This year's field, which will be announced next week, just wouldn't be the same without the NBA's hottest 3-point shooter, according to his teammates.

``Hopefully this year they will open their eyes and call him in,'' Rajon Rondo said.

Added Paul Pierce: ``He needs to, man. He's one of the greatest (3-point shooters) in the league. If Ray (Allen) doesn't do it, then he deserves to be there.''

Diminished role

Gerald Green was in an all-too-familiar role during yesterday's 124-100 Dallas loss - in street clothes. Though the ex-Celtic has had his moments this season for the Mavericks, his role has diminished as the team has struggled.

``I have to stay positive,'' he said. ``Sometimes I have my down days. But my fiancee, mom and dad (in Houston) are there to pick me up. I don't know how it's going to go from here, but right now we have a rotation that seems to be one they want. I just have to stick with it.''

Green will be a free agent this summer, meaning that time is short to play for his future.

``I guess I have to look to that,'' he said. ``In a way I'm playing for that, but I'm also playing team Basketball. That's how the Celtics got their championship - with team Basketball. They had unity.''

No one was happier than their former teammate, too.

``These are my guys, man,'' he said. ``The people I'm the most happy for are those sitting in those black and yellow seats. We lost 18 straight games and they stayed with us. Win, lose or draw they stick with you.

``But that team was so popular that even people who weren't playing for the Celtics wish they were part of that championship.''

Eager Allen

Today figures to be an ordinary day of practice for all but one Celtic. Tony Allen, who missed his 11th straight game due to a sprained right ankle, hopes to go through his first full run in almost two weeks.

``The 10 or 12 days that I took off was a long time, but I think it was really helpful in trying to get back,'' he said. ``I'm going to try and give it a go (today). My plan is to make it through a full practice.''

This naturally isn't up to Allen - at least not unilaterally.

Coach Doc Rivers, who is fond of saying he doesn't know about a player's status until said player steps onto the floor, will be listening far more to trainer Ed Lacerte than his anxious swingman.

To that end, Allen tested his ankle with a series of exercises before yesterday's game, and was somewhat happy with the result.

``I did some jogging and planting exercises where I stopped on the ankle and took off again,'' he said. ``I could still feel it. It was kind of sore. But the doctor told me that it was going to be this way - that I was going to go through this kind of thing - so hopefully I can move on with it now.''

Odd man out

Leon Powe was at his most evident yesterday after drawing a double technical foul during a garbage-time tussle with Dallas' James Singleton. Such is the current state of Powe's place in the rotation. His time has declined as Glen Davis has flourished.

``I like where the bench is at right now,'' Rivers said. ``I'm trying to get Scal (Brian Scalabrine) in every night. Right now the competition is very much like it was last year when P.J. (Brown) was here. You have competition between Baby and Leon, and that's not a bad scenario.'' . . .

Here's one last statistical illustration of yesterday's blowout win: The Celtics finished with a 34-12 edge in assists.

Read the Celtics Insider at bostonherald.com.