NBA: Each team’s greatest comeback from injury in franchise history

Greatest injury comeback in Memphis Grizzlies history: Tony Allen

Torn left ACL and MCL

Tony Allen was just getting started in the league with the Boston Celtics during the 2006-07 season when a weird play set him on a different path. Allen landed awkwardly during the final minutes of a game and went down in a heap, tearing his ACL and MCL in his left knee. The Celtics had already lost Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak prior to Allen’s injury and it certainly put a dent in their plans.

Allen was putting up a career-high 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds along with 1.5 steals per contests before the injury. He would return, but his impact wasn’t quite the same and in July 2010, he joined the Memphis Grizzlies.

His role changed slightly but joining the Memphis Grizzlies allowed Allen to revamp his ability to play solid defense. During the 2010-11 season, he made his first appearance on the All-Defensive second team. He generated a plus/minus rating of 4.0 when he was on the floor, becoming one of the prime defenders in the Western Conference in the process.

Allen would go on to make two-straight first-team All-Defensive appearances and another first team appearance in 2014-15 as a member of the Grizzlies. If there were any negative effects from the injury, he didn’t show them as he’s currently 14th on the active all-time steals leaders list with 1,158. His career defensive rating of 101.7 ranks fourth among active NBA players.

No more awkward plays would sneak up on him, though, he did win an NBA title as a member of the Celtics in 2008. The Grizzlies never won a title but in their six playoff appearances, Allen certainly played a pivotal role.