SEATTLE – Ray Allen even surprised himself the other night, scoring 24 points in the Seattle SuperSonics’ win over Phoenix. Reality hit Saturday night.
After missing the first 25 games because of ankle surgery, Allen’s second game back, a 104-86 Seattle loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves before 17,072 at KeyArena, was more clear gauge of his conditioning.
Looking tired and rusty in 35 minutes of playing time, Allen had one of his worst shooting nights as a pro, hitting five of 22 shots from the floor, one of eight from 3-point range.
“It was a fight for me,” said Allen, who finished with 15 points. “I played 35 minutes and I was tired for 30.”
To be fair, Allen wasn’t alone with shooting difficulties. The Sonics shot 36.5 percent from the field and 5 of 28 from 3-point range.
“It reminded me of me and my buddies trying to dance at the prom,” said guard Brent Barry, who managed just 10 points on 3 of 7 from the floor. “We just didn’t have any offensive rhythm.”
Or, as it turned out, much of anything else. Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett was his usual terrifying self with 28 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. Eighteen of his points came in the second half, when the Timberwolves turned a close game into a bad Vegas lounge act.
Sonics coach Nate McMillan wanted to keep a fresh body on Garnett, and he switched off with Vladimir Radmanovic, Jerome James and Rashard Lewis.
None kept up with Garnett.
“The best thing you can hope for is if Kevin is sick,” Barry said.
Interestingly, the Timberwolves’ 11-5 run early in the fourth quarter to put the game away came with Garnett on the bench. Guard Sam Cassell scored 10 fourth-quarter points and finished with 20.
Cassell and Latrell Sprewell gives Minnesota the luxury of occasionally resting Garnett without any dip in point production, which is why they picked them up in the off-season. Sprewell finished with 12.
“There is an adjustment period for us,” Cassell said. “Once we understand how we can be effective in the offense, we can just run with it. I think we’re starting to figure it out.”
The Sonics, on the other hand, haven’t figures out much.
It was the first time Allen and Barry have played together since last season. Barry missed Tuesday’s Phoenix game with a hip-flexor strain. It showed.
“I thought they (the Timberwolves) pretty much had control for the whole game,” McMillan said. “We had some open looks, but we didn’t knock them down. Then we got as little hesitant against that zone in the first half.”
Neither team could hit a bull in the keister with a bass fiddle in the first half. Some had to do with the game being a tough, physical defensive battle, but the fact of the matter is that both teams were just plain frosty from the floor.
The Timberwolves tried to isolate Garnett, to no avail. Garnett had eight first-half points and Minnesota shot 36.8 percent from the floor in the first quarter, but warmed up later. Garnett was 4-for-10 shooting from the field.
Allen was 2-for-10 in the first half and the Sonics shot 36.6 percent from the floor.
Early, Minnesota seemed ready to blow the Sonics away. In taking an early 11-4 advantage, the Timberwolves forced three turnovers in the first three minutes and turned them into points.
Suddenly, Minnesota turned cold and went scoreless for nearly six minutes. The Sonics scored 10 straight points in that span, sparked by two early turnovers in which Allen turned into one fastbreak slam and one fastbreak layup.
Seattle stretched the lead to 25-17 on Luke Ridnour’s 21-footer, but the Timberwolves came back. Trenton Hassell’s baseline jumper capped an 8-point run and put Minnesota ahead, 31-30. The two teams traded the lead several more times until the Timberwolves took a 41-38 lead at the half.
Lewis led the Sonics with 16 points.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
