Quotes From 'When the Game Was Ours' (Magic & Bird Book)

[Stringer Bell]

Just figured I'd share some passages from the book.

In his first practice with the Lakers, he turned it over twice because Wilkes, a three-time All-Star, wasn't ready for the pass.

"Magic!" McKinney reprimanded him. "You can't make those passes. This isn't college".

Johnson fumed. He was embarrassed to be singled out and furious that Wilkes didn't make the play.

The next time down the floor, Magic waited until Wilkes cut through the key, and at the moment Wilkes turned, fired the ball at him. "Jamaal," he said evenly, "I'm going to keep hitting you in the head until you look".

Wilkes became the ideal complement to Magic's exceptional court vision. He didn't object to the rookie's admonishment because, Wilkes said, "he was right. After that, I always looked

Not everyone responded as positively to the confident rookie. Johnson was outplaying teammate Ron Boone in practice, and when the two went up for a rebound, Boone purposely whacked Magic in the back of the head. As they ran down the floor, Magic said "you better know I'm gonna get you back".

"Keep moving rookie, you're not going to do anything," Boone responded.

Magic delivered his payback in the form of a fist to Boone's neck. Boone crashed to the floor and came up swinging.

"Don't you ever do that sh!t to me again!" Magic shouted.

McKinney then kicked him off the floor.

"I might be a rookie, but none of you are going to punk me," Magic said. "You're dealing with the wrong guy if you do".

Johnson sat on the sideline for the remainder of the practice, then left without speaking. For the next six days, he dominated practice, knocking down shots and firing pinpoint passes, each delivered with his teeth gritted. Jerry West tried to calm him, but Magic was unmoved.

"Jerry", he said, "I can smile nice, but I can fight mean too if I have to."

[Stringer Bell]

Following the Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Finals, the Memorial Day Massacre, when Boston won 148-114.

The best his center could do in response was 12 points and 3 rebounds? Magic had scored 19 points with 12 assists, but he had come away with only 1 rebound, thereby limiting the Lakers' transition chances.

"You call yourself a f--king Hall of Famer?" Riley challenged Kareem afterwards. "That guy kicked your ass. Parish embarrassed the hell out of you. Look at this pathetic stat line. Three rebounds? Three rebounds for a Hall of Famer?"

"And you," he said, turning to Magic. "You're supposed to be one of the best players in the league. You got dominated today. F--king dominated. One rebound. You think that's going to get it done against this team, against your boy Larry?

"Where is the f--king leadership? This is supposed to be your team!"

[Stringer Bell]

On Bird's retirement

Larry Bird strode into Dave Gavitt's office on a humid August morning. He had been home from Barcelona only nine days, and there was one unfinished piece of business that had been nagging him.

"Dave", Bird said. "I'm done, I'm retiring."

"Larry, are you sure?" Gavitt said. "I think you should take a few more weeks to think it over a little longer.

Gavitt, who had watched Bird suffer in Barcelona, knew better than anyone that his star couldn't physically play anymore. Yet there was a reason why he wanted to put off Bird's announcement. If the franchise forward waited two more weeks, his contract for the following two seasons at $5 million each would kick in, and the Celtics would be obligated to pay him, even if he did retire. After everything number 33 had done for the Boston Celtics, Gavitt felt he deserved the money.

"I know what you are doing", Bird said. "I don't want the money. I didn't earn it, and I won't take it. Let's just get this over with."

[Mr Feeny]

On Bird's retirement

Bird

[SHAQisGOAT]

Read it before, great book. Lots of unknown stuff, lots of stuff that goes "behind the curtains" also.

Magic was all smiles and whatnot but always a true competitor with heart.

And Bird not taking that money is just How many would do that? Better yet, how many would do it these days? That's a ****ing real dude right there, no BS, straight shooter.

[oarabbus]

Bird

[Stringer Bell]

Michael Jordan's opinion on Larry Bird

"Larry was a debate", Michael Jordan said. "He still is. People ask me all the time who my all-time top five players are, and when I start saying Larry, they interrupt me. They say 'You've got to be kidding me. He can't play with Lebron James!'. I tell them, 'You guys don't get it. Larry is far better than any small forward who played the game, and to be honest, I'm still not sure if he is a small forward or a power forward."

"To appreciate Bird fully, you need to know the game. You have to be a basketball person to be able to give him his due. He's not jumping out of the gym. He doesn't dunk on anyone. He doesn't show any quickness. That's why some people can't see the value of his game. Now, is that racial? I suppose you could see it that way, since he doesn't possess the athleticism of some of the black guys in the league, but I never bought into that.

Magic Johnson & Dennis Johnson

At the time, the move to bring in D.J. was viewed as somewhat of a gamble. Although his talent was unquestionable, he had developed a reputation as a difficult player. Seattle coach Lenny Wilkens had branded him a "cancer", and the image lingered. Yet D.J. had proven to be a legitimate hinderance to Magic in the Western Conference, able to offset his strength with physical play of his own.

Johnson and Johnson were hardly strangers. They played against one another in Los Angeles during the summer months and occasionally dined together with their wives. The tradition came to a screeching halt once the trade was made and D.J. became a Celtic. The summer after the deal, he ran into Magic just as he was completing his workout.

"In the past it would have been 'Hey man, how you been? Where you going to be later? Let's hook up.' D.J. said. "Not this time. It was 'Hey, how are you doing? See you later."

"Once he started wearing Celtics green, we were done socializing," Magic confirmed.

"D.J. was the smartest guy who ever guarded me," Magic said. "He knew how to make adjustments. If I was rolling with a certain move, D.J. would say 'You got away with that in the last quarter, not this one.' It might take Gerald Henderson a whole game to figure out what I was doing. Sometimes he wouldn't even realize it until the film session the next day."

[SHAQisGOAT]

^^

Always loved those quotes from MJ, and it goes on after that.. Think I've posted it here before. Jordan respected Bird a whole lot, from quotes, interviews and such I would say that Bird's the player he respects the most, probably because Bird and the Celtics always killed the Bulls in Michael's early years, plus (and MJ said that that's where he got it from) they always had that 'we're winning no matter what', trash-talking attitude, and Bird was a basketball genius. I remember reading about Bird talking trash to him even before Jordan was a pro because Larry knew what monster was there and he always wanted the upper-hand. On interviews Bird always talked about how great Jordan was, and I also remember MJ with the Dream Team saying that even at that stage and in those conditions, Bird needed to be there, as he was the best Sf in the game still, asking what other forward could shoot like no other, pass like the best PG, rebound and hustle like the best bigmen and play great team D, also out of respect.

As for Dennis and Magic, DJ always played great D against Johnson, and "funny" enough because he had gone through beef with coaches and other problems, some injuries, had put on considerable weight, had lost a step or two, just before he joined the Celtics (past his peak, in his 30s).. And yet he becomes a more steady and really smart pg over the years, a confident player still, clutch and caused no problem (Bird even called the best he played with), and that weight was better to guard Magic because Magic wasn't majorly fast/quick as small(er) PG's and he loved to use his body and take it to the post, and even with some athleticism gone, DJ just had major fundamentals.

[Lebowski]

On Bird's retirement

Larry Bird

And he DID deserve that money!

Great stuff, thanks for posting it.

[Lebowski]

"It might take Gerald Henderson a whole game to figure out what I was doing. Sometimes he wouldn't even realize it until the film session the next day."

Magic must have been a pain to defend, but its a funny quote!

[sportjames23]

Bird and Magic...the two men who got me into watching the NBA.