Source: Composite image by G_marius based on a Steve Lipofsky´s image
Larry Bird or Magic Johnson, who was the best NBA player of the 1980s?
Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were arguably the best basketball players during the 1980s. They were players of exceptional talent and played for the best NBA teams of that decade, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Both started their career in 1979 and retired in the early 1990s. Each of them participated 12 times in the NBA All-Star game (Bird played for the Eastern Conference and Johnson for the Western one) and won the NBA Most Valuable Player award three times (Bird in 1984, 1985 and 1986 and Johnson in 1987, 1989 and 1990).
Undeniably Johnson and Bird were amazing players and some of the most impressive sportsmen of all time, but which of these two legends do you prefer?
If you change your mind, you can change your vote simply by clicking on another option.
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I played club basketball through my early childhood until I was 18 which coincided with the end of Johnson and bird's careers and the jordan reign. i agree that mj23 rules the roost as greatest player in history but that was consolidated in the 90s. it took him s few years (rookie year 1984) to go from the hugely talented player he was to the amazing team leader he became. so as far as I am concerned most of the 80s was a celtic-lakers sweep (all finals between 1980 and 1989 involved one or both of these teams, for a total of 8 combined wins) mostly on account of those two incredible geniuses. at the time I favoured magic as most kids who played with me did - I played SG or PG- so I could really relate, and often tried to imitate, his no look-pass and game vision. However in time ive come to appreciate the sheer clutch and determination bird brought to the game. The way he inspired his teammates to overcome their limitations (mkhale and parrish were no jabbar or scott) and how he battled through mind boggling back pain. I have to call this a draw.
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