Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM
In his first season and a half in Seattle,
Ray Allen proved that he is amongst the elite players in the NBA and a true go-to scorer. Still, he was left with something to prove about his ability to lead a team to great success as its unquestioned top player, something he was never asked to do alongside
Sam Cassell and
Glenn Robinson in Milwaukee.
Entering the final season of his contract, there was rampant preseason speculation in the media that Allen's desire for an extension would be a distraction. Allen never allowed it to become one, taking the position that once he walked between the lines of the practice or game court, his contract was of no importance. With veteran Brent Barry leaving as a free agent, Allen stepped up his off-the-court leadership, guiding the young Sonics off the court and helping produce a group with chemistry unparalleled throughout the league.
Allen missed two preseason games because of a sore back, but returned to lead the Sonics to a much-needed 91-87 win in their exhibition finale against the Portland Trail Blazers. Allen scored 17 of the Sonics 25 fourth-quarter points in that game, including the go-ahead 3-pointer inside the final minute. He ended up leading the NBA in preseason scoring at 23.6 points per game.
When the regular season rolled around, Allen was ready, scoring 20+ points in each of the Sonics first eight games. He averaged 28.3 points per game during the second week of the season to earn Western Conference Player of the Week honors and help the Sonics to a 6-1 start. He followed that up with 37 points and a season-high seven 3-pointers against the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 16.
Allen kicked off December by scoring 38 points and hitting 17 free throws in an overtime win against the Utah Jazz. He had 29 points a week later as the Sonics became the first team all season to go into San Antonio and win, their win (and his 22 points) the following evening in Dallas validating the Sonics as contenders. Allen was brilliant again as the Sonics took down another of the NBA's top teams, Miami, on the road on Jan. 3, scoring 35 points on 12-for-25 shooting and connecting on six 3-pointers.
Illness knocked Allen out late in January, as he came down with a viral infection during the last weekend of the month. After the Sonics split two games without Allen, he returned to score 25 points in 31 minutes against the Charlotte Bobcats.
Later in the month, Allen was selected for his fifth All-Star team in the last six year and second straight as a member of the Sonics. Allen led all scorers in the game with 17 points as the West lost 125-115. Allen also continued to etch his name into the All-Star history books in terms of 3-pointers. He broke his own record for attempts (11) and his five 3s made tie Scottie Pippen for the most in regulation. Allen has 11 career All-Star 3-pointers, tied with Kobe Bryant and Mark Price for the NBA record. His 38 career 3-pointers attempted are easily an All-Star record.
After publicly questioning his role in the offense in mid-March, Allen responded by scoring 38 points on 12-for-21 shooting on March 18 against the Orlando Magic. The following game, Allen sprained his ankle late in the first quarter at the L.A. Lakers. He did not return, and his six points in the game ended an 89-game streak of scoring in double-figures. Allen missed one game before returning to the lineup, and scored a season-high 40 points five days later against the New York Knicks. Buoyed by that performance, Allen won Western Conference Player of the Week for the second time (and the fourth in his Sonics career) despite the game he missed.
Allen's true time to shine came in the playoffs. He led the Sonics in scoring in all five games of their First Round series win over the Sacramento Kings, averaging an NBA-best 32.4 points per game during the series and shooting 51.4% from the field. Allen nearly single-handedly won Game 4 of that series in Sacramento, scoring a Playoffs career-high 45 points - the most he's ever scored in a Sonics uniform - including the Sonics first 10 of the fourth quarter and an impossible fadeaway 3-pointer to seal the game.
Thus, hearts sank when Allen limped off the court with a sprained ankle during the second quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals against San Antonio. He would miss the rest of the game as San the Spurs cruised to a win. Allen returned two nights later, scoring a game-high 25 points, but it was not enough as the Sonics went down 2-0. Allen led the Sonics in scoring in both games in Seattle as the Sonics tied the series at two. After a Game 5 loss in San Antonio, Allen scored 25 points in Game 6, but his desperation attempt with 0.5 seconds left missed as the Sonics season ended.
Still, it was a season where Allen demonstrated his worth to the national public. He finished ninth in MVP voting and earned Second Team All-NBA honors.
Allen will become a free agent on July 1, but between now and then the Sonics expect to resume talks on a contract extension and Allen's return is a top priority this summer.
2004-05 Highlights:
Voted Second Team All-NBA, his third All-NBA Team appearance.
Averaged a career-high 23.9 ppg, ranking 10th in the NBA.
Scored double-figures in 77 of the 78 games he played.
Twice named Western Conference Player of the Week (week ending 11/15 and week ending 3/27).
Made his fifth All-Star appearance and scored a game-high 17 points.
Leading NBA scorer in the First Round of the playoffs at 32.4 ppg.
Scored a playoffs career-high 45 points in Game 4 at Sacramento
SUPERSONICS.COM Player of the Week:
Nov. 8-14
Apr. 4-10
