Don't Rush Tony Allen

The Globe's Julian Benbow caught up with Tony Allen during the morning shootaround:

"I'm a work in progress," he said. "Conditioning, getting my legs back under me. Just getting my explosiveness back, my first step. That's basically what I'm working at." 

He isn't trying to feel any pressure because of the hole in the rotation created by Marquis Daniels wrist surgery.

"Marquis ain't got nothing to do with no sense of urgency about me. The whole thing is about winning a championship. Whatever I can do and put on the table and help us win a championship I'm going to do. Marquis ain't got nothing to do with me. I'm available, and I'm going to step forward." 

Ah...where to begin. First of all, even when healthy, Tony Allen is "a work in progress."

Those comments about Marquis don't sit well with me. But I understand why Tony doesn't want to put any additional pressure on himself... because he can't handle pressure.