Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were two of the greatest basketball players of all time. Larry Bird was the better basketball player, he was an NBA all-star, an NBA champion, and he was MVP of the NBA Finals. Magic Johnson was the better basketball player, he was an NBA all-star, an NBA champion, and he was MVP of the NBA Finals. While both men are Hall of Fame players, Larry Bird was the better player.
In 1984, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were the best two basketball players in the world. Larry Bird was a 6-foot-9 center who averaged 18 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists a game, while Magic Johnson was a 6-foot-9 point guard who averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists a game.
It was 1984, and Wilt Chamberlain was in the midst of his final season in the NBA. Led by the Los Angeles Lakers’ triangle offense, the team was pushing the pace at will, scoring at will, and dominating games. Meanwhile, Magic Johnson was playing point guard for the Lakers, and this season he was doing it with the best team of his career. He would eventually win his first MVP award, becoming the first ever to lead the league in points, assists, and steals.
Larry Bird is unlikely to be mentioned in the same breath as an actress or model. It occurred in the NBA Finals in 1984, when the Boston Celtics star and Magic Johnson met for the first time. As the two stars prepared to square off on the big stage for the first time in their NBA careers, the comparison between them reached its pinnacle.
In 1984, comparisons between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were at an all-time high.
During the 2009 Men’s Final Four Basketball Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, MI, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson delivered the game ball before to the start of the game. | Rich Clarkson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images | North Carolina beat Michigan State 89-72.
Bird and Magic have been connected since their NCAA championship game in 1979. Despite the fact that they were two totally different athletes playing two completely different positions, the two were frequently compared. Who was the better of the two: Bird or Magic? That was a common question throughout their careers, but it reached a new height in June 1984.
Since their highly anticipated collegiate clash, the two stars had been going head-to-head for the last five years. Those matches, on the other hand, took place during the regular season. It was for all the marbles this time. Everyone was watching as the two competed for the NBA title.
The conversation between the two became so large that even Bird joined in on the analogy.
Bird told Sports Illustrated just before the 1984 NBA Finals started, “We both do the same things, but we’re not the same kind of player.” When you think about the effect we have on a game, I typically think of scoring, but he constantly thinks of passing. He has greater control of the situation since he has his hands on the ball more than I do.
“You can’t truly compare us. He’s more showy and can do more things than I can, and he can accomplish them faster. It’s impossible to put into words how magical it is. I consider him to be one of the top three players in the game now, if not the greatest. He’s a consummate professional.”
Because there was so much discussion about Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Marilyn Monroe and Raquel Welch became involved.
Bob Ryan, a reporter with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, predicted that the Bird-Magic confrontation would dominate the Celtics-Lakers matchup at the time.
According to Sports Illustrated, Ryan said, “It’s unavoidable that this whole series will be seen as a battle between the two of them.” “Of course, that’s a disrespect to Kareem, Kevin McHale, and (Robert) Parish, but it’s unavoidable.” The rivalry between Bird and Magic is unquestionably the series’ subplot.”
Pete Newell, a veteran basketball coach who led Cal to an NCAA championship in 1959 and served as a consultant with the Golden State Warriors in 1984, gave his take on the Bird/Magic analogy. He said that Bird and Magic were well aware that they were being compared and that they tried all they could to get the upper hand on the other.
“Oh, they’ll argue it’s not a one-on-one game,” he continued, “and they’ll point out that they’re not even protecting one other, which you can’t blame them for.” “These are two of the best players we’ve ever had, and even though Magic is a guard and Bird is a forward, they’re well aware that parallels will be drawn.
“Of course, they want to perform at their best. If Raquel Welch lived across the street from Marilyn Monroe, she’d make sure she looked beautiful every time she walked out the front door.”
Jerry West said that comparing the two talents was difficult, although he seemed to favor Bird.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usaUKP RYJE
At the time, Jerry West was the Lakers’ general manager, and he stated that comparing the two was tough since they didn’t play against one other.
West remarked at the time, “It’s like the beginning of a fantastic drama.” “Everyone is looking forward to seeing it.” It would be incredible if Bird and Magic faced off against one other. They don’t, though. You’d have a better sense who plays the bigger overall game if they lined up against one other, as much as people like to speak about who’s the best.”
West went on to say a few more things, and it looked as though he was giving Bird an advantage in his game.
“Bird piques your interest in the game,” West said. “He’s a fantastic passer who never makes a mistake. Magic has greater control over the ball, and as a result, he commits more errors. Various sorts of books and films appeal to different people. Bird is the one who most closely resembles the kind of game I would advise a young player to emulate. On the basketball court, he’s a genius.”
Of course, the Bird/Magic parallels continued long after 1984, but they never quite reached the Welch/Monroe level.
When Larry Bird was approached for autographs, he used to sign another superstar’s name.
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