Sonics
Notebook: New baby may keep Allen out of Olympics

By Jayda Evans
Seattle Times staff reporter

	Jason Richardson
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Allen, who won a gold medal at the Sydney Games in 2000, was told his fiancée, Shannon, was pregnant about two months ago. The couple kept the news quiet because she's in her first trimester.

Now Allen, 28, has to squeeze in a wedding before the national team begins training in July.

"It's going to be very shotgun," he said. "That was our plan all along, anyway."

So, it'll be off to Las Vegas?

"No," Allen said. "I'd do Hawaii before Vegas."

Allen has a daughter from a previous relationship but didn't see her birth, which is why he may forgo the Olympics. His fiancée is due around Sept. 1 — right after the Games conclude. Allen said he could fly back for the birth, like Alonzo Mourning did during the Sydney Olympics, but he's unsure how that would work. The couple has another doctor's appointment this week, which could give a more accurate due date for Allen to make his plans.

One thing is certain, however. Allen wants to know the baby's gender before the birth.

"I don't like to be surprised," Allen said. "When you try to surprise yourself, you waste money and that's ridiculous.

"The ironic thing about this is that we were told the baby was conceived in November. That's when I was out with ankle surgery.... I was home every day and didn't travel anywhere for about four weeks. We've been trying to get pregnant for about a year, so in a way that was a godsend."

Mr. Steam
 
Sometimes Nate McMillan just can't help himself. He is, in his own word, reactionary. He is also demonstrative and a bit too lippy when it comes to referees.

As such, the Sonics coach has been assessed nine technical fouls this season, more than any other coach in the Western Conference and tied with Chicago's Scott Skiles for tops in the league, according to statistician Harvey Pollack.

"I'm like a wild man over there," McMillan said. "I've been thinking about how I'm seen on the sidelines and I know I need to calm down. I have to change that."

At $500 per technical, that's $4,500 out of his wallet.

"You're trying to defend your players and you want to fight for them, but you don't want to be known as whiners," McMillan said. "Then you get a reputation as, 'Oh, this coach is going to be mouthing off.'

"But I've tried many times to get ejected and they wouldn't do it because they know when you're trying. You've got to do something like kick the ball."

Saturday's game at a glance

Player of the game: Warriors guard Jason Richardson shook Sonics guard Ronald Murray to the ground and penetrated inside the paint to score and give his team a four-point lead with 16.8 seconds remaining in the game. Richardson finished with 24 points, despite playing with a left shin contusion.

Reserve of the game: Murray, who replaced a struggling Ray Allen, had a team-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Digits: The Sonics finished 1-3 in the series against Golden State for the first time since the 1991-92 season.

Next: Boston at 6 tonight, KeyArena.

Staff reporter Percy Allen also contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company