It is my humble opinion that they were both better than anybody playing today. They would both win mvps in today’s league just like back then. 40 years old here…
The game was so much more fun back then! I miss the Showtime Era so much!🥲 I grew up during the Showtime Era, and when the Lakers got their running game going, it was such a joy to watch! Magic was like NO OTHER player. Don’t compare him with anyone else. I know of few players who could play ALL FIVE positions!
As a Bird fan, it's truly difficult to choose between them. They are equals in so many ways. They're both 6'9". They are both great ball handlers but Magic can play every position on the court. Their passing is the best ever. They both love to get the ball at the end of the game, but Bird is more clutch. Magic won more more championships, but he always had the better team, both in college and in the NBA (when he came to the Lakers, they already had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, still the highest point scorer in NBA history; Larry Bird came to the Celtics when they had nobody). They both made their teammates much better than they were. I do know that MJ at his best was better than both of them at their best. Magic and Bird put the NBA on the map and made it into the dominant sport to watch. MJ took it to an even more unheard level. Lebron James turned off half of the fans from the NBA by injecting his politics into the NBA and being an apologist for China.
I agree with some of your facts but Larry was on one of the greatest front courts in NBA history with Robert Parish & Kevin Mchale. He had Hall of Famers Dennis Johnson & Bill Walton also. So, they both had good teams.
I like to say this. Bird had the best Basketball IQ I ever saw. Magic had the best court vision. Any one of Magic's passes would show what he could do. For Bird, my favorite play was one time he misssed a shot and while everyone else was standing around he went in for the rebound and put it in. He knew he missed it and knew what you were going to do before you did it.
MAGIC is the best PG of all time.... the Magic/Bird rivalry saved the NBA. he is the most unique player in NBA history. MAGIC is the reason why I like NBA ball
MAGIC is the best PG of all time. IN his ROOKIE season, he started gmae 6 of the NBA Finals, after Kareem Abdul Jabbar was hurt. He scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. He was 20 years old!
AWESOME reaction! At 3:35 you had it a little backwards, basically Kevin Durant is a little like Magic. Magic is your favorite player's favorite player!
Now you know. Magic was The Show. 12 years. 9 finals. 5 rings 3 MVPs. 3 finals MVps... 1 as a rookie! ( only time it's happened) The greatest Winner by % of games played in a NBA..career. The one and only Point God. They call him Magic for a reason 🐐
And Moses Malone, Dr J, Kareen Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeen Olajuwon, Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johson, Dominique Wilkins, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler .... What a decade!
Yeah just imagine if Larry didn't decide to finish College and they never met in that final championship in college. Basketball would've had a very different story, and, Bird and Magic wouldn't have became the friends they are.
I’m from Argentina but I lived in LA in the 80s, from 8 to 12, I got to see the back to back titles and the dream team era… I then obviously became a Kobe fan…but to see Magic and Bird in Barcelona was the ultimate thing of beauty
Buzzer beaters, No look passes, really amazing passes. played everywhere, did everything needed. made every single person around him better. The Greatest
Native Angelino here and first time viewer. I grew up watching Magic Johnson. He’s one of the greatest. He now is a multi businessman. He even owns partial ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Magic Johnson substitute Kareem in the finals in his rookie year. In that era there were legendary players: Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patric Ewen, Dr J, Charles Barkley, Akeem Olajuwon, Kevin McHale, Kareem, but the GOAT term was used on Magic.
Back when Magic got HIV , it was new. So people didn't want to play with or against him for fear of catching it. Once people new more about how it was contracted or spread it changed their minds a bit.
I grew up in LA. I had a signed full size poster of Magic in my bedroom. There will never be another Magic or another rivalry like Magic and Bird. I have to give bird his props. Both were amazing, but I’m a Magic fan through and through.
what I don't understand is how in the hell have y'all not seen or known about dis??? The players u see today - copy from this era...believe it! That's why my game is STILL potent to this day > u know u in trouble when a 50 year old is out there cookin' highschool and college players...I grew up on this!!!
