Even when congratulating Rajon Rondo on being Ray Allen's team MVP, Kendrick Perkins doesn't smile.

According to NBA.com, Ray Allen believes it is Rajon Rondo, not any member of the Big Three, who should be considered the Boston Celtics’ team MVP:

If you were to choose an MVP for the Boston Celtics, owners of the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, who would it be?

Paul Pierce, on whom most defenses seem to key?

Ray Allen, who continues to be one of the best shooters in the game and on whom the Celtics can count whenever Pierce’s game is off?

Or Kevin Garnett, whose presence in the middle was quite obviously missed last season, his absence a large reason the Celtics did not return to the NBA Finals?

None of the above, says Allen.

“I would say (Rajon) Rondo right now,” Allen said. “He has been rebounding, assists, he’s got scoring. He has grown up a lot.”

And, honestly, I can’t disagree with him.  Rondo has played phenomenal basketball this season, really taking the team’s reigns and becoming its leader on the court. 

When the Celtics are at their best, Rondo is being aggressive and creating plays for himself and others.  When they aren’t playing well, he’s usually being passive and failing to run the show.

Plus, you almost have to put Rondo at team MVP by default: Garnett — though shooting spectacularly — has been hobbled and showing his age, Pierce — though he carried Boston at times at the beginning of the season — had slowed down even before his knee infection, and Ray — though playing very good all-around basketball — hasn’t shot the ball nearly as well as he usually does.

With Rondo now quite possibly the team’s MVP, what does the make the Big Three?

The Secondary Three?