Ray Allen

Celtics guard Ray Allen has been a critical part of the Boston roster for the last three years, helping lead the team to two NBA finals appearances, including one NBA championship. Allen appeared on the Dennis & Callahan show early Friday morning in an interview that was taped at Celtics media day, and he discussed varying topics, including the Game 7 loss to the Lakers and the upcoming season with some new faces but same leadership.

“I honestly believe that everything was imperfect [last season], throughout all last year going into the playoffs,” he said. “Nothing was lined up the way we wanted it to be. You know, we had to fight tooth and nail every possession, every game, to get it to where we wanted it to be. So, we imagine that it’ll be pretty much the same way. It was probably the most grueling, taxing season that I’ve had in the playoffs for sure. But when you get it, it makes it that much more special.”

Following is a transcript. To hear the interview, visit the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.

After 14 years in the NBA, does the gap between the end of the season and training camp seem shorter or longer, in your opinion?

It’s definitely gotten shorter. When I was young, it just seemed like it was a whole other year. The summertime you’d be home and I would catch everything. You know, you go home and you see people’s graduations, you know, you do some other things. But as I’ve gotten older, the summer’s already in full swing and we start in July. You’ve got July and August to try and get back into shape and stay in shape.

What’s the process like for you, getting over losing the NBA finals in a seventh game?

Well, I didn’t cut my hair for a long time. I didn’t want to really do anything; I didn’t really go out in public a whole lot. Just being around anybody was just too taxing. I’ve never had so many more people come up to me now, since we lost, come up to me and say congratulations, and they were so happy, and thank us for what we’ve done for them, and they watched and enjoyed what we did. When we won, it didn’t seem like anybody came up to me at all, but it just was everywhere I went, people said something. The most unassuming people you would ever expect watched the games, and, “You guys were so awesome, so great.”

Read the rest of this entry »

WALTHAM  –  Rasheed Wallace can read the standings just like everyone else.

He sees that the Utah Jazz are off to a 3-4 start out West. He also sees the likes of Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur on the box score. Throw in the sharp-shooting Andrei Kirilenko and he knows his 7-1 Celtics will have their hands full when they take the court on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

“They’re a good team,” Wallace said. “Everyone is sleeping on them coming out of the West. I think they have the talent to beat the Lakers, talent to beat the Spurs. Can’t sleep on them, in my opinion. You can’t sleep on them at all. They have a good point guard, good big men, good swing men and good coach. It’s definitely going to be a challenge for us.”

Ever since the days of Stockton and Malone, the Jazz under Jerry Sloan have mastered the pick-and-roll as well as anyone in the sport.

“That’s Sloan’s calling card,” Wallace said after Tuesday’s practice preparing for just that. “Just look at Mailman [Karl Malone], just look at [Jeff] Hornacek, of course [John] Stockton. Just some of the guys they’ve had. That’s what they do to a ‘T’.

“That’s what they’re know for, their execution. Their power play, so to speak, where you dump it down from the corner. That’s something Sloan has re-written the book on, the pick and roll. And you definitely have to give them their credit.”

Sloan, who was just inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sept. 11, knows what he wants on the court at all times. And opposing players like Wallace know what to expect.

“Of course, he’s always going to have a big who can shoot, he’s always a point guard who can handle and drop it off to that big and still shoot, i.e. like Stockton did,” Wallace said. “It’s definitely not going to be a cakewalk. It’s definitely going to be a challenge.”