Seattle ? Ray Allen can’t remember ever being sicker in his life than the past week.
“I was out for about six days lying on my back,” the Seattle SuperSonics’ four-time All-Star guard said. “It seems like every part of my body ached.”
Allen scored 25 points after missing two games because of the flu, leading the Sonics to a 113-99 victory over the expansion Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.
Allen, who only returned to practice Friday, played 31 minutes in the first three quarters and made nine of 14 shots, including two 3-pointers.
Improving their record to 32-19, the Sonics increased their lead over Minnesota in the Northwest Division to nine games.
Allen missed a game at home against San Antonio and one in Sacramento. He couldn’t wait to get back in uniform.
“Being here in the locker room with the team, this is who I am and where I belong,” he said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Allen was surprised he played so well.
“I didn’t feel good all day today,” he said. “Yesterday, I came down to practice and I lifted and I shot. But then I went out to eat and after I ate, I got sick to my stomach. So I was nervous tonight and I had a headache.”
Assistant Dwane Casey, who coached the Sonics for the third straight game in the absence of Nate McMillan, pointed out the Sonics didn’t have a letdown against a struggling opponent.
“Tonight we showed a lot of maturity and professionalism,” he said.
Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff was proud of his undermanned team for not quitting after falling behind 69-46 at halftime.
“Our guys kept fighting and kept it respectable,” he said. “They hung in there and they didn’t surrender against a pretty darn good team.”
The Sonics, who had lost three of their previous four home games, got 23 points from Vladimir Radmanovic, including five 3-pointers, and a career-high 21 rebounds from Reggie Evans. Rashard Lewis added 18 points, and Luke Ridnour had 17 points and eight assists for Seattle.
Evans, a third-year pro from Iowa who wasn’t drafted and made the Sonics as a free agent, became the first Sonics player to grab 20 rebounds in a game since Shawn Kemp had 22 at Dallas on Dec. 12, 1995. Evans previously had 17 rebounds in a game twice.
“It was cool,” Evans said. “My teammates were letting me know and I had to be my best to do it. Now, I have to try harder and do my best to achieve at least 22 the next time.”
Melvin Ely had a career-high 22 points for Charlotte, and Jason Kapono had 17 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats are 2-21 on the road.
The Bobcats were impressed by the Sonics’ shooting; 49.4 percent (38-for-77), including .53.8 percent (14-for-26) from 3-point range.
“I can’t believe they shot as well as they did,” Ely said. “They were unbelievable from outside. They keep you spread out.”
The game was virtually over at halftime, when the Sonics, with their 69 points, scored the most points in the first half this season. Radmanovic had 12 points on our 3-pointers in the second quarter after Allen scored 14 points in the opening period.
In the fourth quarter, Charlotte got within 13 points at 109-96 with 2:44 to go, but Ronald Murray, who started in place of Allen when he was out, made a pair of baskets in the final 2 minutes.
Seattle led from wire to wire after Lewis and Allen opened the game with 3-pointers in the first 1:28.
Charlotte dropped to 1-2 without star rookie center Emeka Okafor, who is on the injured list with a sprained left ankle. Okafor, who is leading the Bobcats with average of 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds, is scheduled to return against Miami on Friday night in Charlotte.
Notes: McMillan will return to direct the team Tuesday night against New Orleans. The Sonics were coached by Casey because McMillan was in Raleigh, N.C., where his mother died. Her funeral was Friday. McMillan was scheduled to return to Seattle from Raleigh Sunday. … Okafor had a career-high 27 points in a loss against Seattle on New Year’s Eve in Charlotte. … The 69 points by Seattle in the first half was a Charlotte opponent franchise record for a half. The previous mark was 67 by Utah on Nov. 16, 2004.
