Since learning that the Celtics will open in Miami this season, I've been thinking about how awkward this will be for Ray Allen. Picture the Heat players all lined up and each one going up for his ring. And there is Ray. He was on the team that Miami had to beat to get to the Finals. His team certainly had reason to believe that the officiating had something to do with their loss. They also have good reason to believe that Ray himself had something to do with their loss.

Over the course of the 2011-12 season, Ray shot 46% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. That kind of shooting makes up for Ray's usual shortcomings on defense. However, in the ECF vs Miami, Ray shot just 37% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc, while being an even bigger liability on defense than usual. His free throw percentage was down from a career 91.5% to 71% in the playoffs. In spite of this, the Celtics took Miami to 7 hard fought games. Maybe the Heat should give Ray a thank you note when they give out the rings.

So back to the awkwardness of the moment. There is Ray standing with the enemy as they get the rings that his poor performance in the ECF helped them to get. And on the other side are the players that he went to war with for 5 years.  The players he, himself, won a ring with in 2008. The players that he left and, in effect, thumbed his nose at to take less money to play with the enemy. On the other side will be KG, Pierce, Bass, and Rondo who know that if Ray had played better it might be them getting their rings, knowing that if they had Avery Bradley, instead of Ray, starting they might be the ones getting the rings.

Yes, I think it should be a very awkward moment for Ray. He won't be standing with his Celtic brothers. At that moment he will be the enemy. And even though he said that he would forever be a Celtic, it should sink in at that moment that he is no longer a Celtic. He is the enemy.

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