Heat's two losses in Boston. No player other than Wade has scored more than 15 points in either game, and last night the second-leading scorer was Michael Beasley (13 points), who scored nine of those in the second half when the game was all but over.

"We are always going to focus on Wade," said Pierce. "But, at the same time, we can't let the other guys have big games. Jermaine O'Neal (two points) and Beasley are both guys capable of having big games. We really want to focus in and slow them down, shut them out. I thought that was our focus and we did a good job of it."

Rondo honored among top defenders

Prior to the game last night, it was announced Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo had finished fifth in the voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

"They're already giving out awards?" asked Rivers with a smile. "That's great. He can disrupt a game with his hands, and not many players in the league can do that."

This season, his fourth in the NBA, Rondo led the NBA in steals with 189, an average of 2.3 a game, breaking the previous Celtics record (167) set by Rick Fox in 1996-97.

"I think he's gotten much better," said Rivers. "People think you always gamble when you get a steal, but that's not true. He's growing, and like a guy on offense you have to allow him to do more."

Magic center Dwight Howard won the award, with Atlanta's Josh Smith, Charlotte's Gerald Wallace and Cleveland's LeBron James also finishing ahead of Rondo in that order.

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