Larry bird vs magic johnson

Before they were enemies, they were All-American teammates for 5 days, thrust against teams from the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Yugoslavia at the World Invitational Tournament. At the time, Bird and Magic were second-stringers on the U. But few predicted the duo would soon explode as college stars, professional rivals, and later on, close larry bird vs magic johnson.

There are few basketball players who are as memorable as Magic Johnson. Magic was a one-of-a-kind basketball genius: a 6-foot 9-inch Point Guard PG , with amazing offensive capabilities. Even today, he is considered one of the most gifted players in the history of the game. Per game, Bird scored During the playoffs, while Bird scored 0. Meaning, Magic always performed better during playoff time, when the money was on the table, as proven in game 6 of his rookie season. This is why he has two more championships over Bird.

Larry bird vs magic johnson

The film makes an argument that without the massive media attention that was placed on the rivalry that Johnson and Bird had, the NBA might not have made it through the s following the merger with the ABA , among other things. Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird were rivals on the basketball court but unlikely friends off of it. Bird had been selected as an underclassman by the Boston Celtics at the 6 spot in the draft , but opted to play his senior season at Indiana State before signing the richest rookie contract to that time in a team sport. The Celtics took the championship in , the Lakers took it back in The Celtics would win again in , while the Lakers would win the title in both and The careers of both men were cut short, Johnson by his diagnosis with HIV and Bird by a debilitating back injury. This HBO Films documentary follows the two men from the early days of their rivalry up through their present day friendship. The film also explores the deep racial issues as a major part of the rivalry between both Magic and Bird and the Lakers and Celtics generally. Bird's designation as "The Great White Hope" was a role he did not want to play. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. American TV series or program.

ESPN network was founded the following year on that success.

Star Comparison Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Who scored more points in his career? Who averaged more points in playoffs? Who won more championships?

Magic Johnson. Answering that question would take—and has taken—decades, but it never hurts to dive into the numbers. It was the campaign, in which he averaged Some guy named Michael Jordan won it that year. Magic also collected three MVP awards: Magic won five rings with the Lakers , , , , and was named Finals MVP for three of those , , Bird won three titles with the Celtics in , and , earning Finals MVP honors in the latter two.

Larry bird vs magic johnson

Victors are determined decisively on the court, but one great joy of fandom outside the lines has no clear winner. We love to weigh the merits of our favorite players against each other, and yet a taproom full of basketball fans can never unanimously agree on the GOAT. Hakeem Olajuwon ]. He was the Finals MVP in his rookie season and was still the best player on a Finals team in , the summer before his HIV diagnosis forced him into his first retirement.

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Larry Bird 8, Ezra Edelman. So which team are you? His father committed suicide a year after the divorce. Generic filters. Facebook X Twitter. Read Edit View history. Most popular. At the Regional Finals, Indiana State defeated Arkansas with just a 2-point margin before overcoming DePaul at the Final Four in an equally tight game Who won more MVP awards? Stats prove that both players were complete players, meaning both did well in most aspects of the game such as scoring, rebounding, assists , each in his own way. Bird and Magic came from different worlds and played a different game, but their dynamic dualism formed the core of a legacy that we will never see again. Larry Bird 13 Magic Johnson Posted Sunday, February 5, am.

Nothing is likely to draw bigger ratings than the drama of LeBron James , Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh competing for the title in their first season together. They were a bridge between the old and the new, their impact inseparable from the place both pro basketball and the country were when they emerged into the spotlight three decades ago.

Sports The Big Debates soccer. Before they were enemies, they were All-American teammates for 5 days, thrust against teams from the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Yugoslavia at the World Invitational Tournament. Inevitably during their careers, racial overtones surfaced. American TV series or program. But few predicted the duo would soon explode as college stars, professional rivals, and later on, close friends. Toggle limited content width. Larry Bird 1 Magic Johnson 0. Meaning, Magic always performed better during playoff time, when the money was on the table, as proven in game 6 of his rookie season. Their storied rivalry in the NBA began at that game, the most watched in the history of college basketball. Steals Leader Larry Bird. Larry Bird 2. Stats prove that both players were complete players, meaning both did well in most aspects of the game such as scoring, rebounding, assists , each in his own way.