They both rocked, they respected the game and played hard...GOATs to us 50 year Olds. Magic was facilitator, but he could score whenever he wanted. Had he focused on scoring, he would be right up there...Triple-Doubles were a regular thing...can't say enough...lol
Magic and Larry are two totally different players, with different styles, different views of the game. It seemed to me that Larry Bird looked at basketball as a job, and it was more of a game to Magic.... it was fun to him! Watch him play in a game once, and see how much fun he has. Larry Bird is one of the best forward/power forward players of the game, no doubt.... and Magic is the near perfect poster child of being a point guard. Oh! Watch Magics rookie year, finals, game 6 IN Philly, and Kareem, Laker center, isn't there, he's in LA resting a sprained ankle.... great game! Really liked your reaction! Good job!
Toward the end of his career, Magic became a great 3 point shooter and led the league with the highest free throw average (91%). Magic was always getting better.
They were unbelievable they are one and two but everyone thinks Jordan was better because he was flashy. Bird, Magic, and Jordan best three to play the game.
Nah Jordan was just better. The only reason he couldn’t dominate in the 80’s is because Bird, Magic and even IT had way better supporting casts. Once Jordan got his sidekick, it was over. And if anyone was flashy, it was Magic🤣
Durant and LBJ don't have nothing in common with Magic. There's something close to his style in Bob Cousy, Pistol Pete, Steve Nash and Jason Williams. But Magic was more complete player than them.
Magic and Bird are both great players. To decide who's better you might have to throw the stats out the window and go by head-to-head competition. They faced each other once in the NCAA finals 1979. Magic's team won. Lakers in the Celtics faced each other three times Lakers won twice and Celtics won once.
Magic and Bird played very different but yet so similar. Almost an impossible choice just to pick one of them, cause it is very hard to see who is really the best.
Sorry to tell you, but if the Lakers and Celtics of this era went up against the teams of today they would smoke them! These guys would have played for free! They were so damn good, I kid you not! You could throw in a few other players like George Gervin, Pistol Pete Marivich, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Jerry West. That was real basketball back then! I'm so happy I got to witness it.
Magic retired because of HIV but he was still voted in for the all star team that season. So he played in that...Then he came back a few years later for a season.
I get that comparing Magic to Kevin Durant was meant as a compliment, but it was an insult. Magic was on an entirely different level. He could do it all, stealing, passing, rebounding, shooting, it didn't matter, he could do it.
There is only one Majic. What a perfect nickname. You can't choose between Majic and Bird .I have both number four and five all time and either one could be number four. MJ is number ONE . KAREEM is number 2. WILT is number 3. Followed by Bird and Majic. Then Kobe at number 6 . And then LeBron at number 7. Russell at number 8 . Shaq at number 9 and Dr j at 10. My personal top ten . Everyone has one . That's the joy of being a fan . Not everyone agrees and that's ok to.
He is nothing like Durant. he was not a shooter. He was floor general with ability to score, to post up, rebound. He was basically forward body and a forward game combined with playmaker mind and desire to have a ball.
Love Larry.. But magic was.. Well..Magic. Before he got sick.. GOAT career. 12 years 5 rings. 9 finals. Deep in playoffs the other three. Think about that.. Won the NCAA.. Vs. Bird. In College. Next year ..As a rookie..finals MVP 40 point triple double won The Chip. As a rookie.. . Think about that... 3 MVP. 12 time all NBA in 12 years.
BTW Check out Dr. J Pete Marovich Dominque Wilkins and no, Kevin Durant is a diluted copy of Magic. No disrespect intended, but don't forget that in those days a guy as good as Magic could get a concussion from his opponents because the game was so rough. Durant has never played against guys like Rick Mahorn Bill Lambeer or Anthony Mason.
One of the greatest point guards ever, but he was not 6'9". He was more like 6' 7 and 3/4 inches!! This does not take away from his greatness. In fact it adds to it considering that he could play all five positions.
Durant's game is nowhere near magic's game!! Kevin never played all 5 positions his first yr in the nba, scored 42 pts and won the championship!! Kevin do ot have passing like Magic, nor run and gun like him!! Stop comparing heights
It is my humble opinion that they were both better than anybody playing today. They would both win mvps in today’s league just like back then. 40 years old here…
Showtime baby. Another "Spectacular" player. Players like him and Jordan changed the game forever...
