Los Angeles Lakers legend, Magic Johnson, and Boston Celtics legend, Larry Bird were not just the faces of the NBA in the 80s but their rivalry played a crucial role in reviving the NBA product. They locked horns with each other on multiple occasions and entertained the fans throughout their careers. They captured eight NBA titles combined during the 80s, with Magic winning five and Bird winning three. The 5x NBA champion recently revealed that he would’ve still won if he switched places with the Celtics legend.

Be it in college or in the league, the Los Angeles Lakers legend usually got the upper hand over his rival. But Magic’s recent statements implied that he would’ve been successful in college even if their roles were reversed.

Magic Johnson overcame Larry Bird even before entering the NBA

Bird and Magic played basketball for Indiana State Sycamores and Michigan State Spartans, respectively, before entering the league. Therefore, they crossed paths for the first time in the 1979 NCAA Division 1 basketball tournament final. The now 63-year-old won the final and eventually got drafted into the league in the same year.

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In light of this, noted sports commentator, Dan Patrick asked Magic who would’ve won the 1979 finals if the rivals switched places. In reply, the three-time Finals MVP said, “Wow, you know Dan, I’m not gonna sit here and say I would have lost any game man…He[Larry Bird] would say the same to you right if you asked him the same thing, if he had went to Michigan State, he gonna say he would do well and I’m gonna say the same thing. I would have did well at Indiana State.”

However, Johnson admitted that he would’ve had a hard time beating Bird if he played alongside Greg Kelser, one of the key members of the 1979 title-winning Michigan State University team.

How Magic and Bird performed in their first meeting?

The 1979 NCAA Divison 1 finals ended with the Spartans winning 75-64. Johnson dropped 24 points in the win. On the other hand, Bird scored 19 points, his lowest-scoring game throughout the tournament. Interestingly, this game was also the most-watched college basketball game of all time.

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During their NBA careers, the duo faced each other three times in the Finals. While Bird won the first time, Magic responded by taking the next two Finals against the famed Boston Celtics. They had one of the most iconic rivalries in sports history, which defined a whole generation of hoops.

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