The Legend vs. Magic

There was never a basketball rivalry like Larry Bird and his Boston Celtics against Earvin “Magic” Johnson and his Los Angeles Lakers. The rivalry between Bird and Johnson began with an NCAA men’s basketball championship game, then played out over three NBA Finals in four seasons and in popular culture with TV ads, video games, a documentary and even a Broadway play. What started as competition and grudging respect developed into a friendship off the court. Bird told fellow Hoosier David Letterman, “Well, Earvin the man is one thing, but Earvin the basketball player, I had a little problem with him.”