Ray Allen returned to practice yesterday, a day after suffering a seven-stitch gash over his right eye courtesy of an inadvertent Kendrick Perkins elbow, and felt good enough to joke. ``You should see the other guy,'' he said, as Rasheed Wallace shouted, ``Bleeder!'' from across the floor. Allen, who said he wasn't tested for a concussion, even benefited from the incident.
``Last night was one of the best nights of sleep I've had in a long time,'' Allen said. ``The swelling has actually gone down a lot. I started feeling it in the hip, because when he hit me, I went down on my hip.''
Doc Rivers isn't expecting any complications.
``He's good, fine,'' said the Celtics coach. ``His head hit Perk's elbow. We're still trying to figure out which was responsible.''
History lessons
With the season opener one day away, LeBron James feels no less touched by history than the Celtics team that has won 17 more NBA titles than his Cavaliers.
That's because James grew up watching classic NBA Basketball. And thanks to technology and vintage cable programming, he still does.
``When I watch great games from the 1970s and '80s, you see these great teams that had two or three Hall of Famers on them,'' James said. ``Those were great teams and I think we have a chance to be that kind of team.''
Raising Shaq-les
New Cavalier Shaquille O'Neal has raised a few hackles with his observation that this is the best team he has played on.
``We're a deep team,'' O'Neal said last week. ``You look at some of the players we have coming off the bench and they have been starters in this league.
``You have to get lucky to win the title. I've gotten lucky in winning a couple of my titles. But you have to have a great team to have a chance, and we do.''
At least one Celtic has no doubt about that comment - primarily because of the man making it.
``It's great for the Eastern Conference that Shaq came out here,'' Paul Pierce said. ``He makes it even more competitive in our conference right now. It's going to be a great season.''
Just watching
Brian Scalabrine (ankle) and Tony Allen (recovery from ankle surgery) both watched yesterday's practice from the side.
Glen Davis, who missed the last exhibition game with back spasms, had no problem running through the practice. . . .
Pierce is about to give away 10 pairs of tickets to Wednesday's home opener against Charlotte.
His Truth Fund and Game On! Fenway, via Twitter (@paulpierce34, @gameonfenway), are leaving hints that map out a scavenger hunt, which begins tomorrow, with the tickets.
The hunt ultimately will lead to Game On! Fenway where, naturally, the Celtics' season opener in Cleveland will be on display.
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