Time to give Tony Allen some Love

[return2glory]

Whether we keep TA or not, I have somthing to say about him. Of late, lot of people have been critical about TA. It's ok because most people have short term memory.

For most of the regular season, TA was one of our best bench players, if not the best. He was also the leading scorer off the bench for most of the regular season. TA was even asked to play out of poistion at PG and did well. Along with House and TA in the backcourt, we did well.

Then came the Marbury signing.TA had become our backup PG, as House was moved to SG. Doc believed the Marbury hype, and replaced TA in the lineup when Stephon.

While Marbury struggled with the Celtics, Doc never stopped believing in him. But what about TA Doc? Doc gave up on the wrong guy IMO. When Paul and Ray were tired in the Orlando series, TA would have been able to hang with Lewis or Heidu, but he never got the chance. That was the one mistake that Doc made in the playoffs, other than that, he did a great job with a short handed team.

So don't forget TA didn't let us down in the playoff's. If we keep TA, he would be a nice insurance policy in case Giddens and Walker aren't ready.

[Lewis35]

Tony Allen absolutely sucks. His defense is completely overrated (he goes for EVERY pump fake) He is not a good outside shooter, he is not a great finisher and he has a low, low basketball IQ. There is really no good reason why he should play a minute if everbody is healthy.

He has been in the NBA for 5 seasons and he shows no signs that he will get better. There is a reason Ainge wanted to unload him and there is a reason Bird wanted no part of him.

[Celts17Pride]

Good Luck with this topic.

[Rocky5000]

good post r2g. He did also have 1 or 2 surgeries at the end of the season, ankle and maybe leg. He also got to play in about 3 games after coming back from thumb surgery before the playoffs started. So the guy had 2 surgeries in 1 season, really unfortunate. I thought Tony was having a decent season for us, we were certainly winning a lot of games with him playing a major role. I remember he had a couple of awesome plays this year. He blocked Iguodala in Philadelphia at the rim on a alley oop dunk attempt, and in Minnesota he ripped the ball cleanly away from, I think Brewer, going up for a layup in a 2 on 1 situation for Minnesota. He also got pretty good at dishing drop off passes to Powe and Perk in the paint.

[Scalamental]

Just when your giving up on the guy he pulls through... but it's always in the middle of the season for like 1 game. Not since that glorious stretch before the mishap has he been consistent in a good way. Personally I see no harm in him staying, and no harm in him going.

[ryaningf]

Hey Return2Glory--

Thanks for fighting the good fight with this one--I agree with you on most fronts regarding TA. But in terms of public opinion, this is a losing fight. It's like trying to defend Scal back in 2007--impossible! The only thing that's going to change minds is production on the court. Until then, topics like these are just going to engender a ton of hate.

The biggest things standing in TA's way:
1. Health
2. Role--he's been de facto PG because of House. If there had a been a real pg in House's place, TA would have performed a lot better.
3. Playing time--Posey was ahead of TA in 2008, and Daniels will be ahead of him in 2010. TA doesn't do well without consistent playing time.

TA remains a good injury insurance guy. Since he has no value around the league, I think we're going to keep him just as that--insurance. And, like Scal, should some playing time open up because of injury, we're all going to be suddenly a lot more appreciative of what TA brings to the table.

[Celtics_85]

I don't think TA is as bad as all make him out to be. He has definately been frustrating with his injuries and off court problems, along with his ADHD symptoms, but I think he makes the bench deeper by being able to play 3 spots in case of injuries. You put him on the floor with Sheed, Daniels, House, and Baby he can flourish with them. Him and Daniels are the drivers and the other three are the shooters. TA has proven time and again that he can drive on anyone with his quickness, it is just a matter of staying healthy and keeping his mind on tract.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Good Luck with this topic.

I can't believe the OP said with a straight face that "TA was our best bench player for most of the season"...he was good until the middle of Nov and then he the clock struck midnight, the coach turned into a pumpkin, and TA reverted back to form...stupid, dumb, and an idiot...

[Zin5]

He really isn't a bad 5th or 6th guard, he's just not worth the money he's making and I'd rather just have a free roster spot than pay him to get spot minutes. Saying he was one of our best bench players last year isn't a compliment either, considering how bad our bench was. Now that we'll have decent options in Daniels and Sheed, TA's completely unnecessary on this team.

[Celts17Pride]

The biggest things standing in TA's way:

is Tony Allen. He sucks.

[darrendaye]

+1 With you on this one R2G.

[MyInsatiableOne]

The biggest things standing in TA's way:

is Tony Allen. He sucks.

