Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson - A rivalry and friendship for the ages

Two future basketball legends met on the court for the first time on March 26, 1979 in Salt Lake City, Utah when Earvin “Magic” Johnson led his Michigan State Spartans to a 75-64 victory over Larry Bird’s previously undefeated Indiana State Sycamores in a game that drew the highest television ratings in college basketball history. Everyone watching that game saw more than just a title game; they saw the birth of one of the all-time great basketball rivalries. The rivalry between Magic and “Larry Legend” carried into the NBA as both players entered the league in 1979. From 1980-1989, 10 consecutive NBA finals would feature at least one of these two superstars as Magic’s Lakers won 5 titles and Bird’s Celtics won 3. They faced off against each other in 3 NBA Finals, with Magic’s Lakers winning two of them. Both players played 13 seasons in the NBA, each for just one team. Both players won 3 NBA MVP awards and both have been elected into the NBA’s Hall of Fame. But while they each individually had an extraordinary career, they will forever be linked to each other in a rivalry that brought interest in the NBA to new heights.