Ray Allen Shrugs Off Garnett, Scores 19 in Heat Win

It is no secret that Ray Allen is good at shooting from beyond-the-arc. In fact, he's made more three point shots than any other player in NBA history. The Miami Heat have dealt with guarding Allen for the past five seasons. But, they liked having Allen in a home jersey as one of their own as they faced the Boston Celtics.

Allen came into the game with two minutes left in the first-quarter. He greeted Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers and the rest of the Celtics bench, including old friend Kevin Garnett who didn't acknowledge Allen.

It would appear the snub motivated Allen as hit a three on the first possession with his new team. Garnett downplayed the fact that he ignored Allen after the game:

"I was just trying to focus as much as I could. I am such an intense person," Garnett said. "It was a blank. Obviously he's on the other side. It's time to play the game, man."

Allen went on to score 19 points for the Heat, making 5 of 7 shots from the field. Allen proved he still had gas left in the tank, which benefits superstars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. “A Hall of Famer coming off the bench,” James said of Allen. “It’s a treat for us and just another example of the sacrifices that guys make to play here.”

The Heat won the game 120-107 and they looked every bit as dangerous as people speculated when they added Allen in the offseason. 

Time will tell if the Miami Heat can win more than one ring, but they were the better team on Tuesday night and have upgraded their roster from last year's championship team. It is a long season, but the Heat started it off the way the last one ended: with a victory.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/31/3075391/miami-heat-runs-rings-around-celtics.html#storylink=cpy

Ray Allen scored 19 points in his Heat debut against his former team.

Saints S Roman Harper: "We'd be 5-0 if not for bounty scandal"

On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints improved to 2-4 on the season when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-28 in a shootout. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees threw for four touchdowns and led his team to its second-straight victory, after starting the season with a 0-4 record. The Saints, who have struggled this season, would have a better record if not for "bountygate" according to starting Safety Roman Harper.

Harper was asked on NBC's Pro Football Talk “If you have none of this Bountygate in the offseason, if there's no problems, through five games, instead of 1-4, what's your best guess as to what your record would be?”

Harper's response: "5-0."

“Hey, it is what it is,” Harper continued when Kuselias suggested that the league punishment cost the Saints four losses. "It's all right. You know, you can't win ‘em all. And at the end of the day we have to climb out of it from here. And we still have a chance in this division -- that's the crazy thing. No matter how we started the season. I think the last two Super Bowl champs limped into the playoffs at 9-7. All you can ask for is a chance and an opportunity late in January and that's all we ask for." 

It is quite interesting to see a locker room leader admit how much "bountygate" has affected the team. Most people believed the Saints would contend even though Head Coach Sean Payton is suspended for the season. They do appear to be righting the ship, but would they have a 5-0 record with Payton? It's tough to say, but unless your head coach can come in and play defense, I highly doubt they would have an unblemished record.