http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/30/ray-allen-brushes-off-kevin-garnetts-barking-while-enjoying-the-beach/

There are some players and stories that in order to get the real feeling for how intense the situation is, you have to divide the hype by about 10. Others, though, you have to multiply by 10 to get a real sense of the bad blood. Ray Allen vs. the Celtics is a multiplier situation. Both sides are trying to downplay it. But there’s a clear and present disdain from the Celtics for Allen’s “defection” and on Saturday, Allen let it be known that he’s too busy admiring the water to be bothered. From Fox Sports Florida:

Kevin Garnett fired the latest salvo on Friday.

“I don’t have Ray’s number anymore,” the Boston center said. “I’m not trying to communicate. I’m just being honest.”

On Saturday in Miami, Allen just shrugged it off.

“That’s a shame,” Allen said. “I’m a good person to talk to on the phone.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that when you speak, sometimes what you say, I don’t know how many miles apart we are, sometimes the translation gets mixed up,” Allen said. “If I even was still (with the Celtics), I probably wouldn’t talk to him much over the summer. We’re friends regardless of what happened. … I’m not worried about it.”

via Allen not bothered by barbs from Celtics.

That’s basically “U MAD, BRO?” in Ray Allen speak.

Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo have made it known that they are not impressed with Allen’s decision and that he has burned the Ubuntu bridge behind him. But Allen the entire time has acted like a professional, and in the interview linked above, he continues to be that way. He’s simply not going to get sucked into the drama. But on opening night, and in every subsequent matchup, there’s going to be a different vibe on the floor.

These two teams have never liked each other. The Celtics have thought of themselves as Kings of the hill since 2008, and the Heat have reveled in their ability to get past them the past two years after season after season of heartbreak. But this is a whole different thing. This feels like a betrayal to the guys in green, and it’s going to be obvious when they play how they feel about Allen.