Monday, September 5, 2011

Alumni Profile: Ray Allen


Looking Back: Ray Allen had one of his best seasons as a Celtic, surpassing Reggie Miller’s record of making the most three pointers ever. Even in his twilight of his career, he still showed that he has enough legs left to carry the Celtics in the Playoffs, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot, but it wasn’t enough as they collapsed down the stretch and fell to the Miami Heat.

The Good: There is no better pure shooter in the game than Ray Allen, but he isn’t just a jump shooter. He still has a deceptive first step and can still play above the rim. While he is known for his three point shooting, he is a really good defender and tends to get locked up against team’s best offensive players. He is a gym rat and works hard each and every day on his game which is why he is where he is. He is also a great role model and leader on and off the court and is the patriarch of the UConn Alumni.

The Bad:
While he still plays a good 30-plus minutes, he is far from his prime. Doc Rivers will need to monitor his minutes to keep him fresh throughout the season. With age comes the loss in speed and Ray isn’t going to lead a fast break and isn’t going to take a charge playing one-on-one with a younger guard.

Looking Ahead: Pending the lockout, Ray Allen will have another consistent year, knocking down threes, find ways to get to the line, and help out in any way he can. The window on another Championship is closing and it is now or never to get back on top.



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