Magic Johnson says he faced adversity winning is first title

[SamuraiSWISH]

Basketball is a TEAM sport. F*ck that hero ball, mano y mano bullshit. Magic is a PG - only a complete idiot would think he never faced adversity (this despite going to multiple game 7's and winning titles on the biggest stage).

Calm down. But c'mon that was the Finals billed as Magic v.s. Michael. Just as the preivous ones were Bird's Celtics v.s. Magic's Lakers. Didn't make it actual selfish hero ball. MJ dropped off 11 dimes a game that series ...



Out Magic'ed ... Magic himself.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Fact is, Magic wouldn't have sniffed the Finals if not for Kareem.

Dumb post. He made the finals without Kareem in 1991.

[ArbitraryWater]

Basketball is a TEAM sport. F*ck that hero ball, mano y mano bullshit. Magic is a PG - only a complete idiot would think he never faced adversity (this despite going to multiple game 7's and winning titles on the biggest stage).

Sure, I excaggerated... But still, that was the first time he was challenged as Underdog, and without Kareem.

BTW: That "mano y mano" stuff is Swish-esque, but in cases like this I must agree.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Calm down. But c'mon that was the Finals billed as Magic v.s. Michael. Just as the preivous ones were Bird's Celtics v.s. Magic's Lakers. Didn't make it actual selfish hero ball. MJ dropped off 11 dimes a game that series ...



Out Magic'ed ... Magic himself.

It's the same tired argument w/ Paul and Westbrook. Everyone gives CP3 shit for not chucking as much as Westbrook (or not having his aggression), but the reality is, dude is one of the smartest, and gifted leaders in the game. A PG's job isn't to fall in love with the 1 on 1, individual matchup.

Mike outplayed Magic and murked the entire Laker backcourt. I don't deny that.

[jlip]

Dumb post. He made the finals without Kareem in 1991.

Yep. He also made it in '89 when Kareem was a 41 yr. old 10/5 guy playing 22 minutes a game. Magic actually led the Lakers to the Finals that year by sweeping their way through the Western Conference.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Well, he did got drafted into a team that had Kareem still in his prime, plus Jamal Wilkes, Norm Nixon, Michael Cooper and Spencer Haywood.. but he was still great and had a beastly game6 in the Finals, plus champions always face adversity.

Nah, that was just one game. They put MJ back on him again. He limited his effectiveness very well pressuring him up the court. Bulls couldn't afford MJ getting into foul trouble when he was having to carry a 31 ppg 11 apg offensive load.

Meanwhile Magic NEVER attempted to guard Jordan. And why would he? Sleepy Floyd dropped 51 on him. Imagine what motivated Finals Jordan would do to him?

He'd get sodomized like his son at the LA gay clubs.

Jordan couldn't guard Magic in the post, that's that... Bird also killed him down there everytime MJ "tried" to guard him. Too much skill, smarts and size from those guys.

Sleepy dropped 51 on him? Magic didn't guard Floyd, Scott or Cooper did.
Magic was never what you call a good defender (although versatile and smart) plus he "couldn't" really guard those small(er), very quick PG's (on the other end those PG's couldn't even dream of guarding him though)... but you don't need to be lying.
Ofc he wouldn't be guarding Jordan, Lakers had players better suited for that, and him/the coach were smarter than that... Same reason why Jordan (who obviously was a great defender) had to be switched off of Bird at one point, and why Pip was put on Magic in those Finals.

[Hey Yo]

Dumb post. He made the finals without Kareem in 1991.

I should have stated "in 1980"....... what the thread's premise is about.

Still overrated though.

[Hey Yo]

Yep. He also made it in '89 when Kareem was a 41 yr. old 10/5 guy playing 22 minutes a game. Magic actually led the Lakers to the Finals that year by sweeping their way through the Western Conference.

Then got swept by Detroit in the Finals.

West was weak.

[Stringer Bell]

Then got swept by Detroit in the Finals.

West was weak.

I think we missed out on a good series because of the injuries. Pat Riley decided to have a mini training camp before the finals where players were going all out. So of course Scott gets hurt before the Finals, and Magic pulls a hamstring in game 2.

Pistons probably would have won anyway, but it would have been a good series. 6 games, possibly another 7 game series. Even without Magic & Scott, 2 of the games went down to the wire.

[Deuce Bigalow]

winning without kareem, as a rookie, in philadelphia, during the finals, in a close out game = GOAT finals performance post shot-clock era.

like magic, lebron, shaq, bird and pippen (jordan was 1-9 in the postseason before pippen was officially drafted) ALL turned their franchises into ELITE contenders.. from the jump.

magic is simply a winner - and arguably the greatest offensive player, ever

Bob Pettit's 50 points in 1958 is probably GOAT

[tontoz]

Magic manipulated in some way his ultimate destination.

WTF are you talking about? He didn't manipulate anything. He was picked number 1 in '79 a few months after the NCAA title game.

Just because he may have threatened to do something doesn't mean he actually did.

[TheMarkMadsen]

That actually IS true.. Didn't expect Sam to say that, but its true... Magic threw a bitchfit ala Kobe.

Magic would have gone back to College if the Laker$ didn't take him #1 overall in the 1980 draft.

His career as a Bull would have been VASTLY different. Same for Kobe as Hornet.

I triple dog dare you to make two consecutive post without mentioning Kobe.