Would Magic have an argument for GOAT if there was no Larry Bird?

[Fire Colangelo]

The Lakers probably would've won titles in:

1980
1982
1984
1985
1987
1988

Had there been no Larry Bird in the league.

Vice Versa, the Celtics probably would've won titles in:

1981
1984
1985
1986
1987

Had there been no Magic Johnson in the league.

Would either of them have an argument as the GOAT over Jordan if their counterparts didn't exist?

[Smoke117]

How exactly would this make him greater than Kareem? He wins all those championships (plus one with the Bucks) too and has more MVP's. IF anything this might put Kareem over Jordan.

[Fire Colangelo]

More Finals MVPs?

Fact that Magic was pretty much became better than Kareem in his 3rd year?

[feyki]

With only one more ring ?

But beside of all time ranking , Magic didn't choke other than 84 Finals in his entire career . Championship or not , if he didn't choke ; there no tragic Johnson at least . And his charisma would be better on history .

[Smoke117]

More Finals MVPs?

Fact that Magic was pretty much became better than Kareem in his 3rd year?

That's debatable...and Kareem was 34 years old...Magic should have been better. Kareem led the 82 lakers (magics 3rd season) in points, rebounds, and blocks.

[Psileas]

Since Magic already has some argument, although not the biggest, he'd obviously have a stronger one if Bird didn't exist. He'd probably have won 6 titles and 4 F.MVP's (some point to his '84 Finals chokes, but I don't see how this would be the case without the Celtics bringing the Lakers to the edge in multiple games) plus 4 MVP's (including the 1985 one). He'd still have lost 3 Finals, but lots of fans would use the argument that he never lost in the Finals once his team was fully healthy - not that it would be the most correct argument, but I'm sure they would.

Bird would probably have 5 titles, 4 (I guess) F.MVP's and (still) 3 MVP's, unless Jordan doesn't win back to back MVP's with 40 and 50 win teams. He might get some GOAT talk and lots of top 3 mentions, but his health issues would probably still keep him slightly below a Bird-less Magic.

[mr4speed]

The Lakers probably would've won titles in:

1980
1982
1984
1985
1987
1988

Had there been no Larry Bird in the league.

Vice Versa, the Celtics probably would've won titles in:

1981
1984
1985
1986
1987

Had there been no Magic Johnson in the league.

Would either of them have an argument as the GOAT over Jordan if their counterparts didn't exist?

Impossible to answer, I think, because they both were watching each other and pushing each other to be the best player. Without that motivation and other player = too much speculation as to what would have occurred. Didn't Bird say after Magic's retirement he didn't have the same interest in playing? Didn't Magic say when he won his first season MVP "thanks to Bird for having a slightly off year". Magic's low point in his career was the 84 finals vs Boston, and yet that was the motivation for Magic to get better. Bird watched Magic have his great game 6 in the NBA finals and that was motivation for Bird to get better. Several days before Magic's great game 6 he had learned that Bird had won the rookie of the year by a wide margin - so you can see how these guys fed off of each other and really did make each other better.