Magic and Bird are like a conductor in an orchestra
Magic retired during training camp because he tested positive for HIV. The fans still voted him to start in the All-Star game so he played.
The game was so much more fun back then! I miss the Showtime Era so much!🥲 I grew up during the Showtime Era, and when the Lakers got their running game going, it was such a joy to watch!
Magic was like NO OTHER player. Don’t compare him with anyone else. I know of few players who could play ALL FIVE positions!
Babygirl...Magic played all 5 positions and won Finals MVP...at age 20! Frfr. 💯
As a Bird fan, it's truly difficult to choose between them. They are equals in so many ways. They're both 6'9". They are both great ball handlers but Magic can play every position on the court. Their passing is the best ever. They both love to get the ball at the end of the game, but Bird is more clutch. Magic won more more championships, but he always had the better team, both in college and in the NBA (when he came to the Lakers, they already had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, still the highest point scorer in NBA history; Larry Bird came to the Celtics when they had nobody). They both made their teammates much better than they were. I do know that MJ at his best was better than both of them at their best. Magic and Bird put the NBA on the map and made it into the dominant sport to watch. MJ took it to an even more unheard level. Lebron James turned off half of the fans from the NBA by injecting his politics into the NBA and being an apologist for China.
agree totally
FACTS
I agree with some of your facts but Larry was on one of the greatest front courts in NBA history with Robert Parish & Kevin Mchale. He had Hall of Famers Dennis Johnson & Bill Walton also. So, they both had good teams.
From an "old head" I was waiting for this after you watched Bird (especially regarding passing). Magic was the best passer to step on the court.
I like to say this. Bird had the best Basketball IQ I ever saw. Magic had the best court vision. Any one of Magic's passes would show what he could do. For Bird, my favorite play was one time he misssed a shot and while everyone else was standing around he went in for the rebound and put it in. He knew he missed it and knew what you were going to do before you did it.
MAGIC is the best PG of all time.... the Magic/Bird rivalry saved the NBA. he is the most unique player in NBA history. MAGIC is the reason why I like NBA ball
MAGIC is the best PG of all time. IN his ROOKIE season, he started gmae 6 of the NBA Finals, after Kareem Abdul Jabbar was hurt. He scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists. He was 20 years old!
AWESOME reaction! At 3:35 you had it a little backwards, basically Kevin Durant is a little like Magic. Magic is your favorite player's favorite player!
More like lebron, kd doesnt have the passes…. Lebron and magic do. Also magic cant shoot like KD
I pick magic over both of these respectable bums any day.
Now you know.
Magic was The Show.
12 years. 9 finals. 5 rings 3 MVPs. 3 finals MVps... 1 as a rookie! ( only time it's happened)
The greatest Winner by % of games played in a NBA..career.
The one and only Point God.
They call him Magic for a reason
🐐
I absolutely love this post! You covered it all. Props.
You need your mouth washed out comparing the great Magic Johnson to KD. That's so disrespectful to Magic.
Honestly, I think the 1980s is when basketball was really exciting. Bird and Johnson were rivals going back to their college days.
And Moses Malone, Dr J, Kareen Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeen Olajuwon, Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johson, Dominique Wilkins, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler .... What a decade!
And, of course, Michael Jordan nas Scottie Pippen.
100%
Yeah just imagine if Larry didn't decide to finish College and they never met in that final championship in college. Basketball would've had a very different story, and, Bird and Magic wouldn't have became the friends they are.
I’m from Argentina but I lived in LA in the 80s, from 8 to 12, I got to see the back to back titles and the dream team era… I then obviously became a Kobe fan…but to see Magic and Bird in Barcelona was the ultimate thing of beauty
You should watch the Bird and Magic documentary
Buzzer beaters, No look passes, really amazing passes. played everywhere, did everything needed. made every single person around him better. The Greatest
Greatest Point Guard of all time
So nice to see the young generation respect the previous generation
That's all that I ask. Watch objectively an respect it.
Native Angelino here and first time viewer. I grew up watching Magic Johnson. He’s one of the greatest. He now is a multi businessman. He even owns partial ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
NO WAY! That is the perfect reaction to seeing Magic for the first time. No Way!
