WEDMAN TYPIFIES CELTICS' BENCH STRENGTH

January 20, 1986

WEDMAN TYPIFIES CELTICS' BENCH STRENGTH

Let's start with the obvious and state that Saturday's 125-122 Celtics overtime victory in Atlanta was one of the best regular season NBA games of this or any year.

The Celtics have won nine of 10 since their nationally televised Christmas Day disgrace against the Knicks. Boston plays host to the world champion Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night, and Saturday's pulsating victory over the Hawks in the Omni indicates that the Celtics are ready for the Lakers.

Larry Bird's 41 points led the Celtics back from a 23-point first-half deficit in a game that was the mirror image of Boston's humiliating loss in New York.

While chestnuts roasted on open fires, the Celtics blew a 25-point lead in New York and lost in overtime. It was Boston's fifth loss in nine games and coach K. C. Jones was criticized for not using his bench during the slump.

The Celtics haven't been the same since. Jones has gone back to his bench and the Celtics have ripped nine of the last 10 opponents. If not for a controversial offensive foul called on Kevin McHale in Detroit, the Celtics might be carrying a 10-game winning streak into the Laker game.

Scott Wedman's turnabout typifies the sudden impact of Boston's bench. Wedman was shooting 41 percent after the Knick disaster and had made only four of 16 shots while scoring only seven points in a five-game stretch. Since Christmas, Wedman is shooting 58 percent (42-73), and averaging 8.8 points. He hit 10 of 16 shots and scored a season-high 21 against the Hawks Saturday.

"The other teams aren't paying much attention to me because they're keying on our big guys," noted Wedman. "That gives me an opportunity to make a difference."

Wedman wasn't too surprised to see the Celtics roar back from a 70-47 deficit in the Omni.

"Nobody on this team doubted we could come back," he said. "We just knew we had a chance and once you get within 10, you're there."

Bird's 17-point third quarter helped the Celtics cut a 22-point half-time deficit to 14 at the end of three. A 14-0 fourth- quarter explosion (six by Wedman) put the Celtics ahead.