| | Associated Press
MILWAUKEE -- Realistically, Ray Allen had no reason to play
Wednesday night. He could have -- maybe should have -- rested a
sprained knee with the playoffs starting this weekend.
But the man who is becoming the heart and soul of the Milwaukee
Bucks wasn't about to miss a game -- even a nearly meaningless one --
if he didn't have to. So Allen suited up and extended his
consecutive games streak to 296 -- every one in his four-year NBA career.
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| Allen |
Allen sprained his left knee in the Bucks' playoff-clinching
victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
After a day of tests and rehabilitation, Allen decided to play
in Milwaukee's finale against the Washington Wizards.
"He's showing the guys on this team that every game is
important," forward Darvin Ham said. "He's a young guy, but
everybody on the team kind of looks up to him. He's a leader for
us."
It has been a breakout season for Allen, whose personal growth
into a budding superstar has mirrored Milwaukee's climb to
respectability. Allen is averaging a career-high 22.3 points per
game while becoming the Bucks' most consistent scorer.
He made his first All-Star team in February, and he'll play for
the United States in the Sydney Olympics.
In addition, when Milwaukee was in a prolonged slump this
winter, Allen raised his game. While fellow All-Star Glenn Robinson
has yet to emerge from his annual second-half swoon, Allen has
averaged 26 points per game since March 23 while leading the Bucks
to 10 wins in 14 games down the stretch.
"Yeah, I think I started playing better when things were kind
of going south for us," Allen said. "That's what you've got to do
if you're counted on to score a lot of points."
When Allen's name was announced in the starting lineup, the
Bradley Center crowd gave him an enthusiastic ovation. Just four
minutes into the game, Allen drove forcefully past Mitch Richmond
and threw down a spirited dunk, leaping easily off the injured
knee.
Wearing a thin wrap on the knee, Allen scored five points in the
first quarter and did not play for the remainder of the game.
The Bucks beat the Wizards 110-105. Had Detroit lost its game against Chicago (the Pistons won 112-91), the Bucks would have jumped to the seventh seed and a first-round matchup with Miami. Instead, Milwaukee will face Indiana.
Allen said he didn't care whether the Bucks played top-seeded
Indiana or second-seeded Miami. Milwaukee split the season series
with both teams.
"We match up well with both of them," Allen said. "There's
not a lot of difference between one and eight in this conference.
We can play with those guys if we play our game."
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