Doc Rivers wants Ray Allen at Kevin Garnett's Celtics jersey retirement

LOS ANGELES -- When the Boston Celtics retire Kevin Garnett's jersey and raise it to the rafters next season, Doc Rivers wants Ray Allen to be there in attendance.

The LA Clippers coach said Saturday he has a role to play in mending the rift that still exists between Allen and some of his former Celtics teammates such as Garnett.

After Allen left Boston to sign with the Miami Heat in 2012, some of those Celtics who won a title together in 2008 haven't forgiven or let go of the beef with the shooting guard.

"I hope not, but it's proven to be, yeah," Rivers said when asked before the Clippers faced the Sacramento Kingswhether there still are hard feelings between those Celtics and Allen. "I think it's ridiculous, but it's still there, with some guys, not with every guy."

"KG is getting his jersey retired next year, and I'm hoping everyone is there," Rivers continued. "I'll make the right calls -- that doesn't mean the right things will happen."

Allen joined some of his former Heat teammates on Friday to celebrate Dwyane Wade's jersey retirement, and the Celtics rift came up again when Udonis Haslem said he would fight any former Celtics who still have a problem with Allen, if need be.

"Once we knew you were one of us, it was all love," Haslem said of Allen. "If they got a problem with you, they still got a problem with us then. Whatever that is. Whatever they want to do. We old, D-Wade retired, CB [Chris Bosh] retired; we got nothing to do but fight. So if they want to fight, we can fight."

In 2017, Paul Pierce posted a picture of himself and Allen on Instagram asking that Garnett and Rajon Rondo let any anger go with the hashtag #burythehatchet. Like Rivers has said before, Pierce echoed that the bond they all have from winning the title together with the Celtics in 2008 will never be broken.

Rivers plans on trying to help all sides heal and have Allen be there in Boston when Garnett's No. 5 is retired.

"I have a role in it," Rivers said. "I just think we won a title with Ray and we need to get over it."