Editor's note: As part of "The Stein Line" every Monday, ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein takes you around the league for the latest news in "Coast to Coast."

	The Bucks are suddenly a player in the East race with Gary Payton.

The Milwaukee Bucks, rather suddenly, believe in omens.

That's because the last time Gary Payton was in a contract year was the 1995-96 season. That's the same season, incidentally, that Payton led the Sonics to the NBA Finals.

In the East, where almost nothing's impossible, no one is ruling out the possibility that Milwaukee still has time to rise into the top four by the end of the regular season and nag the heretofore unchallenged top three: Detroit, Indiana and New Jersey.

Payton might even be more motivated now, banished from the only NBA city he has ever known, than he was back then. And he was pretty motivated in the '96 playoffs, after Seattle had suffered humbling first-round exits the previous two years, first to the Nuggets in the infamous No. 8-topples-No. 1 series and then to the pre-Shaq Lakers.

Our position on Allen is based on his (one) position
The Sonics?

They're best served letting the season go as quietly as possible, demanding little from Ray Allen's ankles, and improving their lottery odds as covertly as possible. Allen is an Olympian, but he'll need big-time help to win over Payton's loyal followers and turn the franchise around. Allen and Rashard Lewis need LeBron James or Darko Milicic at their side, or someone from the same stock.

Allen's biggest problem, besides the ankles, is that he plays only one position ... and it's not center. Aside from Shaquille O'Neal, almost anyone else you want to mention among the NBA's top 10 players can play multiple positions.

The Sonics felt they had to jump on the trade for Allen because they were convinced they would lose Payton without compensation this summer. Or that they would be unable to work out a sign-and-trade with Payton because of GP's deteriorating relationship with owner Howard Schultz.

If the Sonics can keep building around Allen, it was the right move no matter where Payton ends up or how far he goes in the forthcoming playoffs. If Allen is Seattle's best player from here forward, the Sonics will have to ask themselves if they held onto Payton too long. As recently as the 2001 draft, remember, they were offered separate packages from Memphis featuring Mike Bibby ... and Bibby and Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Pierce, Walker hoist a lot of shots but don't miss games
Boston has no games left with Milwaukee and remains the favorite to hold off surging Philadelphia and the Bucks for No. 4 in the East. On one condition.

	Pierce, left, and Walker should put in for overtime.

On the condition that Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce continue to play every important minute for the Celtics, no matter how they feel in the knees or groin or wherever.

General manger Chris Wallace continues to take flak for the acquisition of Vin Baker, especially after Wallace felt the need to bring back Mark Blount from Denver to play behind Tony Battie. The comfort comes when the subject turns to Walker and Pierce, who have combined to miss only six regular-season games the past three seasons.

"Their durability is about as good as any star in the league," Wallace said. "They're used to carrying this kind of load. I think they're durability raises them up a notch" on the pecking order of franchise players.

Spree-to-Spurs: A story with some history
Suggestions that Latrell Sprewell is bound for San Antonio are nothing new. You could hear them before P.J. Carlesimo ever joined the Spurs' staff as an assistant coach, because Spurs coach Gregg Popovich remains fond of Spree from their time together at Golden State. Also because Tim Duncan wouldn't mind a little nastiness at his side and Sprewell, if not exactly a prototype Spur, could provide some.

Spree, though, continues to be a fallback option for the Spurs. They might make a more determined offer for him in the future, but not until management knows for sure that it can't lure Jason Kidd out of New Jersey. San Antonio would have to deem Spree a bigger prize than what it can land in free agency.

Of course, as Tony Parker progresses, there will be suggestions in the Alamo City that the Spurs are better off adding Spree to Parker and Duncan -- as opposed to signing Kidd, possibly at Parker's expense. Then again, Milwaukee's Payton and Cassell could end up serving as a model to the Spurs if they flourish together, reinforcing the idea that Kidd and Parker could work as a backcourt if it works financially.

Finley apparently can still get off the floor

	Michael Finley, middle, also showed off his hops against Yao Ming, right.

Dallas high flier Michael Finley, asked recently if he could ever see himself returning to All-Star Weekend's dunk contest, suggests that's no longer feasible with his 30th birthday coming soon (March 6).

"I can't keep up with these kids," Finley said.

Finley was serious when he said so and the explanation must be that he's saving all his good dunks for the games. It didn't get the fanfare of Kobe Bryant's baseline drive and jam over Yao Ming, but Finley's slam over Yao on Friday night belongs in the same sentence.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here. Also, send Stein a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.