KEEP RAY, Get a backup point...here's why

[GreenDreamer]

Ray Allen should be barred from dribbling the ball more than three times. That is what I think of his dribbling.

[Slartibartfast]

No we don't we are the best defensive team in the NBA, that didn't even change with Garnett out but we have lost 4 ppg in January and Feb. The more Rondo scores worse the offense is, it isn't his fault he is playing fine but as his scoring increases or offense sucks more he is filling the void but he isn't keying wins with it.

Again you can hold on to this all you want but seriously you couldn't be more wrong. We put Marquis Daniels in Ray's spot right now and nothing else changes we are a first round knockout.

Are we the best defensive team in the NBA? Is that why we can't stop the Lakers, Magic, and Hawks from scoring whenever they wanted?

Our offense operates at such a slow pace that it makes our points allowed defense look better than it is. Why does our offense operate so slowly? We're running a 3 pick, 14 second set to get Ray Allen jumpshots he ends up turning down.

Our offense has been operating at a low level since January, and I attribute that to the ball movement killing force that is Ray Allen. That and Paul's injury.

I like Rondo to score more because it opens up all the other things that he does well, and he also tends to generate easy bucket opportunities, something we don't get regularly.

If we put Marquis in the starting lineup, lots of things would change all by themselves, namely our perimeter defense and easy bucket opportunities, not to mention the boon Ray would be to the 2nd unit, and how less minutes would benefit Ray's general floor game and jump shooting.

Our defense is still top notch. Pts per possession accounts for pace and our defense scores very well on that stat (certainly nowhere near our 2008 level, but the rest of the league sucks defensively so we're good).

I agree that the Ray-centric offense can cause stagnation, but for the most part his presence out there opens more doors than it closes. It's his inaccuracy that's killing me. This team has no consistent post option, no consistent iso option (sorry Pierce), and a turnover problem, so we depend on the J and the longball more than most teams, especially when teams get hot from the field or the 4th quarter crunch sets in and our transition opportunities dwindle.

Last year, Ray and Eddie were scorching the nets. Adding Sheed was the finishing touch on what should have become an elite bomb squad. Instead, all of their %s tanked and the offense has tanked with them.

They need to be able to finish the looks created by the efforts of Rondo, KG, Pierce and Doc's playbook for our offense to return to form.

[pac213up]

Ray Allen should be barred from dribbling the ball more than three times. That is what I think of his dribbling.

He can dribble BUT it does not create a better shot for himself or his teammates. The ball is definitely sticking in his hands too long, most noticeably because he refuses to reverse the ball to Rondo. However Ray is not the problem IMO.

[gocelts]

We need a real star.

Ray Allen is an expiring starting SG.

KG has fallen off the horse. And Pierce is day to day at all-star level.

The reason for trading Ray is to get a younger consistent all-star... I don't think that's possible. And if that's not possible then there is no reason to trade Ray... it won't help us win now and this team is the Pistons of 2006-2009... old lethargic veterans who believe they run the team and the organization.

So if we can't get an All Star for Ray Allen's expiring... they deal the other pieces... but in the end basketball is about S-T-A-R-S

Getting Baby for Augstine... maybe Ray for Hinrich and Thomas afterward is nice. But it doesn't change your stars and therefore doesn't change the fate of this basketball team.

Didnt Rondo make the all STAR game this year?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

Your comparison to 06-09 is nuts, as we won the ship not even 2 years ago and DEFINETLY had a shot last year barring no injuries. What was Ainge to do, blow this up over the summer?!?!?!?!

Look, the inevitable maybe happening, however trading Ray for Iggy or Martin will not improve THIS team THIS year....a backup point will.