by Tzvi Twersky | @ttwersky
Midway through last season, Ray Allen’s lackluster shooting was the biggest story in Boston. Speculation was abound as to what was plaguing the tremendous long-range shooter.
Was his name swirling in trade rumors weighing on him mentally? Had his age (34 at the time) finally caught up to him? Was he hurt?
The question never really was answered, and, when Allen’s shooting picked up in the second half of the season, his poor performance was pretty much forgotten by Celtics faithful.
Until today.
On a Jordan Brand facilitated phone call this afternoon, Ray Allen revealed to SLAM the cause of his lackluster half-season in ’09-10.
“People didn’t know then,” says Allen, “I was having back problems. I didn’t play right before the All-Star break last year, in New Orleans. I didn’t play the game because I couldn’t stand straight up. I was navigating through that, trying to get my body feeling right. And [now] my body feels great. I don’t know–it’s just my legs feel great; my body, my back feels good; and I don’t have too much going wrong with my body physically.”
This season, to date, Ray Allen is shooting a career-high 46 percent from behind the three-point line. He is also one three away from tying Reggie Miller’s record mark of 2560 career threes.
Visit SLAMonline.com tomorrow to hear much more from Ray Allen.
