The Boston Celtics returned to glory with a core that included Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, who played instrumental roles in the team’s 2018 championship run. However, a feud between Allen and Rondo persisted throughout the glory years and seemingly resulted in a boxing match.
It’s no secret that Allen didn’t leave Boston on the best terms. When he bolted to join the Miami Heat before the 2012 season, it caused lasting damage to his relationships with many of his teammates. However, the dynamic between Allen and Rondo always seemed to be in flux.
During their final years together in a Celtics uniform, the tension between the backcourt mates increased over time. The downfall seemingly began with Allen encouraging Boston to trade its point guard, a crucial domino that created more hostility and led to the teammates being told to fight in the ring.
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During an insightful interview on “The Old Man & The Three” , former Celtics’ big man Kendrick Perkins said he and his teammates had Allen and Rondo address their issues in a fight.
When things started to go south, in my opinion, the first incident was Ray pushing so hard to trade Rondo for (Chris Paul). Then it got back to Rondo, and I think right there we started having a little friction,” Perkins said. “We made Ray and Rondo actually box it out. They had so much beef, we got to the practice facility, we brought the boxing gloves, and they actually had to box it out, because we just didn’t want to have the tension no more.”
Former Boston Celtics’ center Kendrick Perkins on the Rajon Rondo vs Ray Allen beef
Ultimately, the boxing match didn’t make a huge difference. Allen left the Celtics a short time later and his decision to join Miami turned Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce against him.
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Fortunately, the Celtics’ icons are in a much better place now and have started communicating with Allen once again. Meanwhile, Boston’s NBA fans are left to just think back to the glory days of a franchise that has just one championship since 1987.
