After missing the last 22 games with a sprained left thumb, Tony Allen said after practice that he is looking forward to returning tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats.

“I’m going to give it a shot and see how it goes,” the Boston Globe reported Allen as saying following this morning’s shootaround. “Today is a big day for me. I’m not looking at going out and scoring 50 points, nothing like that. Just getting in a rhythm and getting a feel for my new teammates and just trying to do what I can do to help.”

Allen has missed a total of 35 games this season. He figures to give the Celtics some much-needed depth off the bench as a defensive stopper. How much he plays is not certain and will likely be determined by his stamina and the game situation.