The fierce rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics in the 1980s launched the NBA into a different stratosphere. The league’s massive spike in popularity was powered by one of the best individual battles in sports history: Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird.
In that decade, either Los Angeles or Boston reached every NBA Finals. Johnson and Bird faced off three times in the championship series with Johnson winning two of the three matchups. They established themselves as two of the greatest players of all time, ultimately ending up in the Hall of Fame.
While Johnson and Bird were able to build a friendship and true appreciation for each other’s skills, fans from that era remain firmly entrenched in their stances. You’re either on Team Magic or Team Bird.
We won’t tell you which side to pick. We’re only here to provide the stats for these basketball legends in order to add some facts to the endless debates.