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Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird
Which player? Pick one and see how the world splits.
- Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers · 1959– 52% · #7 in the world
- Larry Bird Boston Celtics · 1956– 48% · #8 in the world
What the votes say
Too close to call: the world picks Magic Johnson over Larry Bird by just 52% to 48%. Magic Johnson is #7 of the 250 NBA players in the world ranking, and #4 of the 14 of the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry Bird is #8, and #1 of the 19 of the Boston Celtics.
The case for each
Magic Johnson: The 6-foot-9 point guard of the Showtime Lakers: five titles in the 1980s, three MVPs and three Finals MVPs, the first as a rookie in 1980 playing center in the deciding game.
Larry Bird: The Boston Celtics forward who won three titles and three straight MVPs (1984-1986), a shooter and passer whose rivalry with Magic Johnson, from the 1979 college final on, carried the league through the 1980s.
Side by side
| Magic Johnson | Larry Bird | |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | #7 | #8 |
| Team | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics |
| Born | 1959 | 1956 |