Updated: May 4, 2012, 7:16 am ET

Ray Allen Optimistic about Returning

By HOOPSWORLD
Basketball News & NBA Rumors

(Ray) Allen hasn’t played since April 10 because of a bad ankle that has developed bone spurs in it. His status for Game 3 is still uncertain, but Allen practiced Thursday and is feeling better about the ankle.

“The last couple of days, I’ve been in a really good place, so I’m optimistic,” Allen told reporters. “If I’m sitting here [Friday] feeling good, that’s a different story. I am optimistic about practicing today so that’s definitely a great step for me moving forward.”

Doc Rivers is still taking things slow though.

“He wants to do more today, so we’ll see,” said Rivers. “We did that [Monday] and it didn’t work. So, we have to maybe limit Ray from Ray. He’s such a creature of habit and I actually thought that might have hurt him or any chance for him to play, obviously. [The ankle] reacted that poorly after just the workout he did [Monday], it was probably good that he didn’t play, at the end of the day.”

via Royce Young of CBS Sports

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