BOSTON - Even during Thanksgiving dinner Thursday in the Ray Allen household, Allen Iverson was a topic of conversation.
Even there, they were "talkin' about practice." This time, it was the Detroit Pistons' practice that Iverson, the former 76ers star, skipped Thursday morning, costing him a fine and a spot in last night's starting lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks.
"We didn't have practice, and all of us are thankful for that," said Allen, the Celtics' shooting guard, before last night's game against the Sixers.
That's because Celtics coach Doc Rivers has a philosophy about allowing his players their holidays wherever possible. But if Rivers had, in fact, called a practice . . .
"We'd all show up," Allen said. "I'd be talkin' trash on the way in, head down, but we'd be there."
"I'm glad we're not involved, that's the way I look at it," Rivers said. "I don't think our guys would do that, but you never know."
Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks seemed happy the only A.I. he had to concern himself with was Andre Iguodala.
One Sixer shrugged and said: "You have to be thankful for what you have. There are people who didn't have a Thanksgiving to be thankful for." *
