When the Game was Ours by Larry Bird, Earvin MagicJohnson and Jackie MacMullan (Pages 255-END)

SUMMARY:
Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and more were playing a friendly game of pool. When the whole conversation on who's going to be the best NBA player and who's goin to win more championship. Michael Jordan insist he's the best but Magic Johnson disagreed. He said that Michael Jordan would never have what Larry Bird and himself had. Magic Johnson also doubt that Michael Jordan could win more than 5 championships. Larry Bird tried calming Johnson down and said they had their days now Jordan's the best. Magic Johnson stopped playing every since he was diagnosed with HIV and needed to be under treatment. But the USA Olympic Game came and Johnson really wanted Larry Bird to play one last game with him, on the same team. They did and won, with Michael Jordan. Larry Bird is 35 years old at that time, feeling like the game isn't his anymore. He offically told the coach that he's done when they lost to the Clevland Cavs. After 5 years of Larry Bird's retirement, Magic Johnson is back, playing for the Lakers with a new role. For 1995-96, in Johnson's perspective, the team was different. Guys were caught up in getting points and making their stats look nice. His own team fear Johnson will over shine the team. The Lakers won 53 games that season but lost their first round playoffs to the Rockets and that's when Johnson declared that he's done.
2002, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird got together again for the 20th anniversary of their Michigan State-Indiana State clash. Larry Bird, in 1998 got elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2002, so did his rival now close friend, Magic Johnson.
QUOTE:
" I was hoping you'd present me in the Hall of Fame"(Larry 297).
REACTION:
Both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had a good career. The quote above is when Magic Johnson was elected to be in the Hall of Fame, he wanted Larry Bird to present him with the award. Shows how much he respected him and loved him as a friend.
I think Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had an outstanding career. Not saying Michael Jordan didn't, because he did, but people tend to forget about Johnson and Bird. I think it's because Jordan came after the two stars retired. The game of basketball changed.
Now it's all Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, and the Big 3 on the Celtics, PAUL PIERCE, KEVIN GARNETT, and RAY ALLEN. Also the up coming superstar, best point guard, RAJON RONDO, known for his speed and atheltic skills.
At the end of typing up this blog, Boston Celtics just defeated the Miami Heats for the 1st round of playoff game, 1 step closer for the title, the championship. L.A Lakers might not be the team in the finals this season, which proves things change, players now do think differently than Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, wins are more important than stats because they are hear to win not just to get numbers. Just likr Rajon Rondo saying how high number stats, yeah it look nice, but it's always about the 'W'.