?All Summer I Cried?: Having Shed Tears for 3 Months After Losing to Arch-Rivals, Magic Johnson Once Bared Emotional Turmoil

NBA legend Magic Johnson is one of the most mentally tough stars ever. Despite being initially anxious about his HIV infection, Johnson has shown unceasing courage in the fight against the disease. At the same time, the Los Angeles Lakers legend continues to? live his life to the fullest. However, it wasn’t the same when it came to basketball. The Hall of Famer recently revealed that he was in emotional turmoil and cried for months after losing to his arch-rivals.

Earvin was one of the biggest prospects the NBA had ever seen when he entered the league. He was nicknamed “Magic” for his unreal displays on the hardwood. However, the loss even made him question his own talent.

Magic Johnson blamed himself for the Finals loss

As soon as Magic Johnson’s time in the league started, it also marked the beginning of the rivalry between fellow NBA legend Larry Bird. Their narrative only grew given the massive rivalry between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Magic and the Lakers locked horns with Bird and the Celtics multiple times in the Finals during their era. The rivalry between the two teams was at an all-time high. The Purple & Gold were determined to put an end to the Celtics’ dominance which they achieved with the help of the legendary Bill Russell. On the other hand, Boston wanted to continue their winning ways.

This made the battle between the two one of the most fierce and anticipated. Recently, Magic opened up about the 1984 Finals loss against the Celtics during a podcast appearance with Jalen Rose.

?This was the first time I made critical mistakes for us to lose that championship,? Johnson said. ?So I cried, Jalen, for three months, all summer I cried because I let my teammates down.?

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After the loss, the 12x NBA All-Star was heartbroken for months and blamed himself for the loss. He noted that he even doubted his own abilities despite being a superstar. However, the self-doubt only made him stronger.

Notably, this was the first time Magic faced the Celtics in the Finals after winning two titles in 1980 and 1982 against the Sixers. The Celtics continued their record in the Finals against the Lakers and won the title 4-3.

Magic Johnson’s rivalry with Larry Bird

Magic Johnson was one of the biggest stars the league has ever seen.

Johnson hit the ground running as soon as he entered the NBA in 1979 and never looked back. He arguably changed the fate of the Lakers organization as well. However, he did not win the Rookie of the Year award. Even though Larry Bird was drafted in the previous year, he sat out the whole season due to a contract dispute and started playing in ’79. So he was eligible for the ROY award and he won it over Johnson as well.

This came as a huge shock to many and it also added fuel to the rivalry. After losing the 1984 Finals to Bird and the Celtics, Johnson had his revenge in the very next year. He once again won another title against the Celtics in 1987.

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