The story of basketball is narrated through various eras. Each era mostly corresponds to a dynasty or the rivalry to establish a dynasty. One such dynasty belonged to the Showtime Lakers spearheaded by Magic Johnson. Larry Bird and the Celtics definitely did not enjoy playing against the Lakers. And in particular, they seemed to be troubled by the exact premise of the Showtime Lakers.
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“Showtime” was exactly as advertised. High-flying dunks, the fanciest of alley-oops, and behind-the-back passes became the norm at La La Land. The adrenaline-pumping moves drove the crowds in record numbers to the Staples Center.
Johnson led the Lakers to 5 NBA championships in the 1980s. Accompanied by Kareem, Worthy, and a reliable core, the Lakers dominated and enthralled. However, they weren’t without opposition.
Arch rivals Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons began the decade as their rivals and an upstart Bulls took to the stage too. The individual battle between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson headlined the rivalry with the Celtics and the narrative around the franchises too.
How did Larry Bird deal with the high-octane basketball style of the Lakers? He didn’t.
The Celtics were a slightly older squad and were not anywhere as athletic as the Lakers. So naturally, they were often left chasing shadows.
This was acknowledged by the squad even. Larry Bird described how his teammate Cedric Maxwell described playing against the Lakers. “You can’t beat what you can’t catch!” Bird remembered how Maxwell joked about the struggle of the Cs.
Bird posed the biggest threat to the Lakers and took some silverware away from them too. However, with time, the aging Cs found it difficult to deal with the young and energetic Lakers.
Showtime was indeed a phenomenon and it struck the opponents as much as it did the public. For Larry Bird, one of the fiercest competitors to play the game to admit your strength, you had to have been something.
When Showtime was on, entertainment was 24*7 on. Fast and furious basketball had taken the world by storm and propelled Los Angeles into the spotlight.
Who composed the Showtime Lakers?
Showtime began when ownership of the Lakers changed hands to reach Jerry Buss. Buss introduced all of his flair to the dying fanbase and put fresh life into the franchise.
Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy led the star triumvirate to success. A supporting cast of Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, and Jamal Wilkes ensured that there was an all round balance to the team.
Led by the charismatic presence of Pat Riley, the Lakers were the team of the 80s. Flair, style, structure. The men in purple and gold had it all.
To be a franchise to have enough stories to fill an HBO show, you had to be quite the experience. That was Showtime.
Also read: Larry Bird Broke Down In Tears After Finding Out Magic Johnson Had Contracted HIV
