Despite winning a title together, retired NBA All-Star shooting guard Ray Allen has had a tough time with his former Boston Celtics teammates. And current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers blames himself for the falling out.

Allen, 44, a former 10-time All-Star with the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, and later Celtics, won an NBA championship in 2007-08 in Boston. But later left to join the Miami Heat, winning another chip and sinking the Celtics to team up with LeBron James and the then-new “Big 3.”

Since then there have been tries to reunite the 2008 championship team. It's a roster that featured ex-pals Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, However, there's been little progress due to friction between Allen and the rest of the group.

Rivers, the former championship-winning coach with the Celtics, blamed himself for the divide while speaking (remotely) to Jeff Goodman.

“The reason that Celtics team was good was because they were stubborn and meant to be strong and they added togetherness. The reason this has been so hard is the same reason.

“This one I take on myself, I failed with the Paul [Pierce] jersey retirement. I really thought that Ray [Allen] should have come to that, and I tried to get him to.

“I think it'd be magical next year when they retire Kevin's [Garnett] jersey. I think it would be absolutely magical to get [Allen] to come out. He would be shocked at the ovation that he'd [get]. …”

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Rivers went on to ponder whether the aggrieved trio of Celtics players were angry at Allen because he joined the Heat or specifically James. The James-led Heat obviously gave the post-championship Boston side fits.

Allen last played during the 2013-14 season, later officially retiring. He won two rings while playing for two legendary basketball teams. But along the way turned friends into, for the time being, enemies.