On December 28, 1979, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird challenged each other for the first time in the NBA.
Rivalry between Magic Johnson etc Larry Bird has started even before they got to the NBAbut it will offer the Big League a surge in popularity that will move it toward its golden age.
It was on December 28, 1979 that two phenomena met for the first time on a professional level.
The media machine was started and the Los Angeles Forum was sold out for the first time in a year and a half, while the then “commissioner” Larry O’Brientalk about a “an atmosphere worthy of the playoffs.”
On the field, however, the uncertainty does not last. The Lakers are developing and winning 123-105already in the center of the game is carried by Magic Johnson (23 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, despite 7 turnovers). By contrast, Larry Bird had to settle for 16 points on a night in which Boston never managed to turn the tide.
Hot, the Celtics rookie still tries to trivialize the event. “Tomorrow we will forget this match”, he tells reporters. “We’re going to be a long way from here. We’ve got to keep moving forward. We’ll be home in a few days and we won’t even know what night we played against the Lakers.”
The decor is set
It’s just that this first meeting already has a special flavor. Years later, Larry Bird would recognize that the poster mattered. Defeated a few months earlier by Magic Johnson in the NCAA finals, he played this duel with particular intensity, until the moment when he caused tension: during the penetration of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird stopped him roughly, everyone looked at each other, a few words were said, before their teammates intervened.
Magic Johnson sums it up: “He’s a big competitor and I’m a big competitor. We try to hurt each other on the court. I just told him, ‘Good game,’ and he laughed.” can you enjoy it.
And the story has just begun. This December 28, 1979, set the scene: the rivalry between the Birds and the Magic would not only be full stop for the next decade, but help the NBA tell its story and shine like never before.
2025-12-28 17:42:00
