Three is a Crowd

            Boston’s sports franchises have taken several punches to the gut in 2012. Between the Superbowl loss, Joel Ward’s goal, and the Kevin Youkilis trade, Boston fans are still trying to catch their collective breath. Now the all time leader in three point shots delivered another brutal body blow to Boston.

            Ray Allen will end the “Big Three” era in Boston for the NBA mid-level exception.  Allen looks to join the Miami Heat in pursuit of their second straight title.

            In 2007, Celtics GM Danny Ainge got Allen from the SuperSconics for next to nothing. That same offseason, Ainge traded away most of his roster to get Kevin Garnett, and the “Big Three” was born. Pierce, Garnett, and Allen went on to beat the L.A. Lakers and give three seasoned veterans the title they all wanted.

            Flash forward four years and the shine of the 2008 Larry O’Brien trophy has dulled. Despite the winning 322 games in five years, the “Big Three” never produced a second title. This past postseason, they ended up on the wrong end of a classic game seven.

The “Big Three’s” legacy aside the worst part about Allen leaving is that Boston should have seen it coming.

Jason Terry’s commitment should have had Celtics fans bracing for Allen’s departure. The former sixth man of the year’s signing acted as a neon sign that read “Ray Allen is not coming back to Boston.”  Still, fans' anger towards Allen is because of where he is going rather than the fact he is leaving.

The Heat are not only the bane of most fans’ existence, they also knocked the Celtics out of the playoffs this past year. Allen taking his talents to Miami is not Johnny Damon leaving for the Yankees, yet the move hurts.

If there is any solace for the Celtics faithful, it is that they can still contend without Allen.

From a basketball standpoint, the Celtics did not get worse with Allen leaving. Terry and Allen essentially play the same role of sharp shooting sixth man. Both men are deadeye three point shooters. Terry also averaged 15.1 points per game compared to Allen’s 14.2 last year.

 Terry is able to create his own shot better than Allen at this point. If Ray-Ray is not getting open via screens or shooting in transition he doesn’t score. In contrast, Terry is capable of getting to the basket far better than Allen today.

            There are no words to suppress the anger of Boston fans. Assurances of Terry’s capabilities will be drowned out by the heckling of one of the league’s classiest players. Today Allen is the bane of Boston’s existence, and Boston fans are still reeling from the body blow.