Ray Allen MIA
Added on May 29, 2013 by Scott in
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Strange things happen during a seven-game series. Like LeBron James fouling out for only the second time in his playoff career. Or Dwyane Wade doing his best Macho Man Randy Savage impression on Lance Stephenson’s head. When unexpected twists occur, players like Ray Allen need to pick up the slack. The only problem is the normally reliable Allen has been missing in action since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Entering last night’s Game 4 loss to the Pacers, Allen had scored a combined 30 points in his previous six appearances. During that stretch, he converted only 5 of 21 from three-point range. This is a stark contrast to his first six postseason games when he totaled at least 16 points four times and hit 15 of 34 from beyond the arc.
Allen’s 11 points in Game 4 was a result of increased minutes due to James and Wade being in foul trouble. If not for the extra playing time, he would’ve been a non factor again. Most nights the Heat don’t need Allen to provide a scoring punch, but versus a tenacious defensive team like Indiana, his clutch shooting would be helpful.
Age and fatigue might be catching up to Allen. At 37, he’s logged a lot of games in his 16 NBA seasons. He seems to be dragging and is having trouble even finding his shot. With few consistent options on the bench, Miami can ill afford for Allen’s slump to continue.
It’s unlikely James will foul out in crunch time again, but the Pacers will not go away quietly. Getting past them will require maximum effort and discipline. And should Miami advance, waiting in the wings is a Spurs team playing their best basketball in years.
Allen is running out of chances to win another ring, so he should be plenty motivated to regain his shooting form. If he does find his touch, the already loaded Heat might be unstoppable. If not, they could be sitting at home in two weeks.
