Magic Johnson says he faced adversity winning is first title

[Hey Yo]

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

It's not a GOAT finals close out game performance considering he had a teammate that put up 37-10 in that game

Magic had a lot of help.

[ArbitraryWater]

Magic forced his way to the Lakers. He never faced adversity until the '91 Finals when the GOAT was staring him in the face on the opposite side of the ball. Put the fear of god in him.

And then Mike had to be taken off of him and Scottie had that shit on lock down

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

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

Amazing performance indeed. I have the game on DVD (original broadcast):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au7WJbus5BM

Don't think we'll ever see a rookie play with such poise.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Front Runner. Worse than LeBron. At least Bron stuck it out 7 years to the team that drafted him.

Magic's spoiled ass circumvented that entire process, refusing to be picked by the Bulls and build a franchise up on his shoulders ... he sat out that year's draft because he deliberately stated he wanted to play with Kareem.

No one ever gets on his case for this lack of competitiveness. He's in the clas of Tim Duncan with the red carpet of excuses.

One of the best posts on ISH ive read in a while
glad to see not every basketball fan is a sheep and cant think for themselves

[SamuraiSWISH]

And then Mike had to be taken off of him and Scottie had that shit on lock down

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.

[jlip]

Magic forced his way to the Lakers. He never faced adversity until the '91 Finals when the GOAT was staring him in the face on the opposite side of the ball. Put the fear of god in him.

So the '83 and '84 Finals didn't happen? Only the '91 Finals was tough?

[mehyaM24]

And then Mike had to be taken off of him and Scottie had that shit on lock down

correct. you have to wonder how the lakers would have fared with kareem available - and scott, worthy healthy. i dont think the bulls win any titles with those guys at full strength (srs).

from day 1, magic was a winner. even without another top 10 player (scottie had jordan), he still managed to lead his team to the last dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au7WJbus5BM

[gts]

lol this is the same guy who won finals MVP in his rookie year

context? an actual quote or something?

[gts]

That's not how it went down.

There was a coin flip on who would get the first pick overall. Johnson stated that if the Bulls had won the coin flip he would have stayed in school. But you are right that he said he wanted to play with Kareem.

Lakers win coin flip, he enters the draft and the rest is history.

this is more to the truth...

Samurai love ya dearly but you got that sequence of events all screwed up

[SamuraiSWISH]

So the '83 and '84 Finals didn't happen? Only the '91 Finals was tough?

I'm exaggerating. We all remember "Tragic Johnson" ...

Samuarai love ya dearly but you got that sequence of events all screwed up

Um the essence was the same.

Magic manipulated in some way his ultimate destination. And it was to a team with already established superstars. That doesn't take any kind of heart.

That wreaks of lack of competitiveness, and easy way out. The same thing people get on LeBron for currently. Does it not?

[ArbitraryWater]

So the '83 and '84 Finals didn't happen? Only the '91 Finals was tough?

Nah... REAL adversity.

Headlights on you, Legend vs Legend, ALPHA of the team..... AND something to prove.

All of that never appeared for Magic until 1991, and at that point he was a 5-time Champion...

He didn't face a Durant, future Top 20, 2nd in MVP, creeping up on him, all in the Finals battling it out for their FIRST EVER title.

[Hey Yo]

2010

" Magic Johnson, who Jordan did ultimately succeed in beating, for his first NBA Title, in 1991. Magic, who just echoed Jordan’s sentiment by saying he would never have joined forces with LeBron James.

Magic, who never won an NBA Finals without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. Magic, who won four of his five NBA titles playing for the man who just recruited LeBron to Miami.

Obviously Magic, who was part of the most storied individual rivalry in NBA history, would not have joined forces with Larry Bird. They had been rivals since college, when they played one of the most memorable national title games against each other.

From 1980 to 1987, either Larry Bird or Magic Johnson was the NBA Finals MVP five of eight times. They faced each other three times in the Finals in those years.

http://npinopunintended.wordpress.co...rd-eventually/

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Nah... REAL adversity.

Headlights on you, Legend vs Legend, ALPHA of the team..... AND something to prove.

All of that never appeared for Magic until 1991, and at that point he was a 5-time Champion...

He didn't face a Durant, future Top 20, 2nd in MVP, creeping up on him, all in the Finals battling it out for their FIRST EVER title.

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).

[chazzy]

Nah... REAL adversity.

Headlights on you, Legend vs Legend, ALPHA of the team..... AND something to prove.

All of that never appeared for Magic until 1991, and at that point he was a 5-time Champion...

He didn't face a Durant, future Top 20, 2nd in MVP, creeping up on him, all in the Finals battling it out for their FIRST EVER title.

[Hey Yo]

Fact is, Magic wouldn't have sniffed the Finals if not for Kareem in 1980

Definitely overrated in my book. Had no jumpshot and his defense was shit.