Seattle ? Ray Allen’s career season is ending early.

Unable to tolerate the pain anymore and concerned about doing further damage, the Seattle SuperSonics’ All-Star decided to undergo season ending surgery on his left ankle.

Allen, who is averaging a career-high 26.4 points and made his seventh All-Star appearance last month, has been bothered by inflammation in his ankle from bone spurs. He missed Seattle’s previous two games and decided to go ahead with the surgery after meeting with Dr. Richard Ferkel in Los Angeles on Friday.

Ferkel, a noted specialist on ankle injuries, operated on Allen’s right ankle in 2003. No date has been set for the surgery, which Ferkel will do in Los Angeles, but Allen would like it to be soon.

“I hate to sit on the sidelines and watch,” Allen said. “I’ve had a lot of tough times the past two, three weeks just getting in, getting out and trying to play games.”

The ankle first started bothering Allen in February, but the injury wasn’t revealed until March 1 when Allen missed the Sonics’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Surgery seemed an option then, but Allen was told no more structural damage could be done to the ankle, and chose to play through the discomfort while trying to keep alive Seattle’s fleeting playoff hopes.