All or Nothing

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Ira Winderman
South Florida Sun Sentinel	
All or nothing
Published December 21, 2003

During those years when there first was no Bird, then no McHale and no Parish, all the Celtics had to sell was hope, that a dip in the standings would present the foundation for a revival.

And so it went, from 1993-94 through 2000-01, with records such as 15-67, 19-31 and 32-50.

Then Antoine Walker found his way, Paul Pierce found his game, management found instant boosts from Kenny Anderson and Rodney Rogers. Along the way, there were three first-round picks in 2001.

And there, in May 2002, stood the Celtics: in the Eastern Conference finals, two games from the NBA Finals, former home of Larry, Kevin and The Chief.

Boston was back.

And now, just as fleetingly, the Celtics are gone, seemingly willingly.

Before departing, the previous ownership cast aside Anderson and Rogers. Upon arrival, new management dispatched Walker.

Then came last week's act of desperation -- the Ricky Davis Reach, if you will -- with even more of that 2002 playoff core disassembled.

Suddenly, it is 1993 again. Another climb is about to commence.

This is what championship aspirations can do to a team, how the all-or-nothing approach can suck the life out of a franchise.

When making the playoffs and advancing to the conference finals no longer is good enough, the penalties can be severe. To those who doubt that, look no further than the Heat.

No sooner did the championship-or-misery coach find himself too miserable, then-coach Pat Riley cast aside Jamal Mashburn and P.J. Brown in the 2000 offseason. The Heat has yet to win a playoff game since.

As in that case, the all-or-nothing outlook of new personnel boss Danny Ainge could drop the Celtics back to, dare we say it, Heat-like depths.

Understand, there were few qualms here in dumping Walker. But then why bring in Davis? Yes the contract is smaller, but so likely will be the contribution. It's as if the Celtics shifted from Knucklehead A to Knucklehead B.