The Celtics didnt seem to skip a beat without Ray Allen Friday night, as they cruised to a 107-94 victory over the Nets.
Allen missed the game due to a virus, but according to Celtics coach Doc Rivers during Saturdays practice, Allen is probable for Sunday, although he didnt practice with the team.
I just had him in the balcony. We wanted to keep his diseased self away from us, Rivers joked.
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But seriously though, if Allen was contagious, its important for the Cs to make sure he doesnt unintentionally spread his sickness to other members of the teamespecially this year.
It is a concern this year, it really is, Rivers said. This is something that the league has instructed us to do if a guy gets sick. Avery Johnson and I were talking, if you missed three or four days, or a week, you could miss five games. You literally could miss five games. And so if one guy gets sick and it gets three or four guys sick, youre on a five or six game losing streak in a week. So all that stuffs important this year.
So instead of getting his team sick, Rivers joked that he instructed Allen to hang out in the Knicks locker room.
They think hes no longer contagious, but we sent him in the Knicks locker room today and had him use all their towels. So all the towels theyre using in practice today will be Ray-induced.
Yep, it was that kind of mood for Rivers todayand after the last three games, can you blame him? Rivers did have one more parting shot on the irony that Ray Allenof all peopleis sick once again.
Thats the one thing I told Ray. I said, From now on Im going to drink alcohol and eat meat. Because you do all the good things and you get sick, so what the hell Im having a burger.