Post-McMillan era begins

SEATTLE – Try as he might, no matter how magical Ray Allen was on the court, he could never be the essence of the Seattle SuperSonics.

Nineteen years of Sonics’ lore – coach Nate McMillan – shadowed Allen, an image that would always be the face of basketball in Seattle.

One headline-grabbing, 48-hour span last July changed it all.

Allen scoffed at offers to play in bigger markets, and re-signed with Seattle for the next five years. Two days later, McMillan bolted south to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Even with Bob Weiss now the coach, the 2005-06 SuperSonics are Allen’s team.

“To me, that doesn’t really matter,” Allen said. “Whose team is this? It’s everybody’s team. The guys that make this their team are the guys who work and have input, and that’s everybody. It’s my job to serve as much as I’m needed.”

That service begins today when the SuperSonics open at home against the Los Angeles Clippers, the same team that beat Seattle by 30 on opening night last season when the SuperSonics were expected to be among the worst teams in the league.

Instead, Seattle became a shocking, pleasant surprise, erasing those expectations and winning the team’s first division title since 1998.

Now comes the task of trying to match last season’s accomplishments without starting center Jerome James, sixth-man Antonio Daniels and, oh yeah, McMillan.

“Every year there is some type of change,” Allen said. “We could have kept the whole team intact, from the coaching staff, all the way through every player, it’s still new. You’re a little bit older, a little bit wiser, the league changes around your team. Sometimes, it makes you better. Sometimes, it makes you worse.”

Allen is coming off the best season of his career, averaging almost 24 points per game in the regular season and 26.5 in the playoffs.

The risk of playing last season without a contract extension paid off during the summer when Allen agreed to a deal worth up to $85 million.

Allen picked up a running mate when Rashard Lewis developed into an All-Star, averaging 20.5 points in his seventh season with the SuperSonics.

With McMillan gone, it’s Weiss calling the shots.

A fixture on Seattle’s bench the last 11 seasons, Weiss was promoted to take McMillan’s place – with the full blessing of Allen and Lewis.

Weiss’ demeanor is a stark contrast from McMillan’s demanding, often disciplinarian approach. So too is Weiss’ game plan.

On offense, Weiss wants Seattle to run more. Weiss would like the SuperSonics’ fast break to look akin to the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s.

On defense, the challenge is to make it harder for opponents to score. Last season, the Sonics allowed teams to shoot 46 percent. Weiss was amazed Seattle won 52 games while having so many gaps in its defense.

“This year’s goal is to shore up those holes, play better defense and maintain the shooting we have on this club,” Weiss said.

Seattle’s other question mark is in the front line. James was loud and brash, and his production often fluctuated with his mood, but he was a big body who started 80 games in the regular season. In the playoffs he averaged 12.5 points and nearly seven rebounds, parlaying the performance into a five-year, $30 million deal with the Knicks.

Vitaly Poteapenko was expected to take James’ spot but has been bothered by a hamstring problem during training camp, and the team is still developing 19-year-old Robert Swift.

Vladimir Radmanovic has been battling Reggie Evans for the starting power forward spot, but Radmanovic could become Seattle’s first sub.

Who will back up point guard Luke Ridnour is unknown, with a combination of Ronald Murray, free-agent pickup Rick Brunson or even Damien Wilkins handling the role.