The case to hoist Ray Allen's number to the rafters

It's easy to forget just how vital Ray Allen was to the Celtics' success.

With last night's return of two former Celtics, it is easy to forget the third leg of the "Big Three 2.0:" Ray Allen.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett received roaring ovations throughout the night, but the same cannot be said for Allen. When Allen checked into the game for the first time as a member of the Miami Heat back on January 27, 2013 at the TD Garden, the fans booed him, and quite loudly.

But that came after he was honored with a video tribute and received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Allen left the Celtics for their rival at the time, the Miami Heat, and he took less money to do so. He took (and is still taking) a lot of heat for doing so. But lost in translation is the sheer fact that Allen was just as big a part of the team's success over the last six years as Pierce and Garnett were.

He was always the third wheel. He was always the forgotten member of the "Big Three." However, that did not make him less important on the court.

The Celtics would never made it to two NBA Finals without him.

Hell, they never would have won a championship if Allen was not on the team.

So if we're so hell-bent on retiring Garnett's number -- I am not saying I am opposed to it -- then why is it so far-fetched to think that Allen's number should be raised to the rafters as well?

Here's my case:

People also tend to forget just how good Allen was during the 2008 Finals. While it's hard to take Finals MVP away from Pierce, many would argue that Allen should have received the honor. In that series against the Lakers, Allen averaged 20.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. He led the team in field-goal percentage (51%) and three-point percentage (52.4%). He also set the record for most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals with 21.

Allen picked up the slack the following season when Garnett injured his knee. As part of his efforts, he scored 51 points in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Chicago Bulls.

In Game 2 of the 2010 Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Allen set the Finals record for most three-pointers in a game with 8.

In Game 1 of the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, he hit a game-winning three-pointer to give the Celtics an 87-85 victory over the New York Knicks.

He played with bone spurs in his ankles in the 2012 playoffs and helped the Celtics take the eventual champion Heat to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

During his Celtic tenure, Allen was named to three All-Star teams and became the NBA all-time leader in three-pointers.

His numbers were very good. He averaged 16.7 points, shot 47.2% from the field, 41% from three-point range and 91.4% from the free throw line.

Allen holds three franchise records. His 95.2% free throw percentage in 2008-2009 is the highest in a single season. He holds the record for consecutive free throws made at 75. Finally, his 45.3% three-point percentage in 2011-2012 was a single season record.

He also came through when it mattered most. Allen's Celtic resume is filled with clutch shots late in games. According to 82games.com, Allen led the Celtics during his five-year tenure with 7 game-winning shots. The definition of game-winning shots here is when your team is down 1 or 2 points with 24 seconds or less remaining in the game.

For those who vehemently disagree with my case, riddle me this: why does Robert Parish get praised when he shows up at a Celtics game when he did not re-sign with the team and signed with the Charlotte Hornets as a free agent? Why did Doc Rivers get showered with love when he came back after he chose to leave the Celtics?

The Celtics currently have 21 numbers retired. Out of all of them, I tried to find the one player who could compare to Allen, as far as his Celtics resume is concerned, and I chose Cedric Maxwell.

In his eight years with the Celtics, Maxwell averaged 13.7 points and 6.6 rebounds, and shot 56% from the floor and 78.3% from the free throw line. Maxwell led the league in field-goal percentage in the 1978-1979 and 1979-1980 seasons. He won NBA titles with the Celtics in 1981 and 1984. He was the 1981 NBA Finals MVP. Lastly, he is the Celtics all-time leader in field-goal percentage at 60%

(One thing to note with Maxwell: his extremely high field-goal percentage is due to the fact that the majority of his shots came in or near the paint. He was not a jump-shooter like Allen.)

Allen's numbers are not eye-popping -- Garnett's aren't either, by the way -- but his impact and commitment during his time as a Celtic make him worthy of having his number 20 retired someday.