Boston Celtics: Ray Allen's 10 Greatest Moments

It's not a fait accompli, but if you believe some of what you read, Ray Allen has played his last game as a Boston Celtic.

The rumors of where the future Hall of Fame free agent 2-guard might be headed next season are flying, with teams like the Clippers, Knicks and Heat hogging the headlines.

And there may be other teams in the potential mix as well, with both the Hawks and the Thunder being mentioned of late. 

Regardless of all this speculation, whether Allen returns to Boston or goes elsewhere, there is no doubt he's been a major contributor to the C's renaissance of the past five years, as quintessential a part of the new Big Three as anyone.

Here's a look at his best moments in Celtics green.

10. A Game-Winner in Charlotte

Back in November 2007, Allen celebrated his trade from Seattle to Boston twice in his first month as a Celtic (we'll get to the other time in a moment).

In a buzzer-beating win over the Bobcats, Paul Pierce grabbed a tipped ball with barely three seconds left to play and down by two, and Pierce found an open Allen, who spotted up and buried the game-winner. He was mobbed by his teammates and lifted off the ground for his trouble.

You can't blame Celtics fans if they floated off the ground as well.

9. Burying the Bobcats Again

Poor Charlotte. Not only did the Bobcats record the worst winning percentage in NBA history this past season (.106), they enter their own personal torture chamber every time they face Ray and the C's.

On April 1, 2009, the Bobcats took the KG-less Celts to double overtime in Boston and led 109-108 in the waning seconds. 

However, they left too much time on the clock. And they left Allen open. Again.

As the clock dwindled under five seconds, Pierce drove to the basket, pulled up and kicked it to Ray in the right corner.

Guess what happened?

8. Buzzer-Beater Philly Style

If anyone ever truly discovers how to measure clutch, Allen will be near the top of the list, if not at the top of it.

The game-winners/big shots/back-breakers are plentiful and he's made so many of them seemingly without blinking.

On Feb. 3, 2009, he treated 76ers fans to a bit of his flair for the dramatic.

The C's were down 99-97 but they had the ball. Pierce started things off, drew a quick double-team near the top of the key but saw Allen flash open in the left corner. 

Pierce made the pass, Allen caught it and fired in the same motion, narrowly missing the outstretched arms of the Sixers' Thaddeus Young.

And drilled it.

The shot gave the Celtics their 12th straight win and lifted them to 41-9 in their title defense season. The fact that Kevin Garnett would go down just over two weeks later in Utah was nowhere near anyone's thoughts.

It was another instance in a fine line of Ray's heroics.

7. The First of Many

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2007.

Allen's second game as a Celtic.

His first game-winner in green.

Stop us if you've heard this before. With the clock running down, this time in OT and the score tied at 95, Pierce caught Allen coming around a screen freeing him up in the left corner. There was just enough room for Allen to catch the pass and fire before the man he lost on the pick was in his face.

Calm, cool, collected.

Nothing but net. 

Game over.

This game-winner places a touch higher than the previous ones because it was Allen's first as a Celtic.

And the start of a new era.

6. Triple-Overtime

Allen's fifth best moment as a Celtic was part of a bigger moment that will be discussed shortly. For now, though, let's revel a bit more in his immense clutchness.

The C's first playoff series as defending champs in 2008 came without KG, injured on that night a couple months earlier in Utah. The Celts then got a much tougher time from a young, upstart Chicago Bulls team than they'd bargained for come the postseason.

The Bulls, led by rookie Derrick Rose and now-overpaid Detroit Piston Ben Gordon, took the Celts to seven games and would not be denied despite Allen's otherworldly Game 6.

His 47th, 48th and 49th points came on this shot, his ninth three-pointer of the game (a Celts' team playoff record), which sent the game into a third OT.

5. 32 Points, 8 Three-Pointers

Last season was one of upheaval for the Celts in large part due to the midseason trade of center Kendrick Perkins. The C's had the league's best record at the time of the deal but stumbled afterward and wound up the third seed in the East.

Playing a Knicks team that hadn't won a playoff game in 10 years, Allen made sure that streak would continue. First, he beat New York on a buzzer-beater in Game 1. Then he submitted a tremendous Game 3 as an encore.

Leading 2-0 and playing in Madison Square Garden, Allen stepped on the Knicks' throat, extinguishing any hope they had to get back into the series.

En route to a 113-96 win, Allen dropped 32 points, including eight three-pointers, on the Knicks.

Series over.

4. Beating the Bulls

It's not out of the realm of possibility to suggest that 2009 first-rounder against the Bulls was the greatest playoff series Ray ever played.

In addition to his performance in the triple-OT classic, he also saved the C's from a major predicament in Game 2.

After dropping Game 1 in overtime at home, Allen bounced back from a subpar performance to win another for the Celts.

Boston, in danger of falling behind 2-0 and having to head to Chicago, was tied at 115 with the Bulls in the waning seconds of regulation. So, naturally, a play was drawn up to free Allen. He took a pass from Rajon Rondo and splashed one home from the right elbow over the tall, rangy Joakim Noah with just two seconds left on the clock.

With that one, he saved the Celts.

3. 8 Three-Pointers in the Finals

In Game 2 of the 2010 NBA Finals, Allen was at it again, setting records and winning games.

He made eight three-pointers in that game, good for an all-time Finals mark, and led the Celts to a 103-94 win, taking home-court advantage temporarily away from the C's opponent, the Lakers.

Allen was hitting from everywhere that night in a vintage performance. And his output couldn't have been better timed—Pierce and Garnett were a combined 4-of-16 for 16 points that night.

It was the game of the series for Ray, who struggled mightily with his shot in the aftermath, even going 0-of-13 in the very nest game.

However, that night it wasn't just what the Celts needed—it was a performance for the books.

2. 51 Points

So all of that stuff regarding Allen's performance against the Bulls in the 2009 first round revolves around this item right here.

Fifty-one points.

It wasn't just that one shot to send the game to a third OT. It was everything, the whole truckload. 

He shot 18-of-32 from the floor. He made half of his long-range attempts. He pitched in five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

However, it was the scoring, obviously, that needs to be noted. It was one of the greatest games of Allen's career.

1. Three-Point King

Feb. 10, 2011. Allen becomes the all-time leader in three-pointers made with 2,561, passing Reggie Miller.

Not much more needs to be said. It's a tremendous achievement and an excellent complement to the rest of Allen's body of work. 

The fact that it came in a Celtics' uniform makes it his greatest moment as a Celtic.