Road to Rivalry: Larry Bird & Magic Johnson Through the Eyes of Bob Ryan

Man I love listening to Bob Ryan tell these stories! It’s the little tidbits that only insiders know that I really appreciate ❤ PS nice to hear Danny get his flowers 💐

That rivalry was so fun to watch, especially because most of the players on the opposite team were not friends. There was respect but players did not vacation with each other and fans could sense a true desire from each team to win. The Lakers always had the superior team IMO, except for the 1985-86 Celtic squad with a healthy Walton. LA had five #1 draft picks in Kareem, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo and Mychael Thompson and a DPOY in Cooper!

That 84 series is still etched in my memories after all these years. I was a teenager and beating the Lakers after all the series drama was just the best . Even my mom got into it and she didn't like basketball much

I still have the bitter taste of that series in my mouth. The better team lost and it drives me crazy.

That's Bird's most unknown skill was to be the lone defender on a fast break against 2 or 3 guys and he'd know exactly what the guy with the ball was gonna do and he'd deflect the pass or be in position to force a miss on whoever got the pass or know if the dribbler was gonna keep the ball and make him miss. He said the only guy in the league that he couldn't read on a fast break was Magic.

My favorite moment was when the Lakers finally broke thru and beat the Celtics in 85 the 85 Lakers was the only team to win the Championship in the Boston Garden Kareem was Finals MVP

I always LOVE LAKERS and i love Larry bird - go figger

And how news was released across the country, the papers the news and the game that was all none of it synchronized that was just great times in sports , you could be listening to the game thinking it was live and it was over hours ago lol

They never mention Terry Deurod, that dude was the best pac-man player ever

The celtics had 5 HOFs playing on one team with 4 of them still in their prime and Bill Walton 6th man of the year. The lakers had at least 4 HOFs no wonder they owned the 1980s.

They didn't mention that the Lakers beat the Celtics again in 87

Do you ever wonder why there sre so many videos on Larry and Magic today? It is because today’s game lacks the excitement and intrigue that was exhibited during the 80’s. Bird and Magic command the storylines today over the current players. LeBron too often speaks of issues that are far outside the game, and upsets half of his fans. Larry and Magic never did that.

The NBA will never have great rivalries like this again and a big part of the reason for that is Lebron who made it ok to quit your team and jump around all over the place trying to win championships and teaming up with other players.

They makes stars today but in Magic and Bird time in was bread water and Sweat who was the best bring your lunch bird was the Word wit Magic being legit neither one of them would quit*

Interesting that hr mentioned '85 briefly and omitted '87 totally. Warriors had a great run, but don't reach the level of Showtime Lakers.

That Bird broke his right hand on a bouncer's head in a bar after the Philadelphia series and cost them the '85 Finals isn't mentioned. If Bird played like he did in '84, the Celtics win 4 titles with Bird instead of 3 and Magic and Larry are tied for rings and no one who saw him play or watches him now on YouTube (like me) ever has to argue with anybody ever that he was overrated. He was a semblance of himself in the '85 Finals, averaging like 22 pts/game and shooting I think it was like 44% Sayonara Celtics in 6 and it was on Larry. He explained the altercation the following year by saying, "It isn't easy being Larry Bird." Hmm.

One of the top WORST 5 GAMES any individual has played? Doesnt he say one of the GREATEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES just before