Magic weighs in on Sir James....

[fishwater99]

Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson said he never would have joined with Larry Bird to win a championship the way LeBron James is teaming with <span class="ysp-player"><font color="#0069aa">Dwyane Wade</font>(notes).</span> [...]</p>

"We didn't think about it cause that's not what we were about," said Johnson, whose Michigan State squad beat Bird's Indiana State team in the 1979 National Collegiate Athletic Association championship. "From college, I was trying to figure out how to beat Larry Bird."</p>

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Magic-Johnson-is-also-not-impressed-with-LeBron-?urn=nba-257330

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

but Wade and Bosh have never really been rivals of his. It's easy for Magic to say that, but I don't recall him trying to leave Worthy or Kareem. He got lucky and had other great players on his team.

 

[bonedaddy401]

/

 

[Hanmudog]

I heard this discussed on the radio this morning. Most fans who grew up watching the NBA in the 80's and 90's were used to superstars staying in one city, being identified with that city, and players being brought in to join them (not the other way around). Fans who started following the NBA in the late 90's have never known anything other than free agency and players moving around. It is just a matter of preference.

I have a feeling that in time this will become the norm. There is already talk of Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony joining Stoudemire in New York next year. The thing that sucks about this is that eventually you will have only 4-5 really good teams in the league with a bunch of crappy ones.

 

[bulldogbaja]

Is Dwayne Wade really on par with Byrd? Magic? Jordan? I don't watch the NBA so I don't really know, but I just can't see how Lebron teaming up with Dwayne Wade would be like Jordan and Magic or whatever. If you ask me, this new Miami superpower isn't really that different from Jordan-Pippen-Rodman-Phil Jackson or Kobe-Pau-Phil Jackson-A bunch of other really good players.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

[No message]

 

[Hanmudog]

Not......gonnna......happen. (The Showtime part not the Riley part)

Also Wade probably is almost comparable to Bird in today's NBA. He is certainly one of the top 5 in the league. Bosh, on the other hand, is not on that level. There are probably7-8 guys in the NBA that are as good as Bosh at his position.

 

[Todd4State]

is if Magic and Larry ever had the opportunity to be on the same team.

I have a hard time believing that Magic would not have wanted to team up with Bird if it meant winning more championships just so that they could keep their rivalry intact.

We'll never know because it was never a possibility.

 

[Hanmudog]

is if Magic and Larry ever had the opportunity to be on the same team.

I have a hard time believing that Magic would not have wanted to team up with Bird if it meant winning more championships just so that they could keep their rivalry intact.

We'll never know because it was never a possibility.

I think Magic would have gladly welcomed Bird to Los Angeles but there was not a snowballs chance in Oxford that Magic would have played in Boston and probably vice versa with Bird. Back then players hated certain teams moreso than certain players. There were real rivalries.

I don't think anyone would have had a problem with Bosh and Wade going to Cleveland instead. Fans are not used to the Alpha Dog leaving the pack to join another one.