Is his brain, or lack thereof

[ParticleMan]

meh, for all the hate he IS a good player. his problem is one of excess expectations. every so often he plays one of those "wow" games and you guy, why the f can't he do that every game? then he goes back into his bumbling ways for 5 games and everyone thinks hes (Please Use More Appropriate Word). the guy is just inconsistent, and the constant string of injuries havent helped at all. he has talent, and you may say he's overrated because he goes for pump fakes but the fact is by any statistical measure he's our best defensive wing, and Doc has said so as well. yes he goes for pump fakes sometimes but at least he's there in the shooters space instead of flying by because he was badly trailing the play like house or someone.

totally agree with ryan's post, health, role, and PT have all been obstacles for TA. i could see him going to a team with a consistent 6th man role and putting up 14 ppg. it's not hard to imagine at all. he's got that kind of talent.

at this point sadly he just needs a change of scenery imo.

[GuyClinch]

TA is actually decent. I think overall he brings a postive package to a team. However we have Daniels coming in who is a better version of TA. So I think he will be traded. He is very underrated though. You might think he was Robert Swift or something the way people hate on him.

[darrendaye]

Great points by Ryan, PM, and Pete in this thread. You guys nailed it, if they can't trade him, he will make a decent injury replacement. I added some points of my own in Gant's latest 10 things thread.

[Dave_From_NB]

He didn't lose his spot to Marbury, he was injured long before and after Marbury joined the team. He lost the spot to yet another injury, and unfortunately with Tony as Doc has explained many times, Tony is good with significant and consistent minutes, and not very good as a bench player being called upon to do spot duty. Unfortunately, he's nowhere near good enough to start for the Celtics, so they're stuck with a guy that isn't good unless he gets lots of minutes, and there just aren't lots of minutes available to get him to the point that he is consistent. With Daniels coming on board and a reasonable expectation of Walker and Giddens getting more time (how could they get less?), there is little liklihood that TA will get enough consistent burn to accomplish much this coming season.

2 points in 49 minutes against the Bulls. That's why he didn't get any play in the Orlando series.

[chakdaddy]

He's too small to play 3, not good enough ball handler to really play 1, so we only have room for him at the 2 - where we already have Ray and House ahead of him.

He can't shoot, he can only score when he's given the ball and given free reign. He's an ok slop scorer when a team has no better options; that's why he scored well in winter '06 when Pierce was out. But we always have better options, and a guy who can't shoot doesn't fit well at all in our offense. I hope Marquis Daniels can fit ok.

[Jammer]

Thanks for doing what I was about to do.

Tony, on another team, would be a contributor in the regular rotation.

Many of the other teams in the NBA have contracts committed to guys
WHO ARE NOT AS GOOD AS TONY.

That's the only reason the Celtics were not able to trade Tony.
And Memphis is just stupid. As evidenced by their 5 sub-30 win seasons in the past 8 years,
with another one due this year.

Good point on Tony and House, as a combo, also.

[No1CeltsFan]

Tony Allen is by far and away the worse player on the Boston Celtics. Anyone who thinks he is better than Scal clearly has no idea about basketball.

HE ABSOLUTELY SUCKS!!!!

He has the worse work ethic aside from maybe Gerald Green. He couldn't shoot a J when he came in the league and 5 years later he still can't shoot.

I love when people call him a "defensive stopper" I want to roll on the floor laughing. Why is he one? Because one game in 06-07 he held Kobe to like 23 points or whatever?

Whoopty Effin Do!!!\

The guy sucks. I think he's part (Please Use More Appropriate Word) actually. I mean why else would he go for every pump fake under the sun? i.e. vs Billups? i.e. vs Gordon?

The guy is a STIFF!!!!!!!

[Jammer]

No1CeltsFan:

Well, besides our obvious disagreement, I see more why Tony's still here than you.

The Opponent PER stats for the past several years clearly establish Tony as the
Celtics best straight up defender. Some can argue that KG would have better
straight up numbers if he didn't help out so much.

But I see a possible reason why Memphis might not want Tony completely different than you.
Because Tony is a better defender than anyone on Memphis' roster,
because Tony is better than any guard behind Mike Conley or OJ Mayo,
Memphis, which has no D, might actually not want to bring someone in
who is CAPABLE of SHUTTING down Mike Conley Jr. and OJ Mayo in practice.

Think of it, Mike Conley Jr. against Tony in one on one. Mike Conley 10-45 FG's.
OJ Mayo, 14-45. Those types of numbers are quite possible if Tony were to go
straight up against Mayo or Conley. And it's a possible reason why Memphis may shy away
from the Celtics best straight up defensive player. The trade value of Mayo and Conley could
decline if word got out that they couldn't score in practice (against Tony).

There's a reason why Memphis has had 5 sub 30 win team in the last 8 years. It's called no D.