The rivalry of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird began when they were in college at Michigan State and Indiana State. Following a competitive NCAA championship that resulted in Magic’s triumph, the hype surrounding their future NBA rivalry was unmatched. Their rookie seasons didn’t disappoint with Bird averaging 21.3 points per game and 10.4 rebounds and leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals and Magic bringing the championship back to LA and winning Finals MVP honors. Although Magic won the big game, Bird won the honors of Rookie of the Year. The vote was surprisingly lopsided with Bird receiving 60 of 62 votes in spite of Magic’s success.
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