Latest news with #MagicJohnson
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
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"My heart was pounding so fast I thought I was having a heart attack" - Larry Bird on why Finals against Houston was the most intense series of his career
"My heart was pounding so fast I thought I was having a heart attack" - Larry Bird on why Finals against Houston was the most intense series of his career originally appeared on Basketball Network. The Boston Celtics arrived at the 1986 NBA Finals like a freight train at full speed. It was their third consecutive appearance on basketball's biggest stage. And for a team that had made a habit of facing the familiar purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers, this time, the landscape looked different. Advertisement Awaiting them were the towering Houston Rockets — younger, less decorated and arguably less predictable. And that unfamiliarity, as Larry Bird would later admit, made all the difference. An intense series between the Rockets and the Lakers Bird had already played Magic Johnson two times in the Finals by then but the 1986 matchup was something else entirely. Johnson was a known quantity, both a nemesis and a mirror. But Houston was anxiety-inducing and intense. "I never quite had a feeling like that in my life," Bird said, looking back at the 1986 Finals. "I was so pumped up for that game that I think I hit my max right there because I never was fired up for a game like that. I get fired up for every game but I didn't play that well, but I know one thing, I came to play that day." Advertisement "And I'll never forget that walking off that court. My heart was pounding so fast I thought I was having a heart attack." Houston wasn't just another stop on Boston's road to dominance. It was the kind of wild card that threw off rhythms and made seasoned champions uncomfortable. Powered by their "twin towers" — the agile, 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson and the quietly menacing rookie Hakeem Olajuwon — the Rockets carried an unpredictable brand of basketball that lacked the polish of the Lakers but compensated with sheer raw energy. They had shocked the reigning Western Conference champion Lakers in five games and right then, Bird and the Celtics knew they were in for a showdown in the finals series. Boston had racked up 67 regular-season wins and an undefeated home record in the playoffs, but Houston's frontcourt length had become a national talking point. Advertisement In Game 1 at the Boston Garden, the Celtics overwhelmed the Rockets 112–100 and Bird posted a modest 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds. But even in victory, the unease lingered. Boston had seen nothing like this. The Finals stretched to six games and it wasn't always comfortable. The Celtics won the first two games at home, but Houston's youth reared up in Game 3. The Rockets pulled off a 106–104 win, and suddenly the narrative shifted — slightly. Boston would take Game 4 behind Bird's near triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists, but Game 5 brought the infamous ejection of Sampson after his fight with Jerry Sichting — a flashpoint that underscored the physicality of the series. Related: "We only needed one more guy" - Patrick Beverley says the Clippers lost SGA because Kawhi thought he needed more help Bird reaching max By the time Game 6 returned to Boston, the Rockets looked rattled and the Celtics sensed blood. Bird delivered a commanding 29-point performance along with 11 rebounds and 12 assists — his second career Finals triple-double, helping the Celtics clinch a 114–97 victory — to give Boston its 16th NBA title. Advertisement Still, for Bird, the win came with a strange sense of closure and a quiet inner challenge. "I've never reached that milestone again, which I loved, but I never got there again," Bird said. "Which is why I kept wanting to win the next championship to see if I was going to reach that max." He won the MVP award both for the Finals and for the regular season that year but the emotional summit, a state of competitive transcendence, was what he loved about that finals. That would be his last championship success. In the seasons that followed, Bird's health began to deteriorate. The back issues, which would plague him into the early '90s, started becoming noticeable shortly after that championship run. Advertisement He missed significant time in the 1988–89 season and played in chronic pain as his career wound down. Even then, his production remained impressive averaging over 19 points per game in his final season in 1991–92 but the edge had dulled. The feeling he described in 1986, that fire and that heartbeat skipping euphoria never returned. Related: "Larry came up to Magic before the game and said, 'Sit back, I'm going to put on a show tonight'" - Magic Johnson's agent told a ruthless Larry Bird trash talk story This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"You guys never froze me out" - Michael Jordan sent a message to Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and George Gervin about the infamous freeze-out game
