Notebook | Allen happy injury won't keep him away too long

For about two hours Thursday, Ray Allen felt like a deflated basketball.

Team doctor Richard Zorn couldn't clearly diagnose the injury in Allen's right ankle from examining an MRI and told the six-time All-Star he might need surgery to solve the problem. Allen, who had surgery on the same ankle before the 2003-04 season and missed 26 games, immediately thought about the months he would miss, the weight he would gain and the team unity he would miss.

"Sitting down is not fun," Allen said Friday in his first interview since his medical exam. "It's almost like you become separate of the team. It's like [injured center Robert] Swift not being here — we haven't seen him in a couple weeks. That's not something I want to do. I like being in the fire."

Zorn requested a CAT scan Thursday, and the doctor determined from those results that the best remedy would be rest and anti-inflammatories. Allen is expected to miss at least eight games, including the team's upcoming five-game Eastern Conference road swing, and will be re-evaluated on Dec. 24.

Allen will do cardio work and upper-body lifting while staying off the ankle. He said he's in pain only when he makes sharp movements to the right.

His fiancée is expecting their second son Christmas Day, so he'll likely be home for the birth. Coincidentally, he learned of her pregnancy with their first son when he had surgery in 2003.

Allen, the team's leading scorer (25.3 points per game), decided during warmups for the Atlanta game Tuesday that he should sit out because of the pain.

"It feels better already," he said.

Zorn wouldn't discuss options if Allen isn't healed next week.

"We'll have to deal with it then because if there is still pain, we might have to go to alternative methods," he said.

"I don't want to miss any more time than I have," Allen said, "because it's enough time to sit on the sideline. I'll just count on the doctor, and hopefully they tell me everything to get where I need to be to be strong."

Against the Hornets on Friday, Damien Wilkins started his second game in Allen's place and rookie Mickael Gelabale received more minutes. Coach Bob Hill said little would change with the offense, only that forward Rashard Lewis, the team's second leading scorer (22.9), would obviously receive the ball more.

Rookie Desmon Farmer, who has been activated, could also see playing time.

The Sonics cannot sign another player to replace Allen without making a cut. The organization discussed bringing training-camp invitee Kareem Rush back along with other options available on the waiver wire, but general manager Rick Sund likes the makeup of the current roster.

"Every coach would want another shooter," Hill said. "But the real shooters are signed."