In the 1960’s, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain’s rivalry defined the NBA. In the 1980’s, it was the legendary rival between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
This went back to the 1979 NCAA championship game when Johnson’s Michigan State team took out Bird’s undefeated Indiana State squad, something that ate at Bird for years.
It was exacerbated in their inaugural NBA campaigns when Bird won the Rookie of the Year award, something Johnson felt he deserved (and he had a solid argument, too).
The truth
is they were both brilliantly competitive and they had much in common as players, including that intense desire to beat the crap out of each other.
One other thing they had in common is that both were among the best passers in NBA history. Both could see things that most players could not.
In Johnson’s case, the Los Angeles Lakers built the team around his ability to run the fast break and find people for easy baskets. At 6-9, he was a revolutionary point guard who just had that elusive “it” quality as a passer. He found seams where no one else other than Bird could.
In this video, you’ll see some of his most brilliant assists. Johnson had a very special gift and as we often say, great passers inspire their teammates. The Showtime era Lakers shared the ball brilliantly.
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