"You guys never froze me out" - Michael Jordan sent a message to Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas and George Gervin about the infamous freeze-out game originally appeared on Basketball Network. Many fans and analysts believe that the infamous Freeze-out game during the 1985 NBA All-Star showdown was meant to break Michael Jordan's confidence. It was a highly-anticipated moment as it marked Jordan's NBA All-Star debut. However, rather than showcasing his extraordinary talent, the Chicago Bulls star only managed to make two shots throughout the entire game. The unexpected underwhelming performance unsurprisingly sparked widespread speculation, suggesting that certain veteran players, notably Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas, had a deliberate agenda to make Jordan appear unworthy of his All-Star selection. Years later, during his epic Hall of Fame induction speech, MJ shockingly confronted the decades-old rumor. He delivered a compelling message directed at the NBA legends who were accused of freezing him out that night. "I'm going to thank a couple people that you guys probably wouldn't even think that I would thank: Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, George Gervin," Jordan candidly spoke. "Now they say it was a so-called freeze-out in my rookie season. I wouldn't have never guessed, but you guys gave me the motivation to say, 'You know what, evidently I haven't proved enough to these guys. I gotta prove to them that I deserve what I've gotten on this level.'" "And no matter what people may have said – if it was a rumor, I never took it as truth – but you guys never froze me out because I was just happy to be there, no matter how you look at it," he pointed out. "And from that point forward, I wanted to prove to you, Magic, Larry, George, everybody – that I deserved to be on this level just as much as everybody else. And hopefully, over the period of my career, I've done that, without a doubt – you know, even in the Detroit years, we've done that." Taking a quick trip down memory lane, there's no denying that MJ truly deserved to be an All-Star despite being a rookie. That season, Jordan never missed a game and put up MVP-like numbers, having averaged 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.4 steals per outing. That being said, the notion that the so-called Freeze-out game was rooted in jealousy grew stronger. The media quickly turned their attention to the intriguing issue. They began to quiz explanations and insights from the people who could possibly be involved. The inquiries poured in but not a single NBA legend confirmed the swirling speculations. In an interesting twist, George Andrews, the agent representing both Magic and Thomas, was asked to share his thoughts on the matter. He firmly denied it, stating that there was no way any of his superstar clients would have entertained, or even thought about coming up with such a bizarre idea. "You're telling me Larry Bird was in a conspiracy with Isiah Thomas? If Isiah said one thing, Bird would do the opposite… There's no chance you are getting Dr. J, who was the moral compass of the league back then, starting the basketball chapel, and Larry Bird ganging up on Michael Jordan," Andrews once said. "So, they say, 'Let's see what Michael can do with Gervin,' who still was pretty good," added Andrews. "Michael didn't do much, something like two for nine. But nine shots; so he wasn't frozen out. He got nine shots in an All-Star game as a rookie. Isiah had seven when he was a rookie and shot an air ball," he pointed way Jordan performed on the court following the 1985 All-Star weekend only goes to show that the Freeze-out game had little to no impact on him. Although he also did not dismiss it during his speech, MJ insisted that the infamous event didn't affect his focus and passion for the game. Rather than dwelling on the possible reasons behind the Freeze-out game, Mike moved on and remained committed to developing his skills as a player. If there was one thing he did, it was to transform the negativity of the Freeze-out game into a source of motivation. It ultimately gave him the drive to prove his critics wrong. Looking at how Jordan morphed into a dominant player, it was very evident that the Freeze-out game held little significance in his illustrious NBA career. His strong work ethic and willpower allowed him to rise above all the challenges he encountered in his journey. Apart from that, MJ's competitive spirit also solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time. All told, the conscious decision to address the past in his special night highlighted Jordan's courage and resilience. The greatness he achieved and the winning mentality he displayed only suggested that the Freeze-out game didn't make any sense, if there was story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
![Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie Johnson enjoy a yacht costume party during their Greece summer getaway [See Pic]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toiimg.com%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-122122818%2Cwidth-1070%2Cheight-580%2Cimgsize-89396%2Cresizemode-75%2Coverlay-toi_sw%2Cpt-32%2Cy_pad-40%2Fphoto.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie Johnson enjoy a yacht costume party during their Greece summer getaway [See Pic]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Findiatimes.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie Johnson enjoy a yacht costume party during their Greece summer getaway [See Pic]
Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie Johnson. Image via: magicjohnson/ Instagram NBA legend Magic Johnson is once again living his best life. In his recent post on Instagram, it was revealed that he and his wife, Cookie Johnson, have been enjoying on the sparkling waters of Greece. The 65-year-old Hall of Famer, known for his post-retirement success as a businessman and team owner, recently shared a glimpse into his luxurious summer escape. While cruising through the Ionian Islands with his wife, Cookie, and a few close friends, Johnson and his wife appeared in a costume-themed yacht party that instantly grabbed attention online. Magic Johnson and his wife, Cookie Johnson, enjoy a yacht costume party during their summer getaway Magic Johnson took to Instagram to offer fans a peek into one of the more entertaining nights of his vacation. In his latest Instagram post, he shared a glimpse of a toga-themed costume party aboard a lavish yacht. 'We had a fun toga party on the yacht last night with our friends and the crew!' he captioned the post, tagging his wife, Cookie Johnson. The photo carousel featured three snapshots, starting with a portrait of the NBA icon and Cookie dressed as a Greek god and goddess. The couple stood out in their white and gold attire against the stunning sea backdrop. In the other pictures, Johnson's guests could be seen fully embracing the theme, donning togas and sandals, surrounded by crew members and laughter. For those unfamiliar, toga parties are inspired by Greco-Roman traditions, where attendees wear draped garments resembling ancient Roman clothing, often to celebrate in a spirited and theatrical fashion. The yacht party was just one highlight of Johnson's ongoing trip across Greece. He began his tour on the Ionian Islands, making stops in Corfu and Kefalonia. 'Cookie and I are enjoying our time in Greece with our friends Dave and Tonya, Tony and Vanessa, Frank and Nina Cooper, and Eula Smith. Take a look at the beautiful castle lit up at nighttime!' he shared in another Instagram post, showing both his admiration for Greek culture and the camaraderie of his travel circle. While Magic may have hung up his jersey long ago, his life has only grown more dynamic. From winning five NBA championships and earning three MVP awards with the Los Angeles Lakers to building a reported net worth of $1.5 billion. Also Read: "That's why I married your dad" — Cooper Flagg's mom Kelly Flagg makes hilarious admission about her marriage during candid chat with her son The Lakers legend and his wife share a beautiful relationship and are dubbed as one of the NBA's power couples. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Magic Johnson: 'Mark Walter is the right person' to take over the Lakers
Magic Johnson, center, and Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter, second from left, pose for a photo with other Guggenheim Baseball Management members Stan Kasten, left, Peter Guber and Todd Boehly, right, at Dodger Stadium after their purchase of the franchise. (Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter, through his TWG Global company, agreed to purchase a majority ownership stake in the Lakers last week and released information about the sale on Wednesday in a statement announcing the deal would be completed later this year. When news broke that Walter would take controlling interest of the Lakers from the Buss family at a valuation of $10 billion, we reached out to Magic Johnson about his thoughts on the matter. Speaking from a yacht off the coast of Croatia, here's what the Lakers legend had to say about Walter, Jeanie Buss and the sale: About Walter's approach 'Mark is a man who cares and loves winning and will always care about investing the money in making not only the team better but the organization better. He's somebody who is family-driven. He's a great man. Advertisement 'You saw what happened to the Dodgers once Mark and all of us took over." On the Buss family selling to Walter 'One thing that Jeanie [Buss] was going to do is put [the franchise] in the right hands. If she was going to sell, it had to be the right person, and Mark Walter is the right person to take over and lead us for the next 30, 40 years. So, this is the best news that could have happened for all Laker fans across the world. Mark has had his eye on the Lakers for a long time. That's why he bought [Philip] Anschutz's [minority ownership] piece first and then he was sitting there, and Jeanie knew this. Read more: Mark Walter, Jeanie Buss comment on Lakers sale expected to close later this year Advertisement "If she ever wanted to sell, he wanted to be the one that bought the team. And they formed a friendship, because that had to happen first. Jeanie had to know that he was going to do just like her father [Dr. Jerry Buss] did and just like she did and that was to make sure that he would do great things in the community as well, like both her father and her have been able to do and also educate him on how much the Lakers mean to not only the Laker fans but to the NBA and to the world." On the sale of the team 'I think the [Buss] boys were ready before. I think they wanted to cash out. We're seeing this happening all around sports. 'Sometimes, let somebody else have it.' We saw Mark Cuban do it. Boston did it. So, you are seeing it happen and maybe they [Buss family] said, 'We just want the money and go on and live out our lives.'" 'Mark loves being a part of Los Angeles and now he's got the premier baseball team and now the premier basketball team." On Walter's success 'The one thing great about Mark is that he'll hire the best people. He will always have really good people around him to help him bring back championships to Los Angeles and to Lakers fans. I'm excited. This couldn't have gone any better for Laker fans and the Buss family and the NBA. The NBA knows Mark. It couldn't have gone better for the Buss family because Mark is a caretaker. You got to be a caretaker, a great caretaker. Advertisement "What did Mark do for the Dodgers? He's been a great caretaker of the brand and of the team. How much money he put into Dodger Stadium. He's always willing to make the big and bold moves to win. But Mark is a visionary. So, he's probably already got a vision for the Laker organization and for the team. So, that's the great thing about him. 