Every sport has moments that define its legacy. Often, these moments come from rivalries, especially the fierce ones that keep fans on the edge of their seats. Basketball is no different. One of the most iconic rivalries in basketball history is between the Lakers’ Magic Johnson and the Boston Celtics’ Larry Bird.
It’s a story nearly every fan knows. What makes it even more special is that their rivalry didn’t begin when they turned pro. It started back in their college days. When those moments unfolded in championship games, they didn’t just shape careers; they earned a place in the history books.
It All Started with the NCAA Championship Clash in 1979
Let’s take a trip back in time—more than four decades ago. Before they became household names in the NBA, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird first crossed paths in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, arguably the most significant college basketball game ever played.
Magic Johnson. Larry Bird. National title on the line. 🍿
On this day in 1979, @MagicJohnson and @MSU_Basketball took down Larry Legend’s Indiana State to win the #NationalChampionship! #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/8Y5x5ek7Rp
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 26, 2023
At the time, college basketball was not as popular as it is today, and the NCAA championship had never been broadcast live on national television. But this single game changed the entire landscape of college basketball.
The 1979 championship was the first to be broadcast live, and it drew a record-breaking audience, bringing unprecedented attention to the sport.
Looking at their individual contributions, Bird had led his team to a perfect 33-0 record, while Michigan State, led by Johnson, entered the final with a 25-6 record. This set the stage for a legendary battle.
Sportswriter Mike Lupica labeled that match, “The first real March Madness was Magic against Bird.” According to him, it felt like basketball’s heavyweight title fight.
In the final, Bird, who had led his team on a perfect run, struggled against Johnson’s Michigan State and lost the game 75-64. However, Bird was his team’s top scorer with 19 points, while Johnson was Michigan State’s leading scorer with 24 points.
That game earned Johnson the title of the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, and he was later drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, Bird, who had led Indiana State to a perfect zero-loss season, missed out on the title of Most Outstanding Player despite his incredible performance. You can imagine how personal this rivalry must have felt from that moment on.
Their Rivalry Popularized Basketball Again with Their NBA Finals Matchups
When they entered the NBA—Bird with the Boston Celtics and Johnson with the Los Angeles Lakers—their battles fueled the league’s growth. The NBA, which had struggled with viewership in the late 1970s, saw a surge in popularity as its matchups became must-watch events.
Since being selected as the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft out of Michigan State, Magic Johnson has faced off against the Celtics three times in the NBA Finals, with the Los Angeles Lakers emerging victorious in two of those matchups.
1984 was Larry Bird’s moment. He took revenge for his NCAA Championship loss by leading the Boston Celtics to a hard-fought seven-game victory over Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers. But Johnson wasn’t going to let Bird have the last laugh. When they met again in the NBA Finals in 1985 and 1987, Johnson turned the tide, securing championship victories for the Lakers.
Their rivalry was so impactful that it became the subject of documentaries, including Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, which argues that without the media attention surrounding their competition, the NBA might not have thrived in the 1980s. Those were must-watch events, leading to higher TV ratings and making basketball a mainstream sport.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Still Have Bad Blood After All These Years
Given their long-standing rivalry, both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson have been interviewed many times over the years. Surprisingly, in nearly every interview, they openly share how much they disliked each other, especially Johnson, who has been quite vocal about it.
Comparing today’s NBA to his era, Johnson once said his feelings for Bird and the Celtics haven’t changed. “If you think about beating the Celtics, that’s always going to mean the most to me… I hate them even today, I still hate them,” he admitted.
KEEP READING: ‘No Balance, Terrible Energy’ – $3.8M Nil-Valued AJ Dybantsa Gives Honest Take During BYU Facility Tour
His dislike isn’t just for Bird—it extends to the entire Celtics organization. Johnson also believes that this kind of intense rivalry helped boost NBA viewership. In his words, “The Celtics and Lakers hated each other. That dislike made for great TV and kept fans tuning in.”
In today’s rivalries, players still feel the presence of competition, but they aim to show full sportsmanship both on and off the court.
However, fans still enjoy seeing rivalries unfold. It may not be necessary for modern rivalries to reach the same level of intensity as Bird and Johnson’s, but their competitive fire undeniably shaped basketball history.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
