Former Celtics coach Doc Rivers is coming to the defense of Ray Allen days before the All-Star is set to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Rivers, who was the head coach of Boston's 2008 championship-winning team, opened up about the tensions among many of the players and revealed he wishes the team could get along and not be "fractured." 

"As years have gone on, things have been fractured, and I hate it," Rivers said, via ESPN. "I hate seeing it. I would love this [to be a] celebration for Ray. Not a lot to say here about it. Ray won us a title. He really did.

"I think he should be celebrated. I think he should be celebrated in Boston. He's responsible for that banner. If I had one wish, I wish I could do a better job of getting that group back together. I can get a lot of them back together; I just can't get the whole group. There really should be because they were so close, and it really hurts me to see what's going on."

Tensions between Allen and former teammates Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett continue to be present, ESPN noted. Allen and Paul Pierce talked last summer, but Allen didn't make an appearance for Pierce's jersey retirement in February. 

Rivers revealed he has tried to help Allen and Rondo mend fences, but doesn't know if it'll ever work.

"I've tried, I can tell you that," Rivers said. "It's a lot of little things. Here's the thing: You have two Hall of Fame guys as far as their competitiveness. The reason that Ray was who he is, Rondo was who he is, Kevin, Paul — I think Paul has done the right thing as far as throwing out the olive branch. [But] it's also why we were really good is why they don't get along: very stubborn, very tough, very competitive and no one wants to give in.

"The phrase I used to use a thousand times in arguments with the team: 'It's about getting it right, not who is right.' I hope we can get that right because they are all probably right in whatever they are saying in some way or form, but they need to get it right and get together."

Despite the recent separation among the squad, Rivers gave praise to the 2008 team and what they were able to accomplish together.

"On the floor, I'd take that group every night to go to war. If I had one game to win for my life, I'm taking that 2008 group and we're going to go to war, because you know they were going to show up and do it together."