Welcome to the Garden ...

Welcome to the Garden, where the Celtics will take on the Lakers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at 9 p.m. The Celtics lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2.

We’re being told Ray Allen is in the building, but Paul Pierce was the first Celtic on the court for pregame warmups this evening. Allen stayed behind in Los Angeles to attend to a medical matter with one of his children, and the Celtics shooting guard arrived in Boston this morning around 8, according to Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

All indications are Allen will play tonight, but the family situation is clearly something that will have an impact, even if it means a change in routine at the very least. And Allen, a creature of habit, is all about routine. His pregame drills are timed to the second and border on obsessive compulsive.

Pierce is warming up in close proximity to the Celtics dancers, which is good news for him. The good news for Celtics fans is that Pierce is not wearing a brace on his knee. He looks good.

No one else out on the court right now, but we’ll let you know when players start making their way out. We’re on Allen and Perkins watch, specifically.