WEDMAN'S HOT HAND SINKS SUNS

March 14, 1985

WEDMAN'S HOT HAND SINKS SUNS

Special stat teams and hoopology PhDs were flown in for historical perspective, and literary legends were summoned for fresh metaphors and hyperbole.

But none of the above was necessary. One night after the burning of Atlanta, Larry Bird & Co. returned to earth with a methodical, albeit powerful 123-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Boston Garden. And folks went home talking not about those wild scoring fools, Bird and Kevin McHale, but about Scott Wedman (19 points, 13 in the fourth quarter).

The Celts led from wire to wire as Bird (31 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists) spread the wealth, and his frontcourt sequoia mates were happy to collect. McHale made his first nine shots, and finished with 25 points. Robert Parish also inflicted some wounds, scoring 22 points with 14 rebounds.

And then there was Wedman. A former All-Star and 10,000-point scorer, Wedman is often a forgotten man on this championship squad. His contributions since coming to Boston two years ago have been sparse, but he's adjusted to his limited role and is starting to look like the man who lit up scoreboards in NBA America from 1975-82.

Wedman's 15-of-24 shooting in the last two games was lost under the tonnage of Bird's and McHale's points, but the reserve forward came off the bench last night and hit nothing but net on four crucial jumpers at the start of the fourth.

"Larry's been going so well and our inside game's been going so well that they kind of laid off me," said Wedman, who has hit 61 percent (23-38) while averaging 16.3 points in his last three games. "That opened it up a bit . . . I went out and hit a couple of shots and got it going and kept looking for it."

Phoenix had trimmed Boston's 13-point first-half lead to 89-87 at the end of three quarters. Then Wedman struck.

His first three jumpers helped push the margin back to six, then Bird stole the ball, and Wedman fed Ray Williams for a hanging lane jumper in traffic. The Celts led, 102-94, with 9:48 left and Phoenix called time to regroup.

Wedman wasn't through, but the Suns were. Another Wedman bomb with 5:51 left made it 109-96. The Celts were safe and when cult hero M.L. Carr made an appearance with three minutes left, it was 115-101.

"We were very concerned about Wedman," Phoenix coach John MacLeod said. "We were aware of his ability when he played for Kansas City and we're still aware of his ability to shoot the ball . . . He's certainly going to help them down the stretch."

Wedman's shooting highlighted the final period, but the start was memorable for Bird's Lindberghesque return to the homeland. On the heels of his 60-point torching in New Orleans Tuesday, Bird was inundated with pregame interview requests from everyone this side of Phyllis George, then received one of the longest introductory standing ovations on record. Toss in a few candles and matches and it would have felt like the prelude to a rock concert.

Sir Larry rewarded the devoted masses, hitting a jumper on his first possession on the 14th second of play. He had six rebounds and four baskets in the first six minutes. Alvin Scott was overmatched.

Playing without Larry Nance (groin pull), the Suns were vulnerable underneath, and Boston's frontcourt torched Phoenix throughout the evening. Bird, McHale and Parish scored 33 in the first quarter and the Celts led, 36-24, after one. Bird had 11 with seven rebounds, while McHale scored 14 and Parish contributed eight.

"We were a little sluggish coming out, so we had to get everything down low," said Bird.

Bird fired the Celts to a 47-34 lead in the second. Phoenix got some inspired play from James Edwards (18) and reserves Charles Pittman (6 of 6) and Charles Jones (19), but couldn't get closer than seven for the rest of the half. Meanwhile, Boston's frontcourt domination continued, and the Celts led, 62-51, at intermission.

The Suns ran off six in a row at the start of the third. Dennis Johnson awoke with four consecutive jumpers, but Phoenix cut Boston's lead to two with 7:28 left in the third. Then Parish picked up his fourth foul. The Suns trimmed it to one before Wedman took over.