'The funny thing is, his personality is just like Jeanie. You won't see him out front a lot, just like now he's not out in front of the Dodgers. So, people need to understand that. That's not his personality. Just like Jeanie's personality. She hasn't been out front." About Jeanie Buss and the sale 'You saw Mark let Jeanie stay on the Board of Governors. That was smart. One thing that is smart about Jeanie is she was never going to say, 'Oh, the Lakers are up for sale! Anybody can own them.' That's not who she is. She wasn't going to put it in anybody's hands. Advertisement 'And I think because of the success of the Dodgers and how he has run the organization, now it's easy for the fans. We already know him. We've seen his work already. We've seen what he's been able to do, led us to a couple of World Series [wins] and going to the World Series four times. That's success right there. That's what Laker fans are looking for. 'He's got a track record. This is what Laker fans would want, somebody that they can trust, just like they trusted Dr. Buss. They trusted Jeanie because of her father saying, 'This is who I want in charge.' So, this is beautiful for all Laker fans." Upon hearing the news 'I'm going crazy too. I was screaming all over this yacht, because I know how great Mark is and how great of a man he is and how smart he is. He's got a big heart.' Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I was used to showing my emotions" - Magic on celebrating KAJ's game-winner in his 1979 debut
"I was used to showing my emotions" - Magic on celebrating KAJ's game-winner in his 1979 debut originally appeared on Basketball Network. Earvin "Magic" Johnson was someone not shy about showing his emotions. He has done a lot of that in his career, on and off the court. However, nothing is more memorable than seeing Magic let it all out after experiencing his first win as a pro. Advertisement One unforgettable moment for Johnson was when he played in his first NBA game. Thanks to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Michigan State product got a taste of what it feels like to win an official contest. Earvin was so elated that he hugged KAJ so tightly that it seemed he was choking the Los Angeles Lakers center. "Everybody was shocked, but I was used to showing my emotions," Johnson said in Roland Lazenby's book, "The Life of Earvin 'Magic' Johnson". In that game-winning sequence, the San Diego Clippers turned the ball over with two seconds remaining in the game. This allowed L.A. to set up for one final shot. Kareem got the ball on an inbound pass from Don Ford and immediately hoisted a skyhook from the free throw line that went in. The wild ending sent the Lakers into a frenzy, including Johnson, who jumped on Abdul-Jabbar out of jubilation. Magic was so happy that it appeared he was choking Kareem out of jubilation. Magic told KAJ to be ready for more hugs Abdul-Jabbar understood why the win was special for Johnson. However, Kareem tried to level with the rookie guard, explaining to Magic that they still had a long way to go that season. Advertisement "Magic was so fired up, and I was like, Jesus, we can't be this emotional for the whole season, or we won't make it to Thanksgiving," Kareem shared. A young Earvin seemed to care about that hardly. He told "Cap" he would probably do that again, especially if Kareem lifted the Lakers to victory. "I'll tell you what. You make that game-winning hook shot like that 81 times, I'm gonna hug you 81 more times," Johnson said. Kareem did not expect the unusual response, but it was clear that he had a teammate who was pretty animated and unafraid to show his emotions. Hence, a usually stoic Abdul-Jabbar broke down and ended up in a rare laugh at Magic's words. Advertisement Related: "There's a lot of things I hate about it" - Tim Duncan admits he can't stand some things about today's NBA Magic finished with KAJ started As expected, the Lakers made it to the 1980 NBA Finals that year. They went up against the Philadelphia 76ers in what would be a classic battle. L.A. took a 3-2 series lead but had to play Game 6 with a handicap. Kareem was unable to play because of an ankle injury, forcing the Purple & Gold to make personnel adjustments. Johnson filled the hole left by KAJ in that game and played all positions in that contest. Magic wound up with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists, leading L.A. to the title in his rookie year. That performance rewarded Earvin with the NBA Finals MVP trophy. Advertisement However, Johnson made it clear that the title-clinching win was dedicated to Abdul-Jabbar. He stressed that in the post-game interview, encouraging KAJ to get well soon. "Big fella, we love you. We did it for you. And we want you to get up and dance a little bit tonight. I know that ankle looks wrong, but get up for us," he said. That season established the bond that Magic and Kareem had in the years that followed. The tandem won five championships for the Lakers overall. This is one of the reasons why the Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson connection is hailed as one of the most legendary duos the NBA has ever had. Related: "That meant so much to us" - Magic Johnson on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rallying the troops during the '84 NBA Finals This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
