Ray Allen still clutch shooter after all these years

LeBron James called the shot. Two months ago.

It was in Los Angeles before the All-Star Game, and Allen was a classically tailored suit among the latest fads and fashions from the Eastern Conference.

“There are hierarchies in All-Star games obviously when you get there and see the guys that are playing,” Allen said. “There was a situation that happened in the locker room. Doc asked, ‘Who would take the last shot if it came down to it?’

“Half the room said the guy who was open. And LeBron was like, ‘Ray Allen.’ You hear that coming from a guy who’s doing pretty well for himself . . . It didn’t really make a difference one way or the other to me, because if I was in at the end I’m going to take the last shot if I needed to. But just to be respected like that among your peers is important.

“These guys are younger than me, and to be respected like that says something.”

So does the fact that at the age of 35 in his 15th NBA season, Ray Allen managed to shoot career-highs of 49.1 percent overall from the floor and 44.4 percent from 3-point range. His previous combined field goal best was 48 percent two years ago. His previous trey top was 43.4 percent back in 2001-02 while on the Milwaukee Bucks.

In a year when he passed the career 40,000-minute mark, Allen (40,808) managed to be perhaps the Celtics’ most consistent offensive threat. And if that milestone is a bit nebulous for you, know that Larry Bird played 34,443 minutes, Charles Barkley 39,330, Magic Johnson 33,245 and Jerry West 36,571.

“He’s hitting the ball farther in golf and he’s shooting better,” Rivers said with a shake of his head. “It just makes no sense. Both are supposed to go the opposite way.

“At least in golf you can say it’s the clubs, it’s engineering. In basketball, I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s great. I hope he keeps doing it. It’s not coaching; I can guarantee you that.”

Allen simply doesn’t understand that a shooting guard is not supposed to be doing these things at this stage of his life.

“Nobody told me that,” he said. “There’s no age benchmark for me. I know what people expect from you, but the one thing I’ve always tried to do is give people what they didn’t expect. You know, don’t be too typical when it comes to living life, being the person I am and being the player I am. There’s always an opportunity to prove people wrong.”