Finally, someone with the guts to stand up and tell it like it is about Michael Jordan.

	Milwaukee's Allen is one star who has had his fill of His Airness.

We commend you, Ray Allen.

Allen was totally correct in his recent assessment of His Airness.

"To tell you the truth, it gets a little tedious watching Michael Jordan highlights because there's a lot of good basketball being played throughout the league," said Allen. "It's not as exciting. There's a love affair the rest of the world has with Jordan, and I understand that because I was a part of that in my youth and a couple of years into the NBA. But now, we have to speak up for what has to be spoken for, and that's this Milwaukee Bucks team is a good team and we should be recognized for that."

The Bucks, in fact, are one of the best teams in the NBA so far. It all starts with the Lakers, of course, who are on a level of their own. But the Bucks, who play Toronto on Turkey Day, are on that second tier. Meanwhile, Jordan's Wizards, playing at Indiana for your Thanksgiving dis-pleasure, aren't even playoff material, but they're getting more air time than the 1996 Bulls, winners of 72 games.

Is Jordan now worthy of the insufferable coverage he gets every time he walks on the floor? No way. And it is getting out of hand, what with Turner Broadcasting adding Washington games every week as if we're all die-hard Wizards fans from back in the days of the Big E. Even ESPN is in on the madness, employing shot charts to show Jordan's every attempt, er, misfire.

Enough, already.

This Michael Jordan isn't worth it, guys.

Turner added a real dog, Miami vs.Washington on Dec. 12, but the way I look at it, it gives everyone an excuse to get out and do some Christmas shopping. Then you can come home and see those laughable shot charts, documenting yet another un-Jordan-like night from the field. Michael Jordan Lite has hit at least half his shots in a game only twice so far and is at 41 percent overall.

For someone who is a 51 percent shooter lifetime and never shot lower than 47 percent, that's disgraceful.

Before Tuesday night's game against Charlotte, Jordan's first nine games from the floor went like this:

Against New York, 7-for-21; against Atlanta, 13-for-30; against Philly, 7-for-21; against Detroit, 8-for-18; against Boston, 12-for-26; against Golden State, 13-for-30; against Seattle, 5-for-26; against Milwaukee, 12-for-24; against Utah, 17-for-33.

Here's the saddest thing for Jordan. Other players might not have criticized him in the past out of fear that he'd bust their butts the next time they went head-to-head on the court. But this time around, he's not even guarding the best young talent because he can't stay up with the Tracy McGradys, Vince Carters, Ray Allens, etc.

Because he can't move his legs quick enough.

	Jordan

"Defensively, he's not guarding anyone who can beat him off the dribble," said one Eastern Conference insider the other day. "He's not stupid, he's taking the weakest offensive player, then trying to help. That'll be a problem against teams with two perimeter threats, like Orlando. He can't guard (Tracy) McGrady or (Grant) Hill. Unless they play a zone, he'll probably end up having to guard (Patrick) Ewing."

That's not the Jordan I wanted to see make a comeback. And how about at the offensive end? Guys are blocking his shot in crunch time (see: Paul Pierce) and he can't take the ball to the hole.

"He's strictly a jump-shooter now," said another scout, from the Atlantic Division. "He takes one or two dribbles toward the basket and pump fakes his man. He uses his off arm to create space, or good footwork. If he can't create space, you can block his shot, or force him to pass. He doesn't have his legs yet. There are no Jordanesque moves to the hoop. If he goes inside, he's flicking it up, not taking it with authority like he used to."

That's sad. But this is also what Jordan knew he was getting into when he came back. Now you see why all the comparisons to John Stockton and Karl Malone were as off the mark as MJ's 3-point shooting. He's missed 11 of 12 shots from beyond the arc. Remember, Stockton, 39, and Malone, 38, didn't spend three years away from the game.

"I expect it will take Michael two or three months before he's really physically ready," said Magic Johnson.

Johnson was one of the few people who told Jordan that he was making a big mistake by putting his reputation on the line. Johnson knows all about failed comebacks, having tried one himself in 1996, at the of 36, after being away for four seasons. But even when Jordan does gets his legs, he won't be able to turn back the clock.

"Mother Nature is his biggest opponent," Johnson said. "He isn't going to be as quick. He won't be able to get to the basket like he once did. He won't be able to jump as high."

Which is why some of us weren't doing handsprings when Michael Jordan announced his comeback in the first place. If he can't be what he was, why come back at all? Of course, that line of thought is being bashed by many who now feel the need to defend him.

"I don't understand how we can criticize a guy who's helping the game in a lot of ways, (especially) economically," Bucks coach George Karl said. "His ambassadorship has been almost flawless in his career. And now, because he's not special, we're giving him some criticism? I think it's kind of crazy."

Actually, we're just holding Jordan to the same standards we used to. Granted, those are several levels higher than the ones we hold for Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'Neal. Or about 399 other players, in fact. But he is Michael Jordan, gang.

In Washington, the spin is that we all should appreciate Jordan now, that you have to see how he's diversified his game and is content to set up teammates. Like everyone is supposed to rave when he passes the ball? He used to do that in Chicago, too, but there was so much more to his game. Namely, all the stuff no one else could do.

"I wanted to remember Michael's crossover jumper," Magic Johnson said. "I wanted to remember him switching hands on us on a beautiful drive. Starting off right and switching in mid-air to the left. With that tongue all everywhere. That's the Michael I wanted to remember. The Olympic Michael. My teammate."

The truth is, we haven't seen that Michael Jordan in years. And now as a Wizard on TNT every week?

Forget it.

Mitch Lawrence, who covers the NBA for the New York Daily News, writes a regular NBA column for ESPN.com.