Larry Bird was one of the most instrumental forces in the NBA. However, his intense personality and trash-talking did not sit well with others. The entire Los Angeles Lakers team disliked him including the president. The former Boston Celtics athlete’s rivalry with the Lakers and Magic Johnson has long fascinated the TV network HBO. Their interest was realized in the documentary ‘Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals.’ Yet again, they touched upon their relationship in the hit series ‘Winning Time’ which focuses on the rise of the Lakers. 

The president of the $6.44 billion franchise who shared the same hatred, recently revealed how the series changed her perspective of the player. Let’s delve deeper to find out more about it.

Jeanie Buss talks about Larry Bird’s character

Recently, the Lakers president Jeanie Buss sat for an interview with The Athletic NBA Show. When the host asked about her take on the popular HBO series, Buss candidly shared her opinion. While speaking of Larry Bird, she revealed how the character is quite interesting.

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The portrayal of Bird and his backstory changed her opinion of the player. Expressing her amazement, she said, “The Larry Bird character; I thought that was great and it made me appreciate Larry Bird so much. We hated him so much in LA likes it’s hard to even think about it.” She added, “just to hear and see his backstory and about what happened with him in the game; what a special athlete he was and trash talker.”

She also mentioned how she liked Magic’s character in the show. For those who don’t know, ‘Winning Time: The Rise of Lakers Dynasty’ is a TV series that encapsulates the Showtime era of the Lakers beginning in 1979. The year which saw the rise of the greatest rivalry in the league. 

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Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s rivalry

From enemies to friends, Johnson and Bird were the power duo of the league. The beginning of their rivalry took place at the 1979 NCAA Championship. The match which saw Michigan State Spartans’ Johnson battling against Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores became one of the most watched games in the history of college basketball. While Johnson was selected as the first overall pick by the Lakers, Bird got to play with the Celtics. Following this, basketball fans witnessed the biggest rivalry between the two teams and players.

The 3x NBA champion used to be so intense in his battle against Johnson that even the Lakers fans hated him. However, your opinion might change if you watch the ‘Winning Time.’ Do share your thoughts with us in the comments. 

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