Magic vs. Bird

There has never been a sports rivalry quite like the one between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Starting when both were in college, the rivalry spilled into the professional ranks as they starred for the two highest-profile NBA franchises during the 1980s. The fierce on-court competition between the Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers spawned a decade of unforgettable moments for both sides. “The first thing I would do every morning during the season was look at the box scores to see what Magic did. I didn’t care about anything else,” said Bird. Magic did the same. “During the season I’d check out Larry’s line first thing. If he had a triple double, I knew what I’d want that night,” Johnson said. Their on-court battles eventually led to friendship, as evidenced by Johnson’s playful antics sporting a Celtics shirt on Bird’s retirement night.