User:Niwde hus/sandbox

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports." Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. Their rivalry continued on in the revived Celtics-Lakers Rivalry in the NBA. The Celtics, led by Bird, and the Lakers, led by Magic, were present in every NBA Finals series in the 80’s, with Bird and Magic meeting three times. Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984.

Journalists speculated that Bird and Magic represented different contrasts, such as clashes between Celtics and Lakers, between East and West, and between Blacks and Whites. But, as one journalist would say, “They looked different, perhaps, but take a chainsaw to their souls and they were fraternal, if not identical, friends.” Watching Bird play was like watching Magic play, as they both shared this talent that the league had never seen before. They each had charisma, deft shooting touch, extraordinary passing skills, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd. This style of play was starting to influence a new hoard of fans as they would sit and “marvel at what they [Bird and Magic] can do” while giving younger kids “a different perspective of the game”.

Bird and Magic’s  presence on the court was only a small part of their contribution to basketball, as their rivalry changed the landscape of the NBA, transforming it from a “struggling, barely profitable league into a highly visible, financial and marketing dream for teams and players alike”. Many people realized that the emergence of these two stars were linked with the rise in popularity of the NBA, as the NBA started to market towards these two stars.