Former Teammates, Rivals Still Vividly Recall Ray Allen’s Defining Moment

November 2nd, 2016 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »

MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra, then a decades-long assistant and head NBA coach, wasn't entirely sure what he was watching.

Ray Allen, the Miami Heat's prized pull from the 2012 free-agent class, was blazing through a workout for his new club in a drill Spoelstra had never seen.

"He would lay on the floor, pop up, backpedal, have the presence of mind to have his feet set and not out of bounds and have a coach throw him the ball," Spoelstra recalled. "... Afterwards I said, 'That seemed like a crazy drill.' Why would he do something like that—lay down in the middle of the floor?

"'He said, 'It's extreme, but I want to prepare myself for when I'm in the lane, I hit the floor, I'm on the ground, offensive rebound that I have the fundamentals to be able to backpedal stay in bounds and be able to knock down shots.'"

Allen's maniacal approach to training—still the stuff of legend within the Heat organization—effectively raised Miami's third championship banner in 2013. With the Heat down 3-2 to the San Antonio Spurs, Allen's scenario played out in real time with a title on the line.

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