Glory days revisited

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird look back at their storied rivalry.

Last update: November 3, 2009 - 6:48 AM

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They went from being bitter -- though usually respectful -- rivals who went head to head in some of the most memorable college and pro basketball games of all time to being very good friends off the court in retirement.

And now, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are co-authors. The basketball legends put out "When the Game Was Ours" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26) with the Boston Globe's Jackie MacMullan. The book is available now, though the official release date is Wednesday.

Johnson and Bird participated in a conference call Monday to promote the book and to discuss the path they have created since squaring off in an epic 1979 NCAA title game -- Bird with Indiana State, Magic with Michigan State -- and doing battle for several years in the NBA while Bird was with the Celtics and Magic was with the Lakers. Here is some of what they had to say:

• On what they used to think of each other during their playing days:

Magic: "I disliked the guy. Hated the guy. Because I knew he could beat me. ... I'm just happy we were able to have each other because I think both of us made each other better."

Bird: "The college game Magic won absolutely broke my heart. ... There was a lot of admiration for Magic. He played the game the way I thought it should be played."

• The book made headlines a couple weeks ago when former Pistons star Isiah Thomas responded to criticisms about him in the book. Magic said he helped blackball Thomas from the 1992 Olympic team and alleges in the book that Thomas spread rumors about him possibly being gay or bisexual after Johnson revealed he was HIV positive. Johnson said Monday the friendship the two used to share has faded over the years. Of the parts about Thomas in the book, Johnson said: "Those things have to be revealed sometimes."

• On whether LeBron James should stay in Cleveland, Bird said: "I hope he stays in Cleveland ... it means so much to that state. I love to see great players stay in the cities they were drafted in."

• On whether any players today might develop the rivalry and ultimate friendship those two players ended up having, Magic said LeBron and Kobe Bryant have a chance: "Now they just have to meet in the finals a couple of times, like Larry and I were able to do. You have to create it in the finals."

MICHAEL RAND

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