Poor 'Niquey

January 26, 1995

The smiles are gone. The optimism has been obliterated. July 25, 1994, the day Dominique Wilkins became a Boston Celtic, was a lifetime ago. Was it all a mirage? Was the euphoria that followed a beaming M.L. Carr's introduction of the Human Highlight Film a cruel, twisted joke? What happened to the promise the Celtics would be good again? And what about that promise they would be fun, too?

There was nothing fun about last night. Boston lost, 107-98, to the Los Angeles Clippers, a k a the Titanic, and the Celtics' captain, the designated savior, No. 12 in your program, an eight-time All-Star with a career average of more than 26 points per game, was booed fervently by the Garden fans, who feel betrayed and have determined that Dominique Wilkins is the one they should blame.

"We were all talking about it on the bench," said Clippers guard Gary Grant. "It was an absolute shock to us.

"He left the Clippers to come here and he was supposed to be happy. And now they are booing him on every single shot."

Anger is a dangerous emotion because it is volatile, often irrational and nearly always ruthless. The anger has been building for weeks among the Garden fans, but it reached a boiling point last night when Boston dropped a listless game on the once-hallowed parquet to the worst team in the league, and quite possibly the worst in NBA history.

With a public squabble between Wilkins and coach Chris Ford over the forward's role as a backdrop, the fans came looking for a win - or for blood. If Wilkins had lit it up for 40, perhaps the rabble would have been inclined to aim for Ford's skull instead.

But Wilkins did not score 40 points. He scored 2 points on 1-for-9 shooting and hauled in just 1 rebound in 20 skittish minutes of play. As the misses kept mounting, and Wilkins kept pressing, the crowd grew more and more hostile. It was a scene that left both his current and former teammates stunned.

By the time Wilkins was removed from the game with 7:48 left and his team down by 14 points, he was clearly a beaten man. As he walked off the court, his head bowed and his face contorted in anguish, it was clear he had suffered the ultimate indignity: humiliation at the hands of the team he first ridiculed, then bolted from last summer.

The Clippers? They were a joke, 'Nique was quick to tell anyone who listened. They were a disgrace.

"I have nothing to say tonight," said Wilkins softly as he dressed quickly and left the locker room.

Carr, visibly upset about his unraveling team and his unraveling free agent, said he felt the fans were responding to media coverage of the past few days. Carr talked about Wilkins trying to make things happen. He said he would not give up on his players. And he bit his lip to prevent himself from expressing his disappointment in the unforgiving crowd.

"That's the way it is here in Boston," said Carr, his trademark smile having long ago evaporated amid the events of the evening. "There are high expectations, and when you fall short, sometimes they remind you."

There have been discussions about Wilkins needing to adjust his game, needing to realize he is not an All-Star any longer, needing to understand he is still a contributor but will not always be The Contributor.

Perhaps, too, the fans should understand that Wilkins is not the only problem on the Boston Celtics. His frustrations are symptomatic of a team malaise, a team that continues to struggle with its limitations.

Wilkins is not Curtis Rowe. He is not Sidney Wicks. He is a congenial guy who wants to win but cannot deliver the way he used to. He misspoke last week and should take responsibility for that, but when he didn't back up the talk last night, he was vilified like no Celtic in recent memory.

The sentence seemed much harsher than the crime.

"I didn't realize they were just booing one guy," said Clippers coach Bill Fitch, "but if that was all for one guy, I can't ever remember that happening to a Celtic. The last guy they booed in here who was a Celtic was probably me."

One thing must be understood. In fact, it should have been apparent since July 25, 1994, the day Wilkins came aboard. There will be other 1-for-9 nights for Dominique. There will also be nights when he pours in 30 points and wins games for the Celtics.

"Dominique is human," said Xavier McDaniel. "He'll come back and drop 43 on 'em, and they'll love him again."

Funny thing about love. It's an emotion that demands understanding and forgiveness for the most awful things, like losing to the Clippers, or being mercilessly taunted by your own fans.

If you ask me, the love affair between the city of Boston and Dominique Wilkins is officially over.