SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Ray Allen tries to help the Seattle SuperSonics get back to .500 Tuesday night when he makes his season debut against the struggling Phoenix Suns.
Allen, who was acquired last February 20 with Kevin Ollie, Ronald Murray and a draft pick in the deal which sent Gary Payton and Desmond Mason to Milwaukee, underwent surgery on November 1 to remove a bone fragment from his right ankle. The 28-year-old Allen is a three-time All-Star and averaged 24.5 points in 29 games with Seattle last season.
The SuperSonics halted a three-game losing streak with Saturday's 115-106 road win over the Denver Nuggets. Rookie reserve Richie Frahm scored a season-high 31 points on 10-of-11 shooting, including 6-of-7 from the arc, and Murray added 24 and 10 assists.
Seattle is trying to move to .500 for the first time since it was 10-10 following a win at Detroit on December 12.
Last Tuesday, the Suns edged the SuperSonics at home in overtime, 92-91, when Shawn Marion scored on an alley-oop dunk off an inbounds pass from Penny Hardaway with 5.6 seconds left.
The Suns have two of three following that victory. They have lost seven in a row on the road since a 110-106 triumph at Boston on December 5. In that game, Phoenix came back from a franchise-record 29-point deficit but lost forward Amare Stoudemire to a badly sprained ankle. He has not played since.
Phoenix lost for the 11th time in 14 games with a 107-101 road setback to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Stephon Marbury had 31 points and 11 assists and Marion added 23 and 10 rebounds.
Seattle has won three in a row over Phoenix here.
