Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics legends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s rivalry has been well-documented. The latter was regarded as one of the biggest trash talkers in the sport, but his incredible skill set also ensured that he could back it up.
And Bird did just that, especially after his competitive feud was on since their pre-NBA days. Vouching for the fact that Bird had ice in his veins was Johnson’s former agent, Lon Rosen.
Per a feature in The Athletic, Rosen recollected how Johnson would tell him that he had never heard someone trash talk as Bird it.
“Earvin used to tell me, ‘I’ve never heard anybody talk more trash than Larry.’ Now, Earvin talked a lot of trash, too, but he said there was nobody better than Larry.”
He also took the readers on a trip down memory lane:
“The Lakers were playing the Celtics at home and Magic wasn’t playing that game. Larry came up to Magic before the game and said, ‘Sit back, I’m going to put on a show tonight.’ He scored 40.”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the duo shared that intense rivalry. The two teams have dueled it out 12 times in the NBA Finals and the two players squared off thrice in the marquee event.
Magic Johnson And Larry Bird’s Rivalry Received The Documentary Treatment In 2010
Titled ‘Magic & Bird’, a documentary was released on HBO with actor Liev Schreiber narrating the long-standing competitiveness between the two. It was inspired by ‘When the Game Was Ours’ by Jackie MacMullan.
The duo had been at it since the 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship Game and lasted till the time they clashed on the hardwood.
Despite the immense talent they brought to the table, their careers were cut short. While Johnson’s HIV diagnosis saw him call curtains down on his decorated career, Bird’s debilitating back injury meant calling time on his playing days as well.
Their rivalry was also one of the storylines in HBO’s recent show, ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’. Quincy Isiah essayed Johnson, while Bird was played by Sean Patrick Small.