YOU asked what is going on?! The MAGIC show
IMO, THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!!!
Ahhh the eternal question (and the question that saved the NBA), who is better Magic or Bird? 40 some odd years later and the debate still rages.
Forget individual stats (not really) but look at head matchups in NBA FINALS!!! (also NCAA championship 1979 (Bird - Magic).
Magic Johnson substitute Kareem in the finals in his rookie year. In that era there were legendary players: Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patric Ewen, Dr J, Charles Barkley, Akeem Olajuwon, Kevin McHale, Kareem, but the GOAT term was used on Magic.
The phrase "triple/double" was coined on Magic!
Bird vs Magic A Courtship of Rivals. Best sports doc!!!
Magic and Bird saved the league.
You wanna know how he makes those passes?
Magic! 😁
Durant not even close to Magic. Also very different players. Magic was a point guard. Durant can't handle the ball anywhere near like Magic could.
Durant would have went on his burner account and complained that he had to dish out assists.
I cant stop commenting. every single play is majestic. There is simply nothing like this in todays game
Back when Magic got HIV , it was new. So people didn't want to play with or against him for fear of catching it. Once people new more about how it was contracted or spread it changed their minds a bit.
And now you know why they call him Magic
When magic, bird, and Jordan played, it was the funnest basketball time.
I grew up in LA. I had a signed full size poster of Magic in my bedroom. There will never be another Magic or another rivalry like Magic and Bird. I have to give bird his props. Both were amazing, but I’m a Magic fan through and through.
what I don't understand is how in the hell have y'all not seen or known about dis??? The players u see today - copy from this era...believe it! That's why my game is STILL potent to this day > u know u in trouble when a 50 year old is out there cookin' highschool and college players...I grew up on this!!!
They both rocked, they respected the game and played hard...GOATs to us 50 year Olds. Magic was facilitator, but he could score whenever he wanted. Had he focused on scoring, he would be right up there...Triple-Doubles were a regular thing...can't say enough...lol
So glad I grew up watching Magic in his prime.
He's like Kevin Durant - no, Durant no even close to Magic. Magic #2 GOAT
Earvin " Magical Guard" Johnson in his showtime days was a beast!
Magic doesnt get enough credit as a shooter because his passes were amazing, but he was clutch
Magic and Larry are two totally different players, with different styles, different views of the game. It seemed to me that Larry Bird looked at basketball as a job, and it was more of a game to Magic.... it was fun to him! Watch him play in a game once, and see how much fun he has. Larry Bird is one of the best forward/power forward players of the game, no doubt.... and Magic is the near perfect poster child of being a point guard.
Oh! Watch Magics rookie year, finals, game 6 IN Philly, and Kareem, Laker center, isn't there, he's in LA resting a sprained ankle.... great game!
Really liked your reaction! Good job!
Greatest point guard ever
Toward the end of his career, Magic became a great 3 point shooter and led the league with the highest free throw average (91%). Magic was always getting better.
They were unbelievable they are one and two but everyone thinks Jordan was better because he was flashy. Bird, Magic, and Jordan best three to play the game.
Nah Jordan was just better. The only reason he couldn’t dominate in the 80’s is because Bird, Magic and even IT had way better supporting casts. Once Jordan got his sidekick, it was over. And if anyone was flashy, it was Magic🤣
You hate LeBron so much you compared Magic to Durant 😂
Durant and LBJ don't have nothing in common with Magic. There's something close to his style in Bob Cousy, Pistol Pete, Steve Nash and Jason Williams. But Magic was more complete player than them.
I liked Magic because he had style and inspired others. Bird was strong. Magic was magic.
Magic and Bird are both great players. To decide who's better you might have to throw the stats out the window and go by head-to-head competition. They faced each other once in the NCAA finals 1979. Magic's team won. Lakers in the Celtics faced each other three times Lakers won twice and Celtics won once.
The best all around player ever
Magic is the Point GOD .
Magic and Bird played very different but yet so similar. Almost an impossible choice just to pick one of them, cause it is very hard to see who is really the best.
