The Goats

Larry Bird & Magic Johnson

The incredible rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson defined the NBA in the 1980s. The rivalry started while the two were in college as Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans defeated Bird’s upstart Indiana State Sycamores in the 1979 NCAA National Championship. Bird eventually landed with the Boston Celtics where he won three NBA titles and Johnson with the Los Angeles Lakers where he won five. The two teams met in the NBA Finals three times in four seasons, the Lakers winning twice, launching the NBA into a new stratosphere of popularity that included commercials and video games featuring the pair.