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'Ray and Sam Show'
Milwaukee's backcourt takes center stage
Posted: Friday February 04, 2000 01:29 PM
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Ray Allen is hitting 43.3 percent of his 3-point field goals this season. AP |
MILWAUKEE -- The "Ray and Sam Show" sounds like the latest
hit network sitcom. But as fun as it is for Ray Allen and Sam Cassell
to play together, it's no laughing matter for opponents. Each player is averaging
more than 20 points a game for the Milwaukee Bucks.
So what does Ray think of Sam?
Allen attributes his sidekick's level of play and his knowledge
of the game to his smarts.
"Sam, is one of those players who will play smart basketball," Allen
said. "I think we all make mistakes when we are out there, and we learn
from them. But he knows how to get to the free-throw line; he knows how
to score. And you know, he doesn't jump real high, and he doesn't do a lot
of great, fantastic things as far as the highlight reel might see it. But he can teach
you the game."
And what does Sam think of Ray?
"The thing I like about playing with Ray is he is an unbelievable jump shooter, and
he knows how to score," says Cassell. "Some guys can score, but it's different
when you know how to score.
"And I think Ray takes so much pressure off me, because when I throw the ball to
him, I know the whole pressure of the defense is going be on Ray Allen, so I just
lay back and say, 'Ray, you do your thing; you draw your double teams, and I'll
be open."
The guards have become a go-to option for Milwaukee, which is something
teammate Glenn Robinson welcomes, since at one time he was about the only option.
"Well it helps out a lot," says the Big Dog. "It makes me more of a playmaker than
just trying to put the total load on my shoulders and score 28 and 30 points."
Cassell adds that the perception that there's not enough basketballs to go around for
him, Allen and Robinson just isn't true.
"That's crazy. We are all going to get our shot attempts, and our teammates understand that, and they realize that Ray, myself and Glen are going to do the majority of the scoring. But you throw in a Tim Thomas, a J.R. Reid and a Danny Manning -- one of those guys is going to have, not necessarily a big game, but a sound game, and that
makes us even tougher."
Now, if the stars of "Ray and Sam" can just get their head coach to become a fan of
their show.
George Karl loves their talent, but he feels a little less shooting might give Milwaukee a higher rating in the victory column.
What Karl says he'd like to see a little more of is some passing.
"I think there's a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with them," Karl observed. "We got too many good players that we've got to bring together. And Sam and Ray have that responsibility, because they have the ball in their hands most of the time. The more we develop the
pass, the better this basketball team will be."
To keep getting better, this backcourt wants to stay together. And with Cassell eligible to renegotiate his contract at the end of the season, "Ray and Sam" are
already sending an early request to Buck management to make their show a long-term option for Bucks viewers.
"I am an ambassador for the Milwaukee Bucks," Allen says.
Cassell agrees. "The ambassador, the man, so whatever Ray says must happen. He
wants me here. 'Milwaukee Ray' wants me here."
Not since the 1973 Hawks backcourt tandem of Lou Hudson and Pete Maravich have
two guards put up more than 25 points apiece for an entire season.
Those kinds of numbers could almost guarantee a long run of any show, especially
for a couple of guys named Ray and Sam.
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