The Celtics hardly look like a championship squad right now, which is something Tony Allen alluded to when returning to Boston.
Allen, a member of the Celtics’ 2008 championship team, chipped in 15 points to help the Grizzlies blow past the C’s at the TD Garden on Wednesday. After the game, Allen pointed out that the Celtics don’t quite look like the team that raised Banner No. 17 back in ’08.
“They’re missing a lot of pieces,” Allen said. “Obviously you’ve got a lot of guys that have fulfilled those roles, such as[Jason Terry] in substitution of Ray [Allen]. … They’ve got one [defensive-minded player], [Avery Bradley], but I can’t really say that he’s 100 percent just yet. I don’t think they’ve got the center like [Kendrick Perkins]. It’s kind of hard finding a guy like that, a guy who clogs up the paint, talks trash to you, and actually backs it up. But they’re just missing a lot and I don’t see the same team from 2008.”
The C’s are certainly missing something. After dropping Wednesday’s contest to Memphis 93-83, Boston has now lost four in a row and sits at 14-17 overall this season. The Celtics got a key piece back on Wednesday when Avery Bradley, who hadn’t played yet this season because of shoulder surgery, returned to the hardwood, but Allen knows that more chips need to fall in place before his former team can return to NBA Finals glory.
“They’re missing a lot of their key pieces that they had,” Allen said. “Those guys have to try to find a way because those other guys aren’t here anymore, so once somebody steps up to those roles and holds themselves accountable and be those guys they’re missing, that’s when you’ll get back to it.”
Allen spent six seasons in Boston from 2004 to 2010, becoming one of the team’s more reliable perimeter defenders during that time. And while he might notice some flaws in Doc Rivers’ current crop, Allen did learn one major fact while in Beantown.
“Boston knows how to win,” he said.
Celtics fans are certainly hoping Allen is right, because the way the team is playing right now, it appears they may have forgotten.
