Wedman Speaks

Kansas City-area resident Scott Wedman, who played for Boston against Los Angeles when their clashes were must-see TV two decades ago, thinks it would be special to revive competition between the glorified franchises. In all, they faced off three times in the finals in the 1980s. LA won two of those series.

"It would be good for the game," Wedman said. "They are teams that have been around, and it would bring back memories for fans from 20 years ago. The NBA does such a great job of marketing, but there was a little bit of a lull after (Michael) Jordan retired."

Wedman, who played for the Kansas City Kings, has a special place in the Celtics-Lakers saga. In game one of the 1985 finals, Wedman nailed 11 of 11 field goals (four of them three-pointers) in what became known as the Memorial Day Massacre won by the Celtics 148-114.

"The one thing I did best was stay ready, seize the moment if it came my way," Wedman said.

A Mullen High School and University of Colorado graduate, Wedman had spent 8 1/2 seasons in the NBA before playing his final 4 1/2 in Boston.

"As soon as you get on that team, you feel a part of it and everything is about winning," said Wedman, who won rings in 1984 and 1986. "I like to see them do well. Boston has a special place in my heart and no doubt was the pinnacle of my career."

Wedman was there when the demise of the Celtics started. The Celtics selected Len Bias, considered by many the heir apparent to Larry Bird, with the No. 2 pick in the 1986 draft, but Bias died of a drug overdose two days later.

"When you lose Len Bias, and then they lost Reggie Lewis (who died because of a heart ailment in 1993), those are significant losses," Wedman said.