Magic went 3-1 against Bird when their college or NBA teams played for championships
He’s the greatest point guard of all time
Sorry to tell you, but if the Lakers and Celtics of this era went up against the teams of today they would smoke them!
These guys would have played for free! They were so damn good, I kid you not!
You could throw in a few other players like George Gervin, Pistol Pete Marivich, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Jerry West.
That was real basketball back then! I'm so happy I got to witness it.
Magic and Larry play each other 3 times for the championships Imagine won 2 out 3 He also beach bird yesterday in the NCAA championships
Yall have to get an Isiah Thomas video in…the ORIGINAL Isiah Thomas #BadBoys 💪🏽
See what all the hype is about?!
Damn kids... missed one hell of an era.
hode on hode on hode on hode on hode on hode on
Magic retired because of HIV but he was still voted in for the all star team that season. So he played in that...Then he came back a few years later for a season.
Can you please make a video on pistol pete maravich
Check out Penny Hardaway before his knee injury. He had the complete game.
Kevin Durant is like Magic. Not the other way around.
I get that comparing Magic to Kevin Durant was meant as a compliment, but it was an insult. Magic was on an entirely different level. He could do it all, stealing, passing, rebounding, shooting, it didn't matter, he could do it.
Now you know why they named him Magic.
Check out a courtship of rivals..magic v bird
As an old guy lol there will never be another magic Johnson… Kevin Durant can only shoot… no one today is even close to being the Magic man
Dominique Wilkins
There is only one Majic. What a perfect nickname. You can't choose between Majic and Bird .I have both number four and five all time and either one could be number four. MJ is number ONE . KAREEM is number 2. WILT is number 3. Followed by Bird and Majic. Then Kobe at number 6 . And then LeBron at number 7. Russell at number 8 . Shaq at number 9 and Dr j at 10. My personal top ten . Everyone has one . That's the joy of being a fan . Not everyone agrees and that's ok to.
Dude, how did you misspell "Magic" so many times? Not only is it a common and easy word, it's literally in the video title!
He is nothing like Durant. he was not a shooter. He was floor general with ability to score, to post up, rebound. He was basically forward body and a forward game combined with playmaker mind and desire to have a ball.
All Star game before had defense
Love Larry.. But magic was.. Well..Magic. Before he got sick.. GOAT career. 12 years 5 rings. 9 finals. Deep in playoffs the other three. Think about that..
Won the NCAA.. Vs. Bird. In College. Next year ..As a rookie..finals MVP 40 point triple double won The Chip. As a rookie.. . Think about that...
3 MVP. 12 time all NBA in 12 years.
Goat retired at 32
Now you get it. Durant is a little one-dimensional kid compared to Magic.
BTW Check out Dr. J Pete Marovich Dominque Wilkins and no, Kevin Durant is a diluted copy of Magic. No disrespect intended, but don't forget that in those days a guy as good as Magic could get a concussion from his opponents because the game was so rough. Durant has never played against guys like Rick Mahorn Bill Lambeer or Anthony Mason.
Durant is nothing like Magic. You're looking at the best passer/point guard ever and he's 6'9! Durant can't even play that position.
Don't ever mention KD in the same breath as Magic. KD is a great scorer. That's it.
KD would be more like Bird. Lebron is more similar to Magic
Kevin Durant is like Magic Johnson, but not as good. I know what you meant though. Lol.
One of the greatest point guards ever, but he was not 6'9". He was more like 6' 7 and 3/4 inches!! This does not take away from his greatness. In fact it adds to it considering that he could play all five positions.
Have you ever seen him and Larry Bird standing next to Jordan? He and Bird are the same height, and both clear the 6'6" GOAT by an easy 3 inches.
did she say to see if he better than larry bird? come on now lebron is a better version of magic
KD IS NOT IN MAGIC'S CLASS
He's not Kevin Durant. Basically he's Lebron James without the defense and athleticism.
No…He’s not like Kevin Durant.
Durant's game is nowhere near magic's game!! Kevin never played all 5 positions his first yr in the nba, scored 42 pts and won the championship!! Kevin do ot have passing like Magic, nor run and gun like him!! Stop comparing heights