Boston Celtics’ Big 3 Enjoying Possible Last Run Together

There’s no guarantee that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will all play on the same team again beyond this season, and the three of them are committed to making the best of what could be their last run together. From the Boston Herald: “Paul Pierce, who has made no secret of his desire to retire as a Celtic, alluded to the issue following the Game 3 win over Philadelphia Wednesday night. This could be it. He also wondered aloud about the end roughly a week ago. Garnett has been more subtle, with his contract, like that of Ray Allen, due to expire on July 1. He tends to drop hints. Allen may be the most fatalistic of the three. After having his name dangled as trade bait the last two seasons, the Celtics guard expects a breakup. But as the Celtics head into tonight’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 2-1 edge over the 76ers, the thought only grows. ‘We realized that from Day 1 (at the start of) training camp,’ Pierce said yesterday prior to a video session at the team hotel. I think pretty much the last couple of years we’ve been feeling like that. But the influence is to try and win another championship, regardless of whether this is going to be our last time together,’ he said. ‘We don’t know what the future is going to hold for all of us, with KG in the last year of his contract, Ray in the last year of his contract. Trade speculations have been going on, there’s talk about rebuilding, so there is a sense of urgency with us.’ Garnett stood next to Pierce and attempted to defer. ‘What he said,’ Garnett said initially, nodding toward his teammate and longtime friend. […] ‘The focus right now is the playoffs,’ he said. ‘I haven’t given it that much thought, to be honest. We’re definitely aware of it — all of the things Paul alluded to and the possibilities. We’ve given it some type of thought, but right now it’s the playoffs — nothing more or less than that.’ Allen understands why Pierce keeps returning to this issue. Of the three, he’s the only one-franchise player. He gazes up at the numbers of legends like Russell, Bird, Havlicek, Jones and Cousy and believes he can retire in their tradition. Pierce would like to keep it that way, but if Allen is any kind of example, that’s not how the NBA generally works.”