With Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Steve Springer, Evelyn Johnson. The bond between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird has been analyzed for more than three decades. "Going through this process, it was about trying to capture what is the essence of this relationship," producer Ezra Edelman said. "The way Bird opened up exceeded my expectations.". Magic set out to prove doubters wrong, and played in the All-Star Game and scored 25 points after being voted in as a starter by the fans. The NBA merged with the ABA in 1976, bringing four new teams into the fold, but that wasn’t a cure-all for a league that was struggling with attendance and having a hard time scoring prime-time television slots for their games. After 13 years as opponents, they were teammates again. In 1983, the Sixers, with Dr. J and Moses Malone (acquired via trade from Houston) beat the Lakers. ", "There's a few moments where, no matter how many times I've seen it, I know I'm going to enjoy this part, and they all invariably involve Bird," Edelman said. A carefully crafted screenplay couldn’t have done it better, or made the protagonists more different. Bird went to the Boston Celtics, while Magic went the to the L.A. Lakers. Each man was supported by a legendary starting line-up (in addition to stellar benches). (09/5/10), Troy Polamalu has his hair insured for $1 million. Discover the benefits that come with your membership. With classic NBA footage prominently designed throughout, Magic/Bird transports the audience into the heart of their matchup. Despite a heroic effort by Jordan in the playoffs, the Celtics beat the Bulls to face . the Rockets. Bird had led his Indiana State University Sycamores to an undefeated season; Magic’s Michigan State Spartans reached the finals via a series of upsets throughout the tournament. . One was outgoing with a megawatt smile; the other was quiet, yet capable of unleashing withering trash-talk. "They're intertwined as sports figures and icons. Both men are the in the Basketball Hall of Fame twice (each as individuals, and as members of the enshrined Dream Team). (09/3/10), Page 2 selects the second class of the Preseason Hall of Fame. The 1982 Finals saw the Lakers return and once again defeat the Sixers. Arguments will continue for eternity about who the greatest player is; however, there will never be any doubt that the greatest, and most impactful, rivalry came from two Midwestern guys that walked into the game as rivals, and walked away as lifelong friends. Quite the contrary. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry was one of the richest in sports history; between 1959 and 1969, the teams faced each other in the NBA Finals seven times, with the Celtics winning every time. The film doesn't rewrite the history of the Magic-Bird rivalry, but it serves as an interesting new afterward. With Bird’s starters bolstered by the addition of Bill Walton at sixth man, the Celtics bulldozed the competition all season. The “Dream Team” is considered one of the most dominant line-ups in sports history, winning all of their games by an average of 43.8 points on the way to the gold. Their parallel careers are a celebration of hard work and excellence. Each one touched the game in … Yet HBO's new documentary "Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals" doesn't come across as stale. Then, they did the most unexpected thing: they became friends on their way to winning Olympic gold medals.