Ray Allen's Most Underrated Season – CrownHoops
Ray Allen is one of, if not, the deadliest sharp-shooter in NBA history. Whether it was for the Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics, or even the Miami Heat, Allen was a master at the three-point shot and could even utilize the dribble-drive a bit as well. After all, the man hit arguably the most clutch in NBA Finals history when he tied up the game in game six of the 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs.
As we know, that shot had significant ramifications in today’s current NBA landscape. Without it, Tim Duncan could have six rings and LeBron James could only possess three rings as we speak. With all of this in mind, it makes sense to make Allen our next candidate in our “Most Underrated Season,” series. Without further adieu, let’s delve into what campaign of Ray Allen’s historical career is the most overlooked.
Ray Allen: His 2005-06 Season
During the 2005-06 season, Ray Allen would solidify himself as the clear leader of the Seattle SuperSonics. An impressive feat since being traded to the SuperSonics from the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2002-03 season. Not to mention, he would make his sixth All-Star Team during this particular year. Unfortunately, the team would finish with a win-loss record of 35-47, only good enough for third place in the competitive Northwest Division.
A division that seems to be always competitive with the likes of the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Teams that always seem to be in the thick of things for playoff contention at the very least. Of course, Seattle would not taste the playoffs this particular season, but given the fact that they were somewhat young, there was some hope on the horizon. Especially with key players leading the way in Rashard Lewis and of course, Ray Allen.
Jesus Shuttlesworth’s Numbers in the 2005-06 Season
Ray Allen put up some gaudy numbers in the 2005-06 campaign. Not only did he average 25.1 points (the second-highest point total of his career), but he also tallied an impressive three-point field goal percentage of 41.2 percent. On top of this, Allen also put up totals of 4.3 rebounds per game to go along with 1.3 steals, tied for fourth-best of his career in this category, and a free-throw percentage of 90.3 percent. However, Ray Allen also stuffed the stat-sheet from an advanced analytic perspective.
Allen tallied an offensive rating of 118 to go along with an offensive box plus/minus of 6.4. That would end up being the highest differential of his entire career. Not to mention, he would also average an insane true shooting percentage of 59.0 percent. Ray Allen also came away with an assist percentage of 17.2 percent. Not too shabby for someone who played the shooting guard position. The cherry on top is that the future Hall of Famer also averaged a win share total of 9.5. Seeing these totals and how great of an all-around player Ray Allen was (he was more than just a shooter), it is clear that the 2005-06 season was clearly the most overlooked campaign of Sugar Ray’s legendary career.
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