MY ACCOUNT
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen’s long-standing rift has been mended on the day the Boston Celtics raised the All-Star center’s number five jersey to the rafters in tribute.
The Celtics celebrated Garnett’s career after Sunday’s 95-92 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, with the 2004 NBA MVP’s jersey officially retired by the franchise.
Allen was among those in attendance, which was significant given the rift that emerged between the pair when he opted to move to the Miami Heat as a free agent in 2012.
“It’s good to see Ray Allen here,” Garnett said during the ceremony. “Real s***. It’s good to see you, man. You next, dog.”
The Celtics had won the 2008 NBA title with the pair alongside Paul Pierce, while they were Eastern Conference champions in 2010 during a dominant five-year period before Allen’s exit prompted the side to drop off.
“Just because I moved away doesn’t mean that relationship, that friendship, ends,” Allen said.
“It did center around Kevin and myself because I did get the sense that the people here felt how Kevin felt. Once he accepted me, then the people accepted me. That was the sense.
“I was glad we could do that and people could see, ‘We won with this guy in 2008, and that’s what matters most’.”
Former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, now with the Philadelphia 76ers, weighed in on the reunion.
“Yeah, that’s a big one because that’s been a problem, obviously, and the fact that it looks like the fence is finally coming down is really cool,” Rivers said. “I’m very, very happy for Kevin, and really cool that Ray came today.”
Garnett, who won the 2004 NBA MVP with the Minnesota Timberwolves, finished his 22-year NBA career averaging 17.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
The power forward/center was a 15-time NBA All-Star, one-time NBA champion and one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (both 2008).
