--- title: When the Game Was Ours description: "When the Game Was Ours by Earvin \"Magic\" Johnson" image: https://blog.leadercast.com/hubfs/LCCT_Pattern_Graphic_1%20(1).jpg --- - [Leadercast NOW](http://leadercastnow.com/) <<   Back # When the Game Was Ours ### Earvin "Magic" Johnson ![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5b583a7ff4d46c804bb3a5ad/5bab8d1453bd6735f7212933_icn-calendar.svg) 04 May 2020 ![](https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5b583a7ff4d46c804bb3a5ad/5bab8d144254bf5484cf5aa3_icn-comments.svg) 0 Comments Share this [![magic-1](https://blog.leadercast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Bookstore/magic-1.jpg?width=326&name=magic-1.jpg)](https://amzn.to/34jFr8m)![](https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=leadercast04-20&language=en_US&l=li1&o=1&a=0547394586)   From the moment these two legendary players took the court on opposing sides, they engaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. In Celtic green was Larry Bird, the hick from French Lick, with laser-beam focus, relentless determination, and a deadly jump shot, a player who demanded excellence from everyone around him and whose caustic wit left opponents quaking in their high-tops. Magic Johnson was Mr. Showtime, a magnetic personality with all the right moves. Young, indomitable, he was a pied piper in purple and gold. And he burned with an inextinguishable desire to win.   Their uncommonly competitive relationship came to symbolize the most thrilling rivalry in the NBA—East vs. West, physical vs. finesse, old school vs. Showtime, even white vs. black. Each pushed the other to greatness, and together Bird and Johnson collected eight NBA Championships and six MVP awards, helping to save a floundering NBA. At the start they were bitter rivals, but along the way they became lifelong friends.     With intimate detail, *When the Game Was Ours* transports readers to an electric era and reveals for the first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting each other. It is a compelling portrait of two giants of the game, during professional basketball’s best times.   [![Buy Now](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5245608/0610f266-875b-44a3-bc9d-514e7bbba22d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5245608/0610f266-875b-44a3-bc9d-514e7bbba22d) ## Subscribe to our leadership content ## Discover - Events - Content - Hosting - Privacy Policy - About Leadercast ## Contact Us Leadercast (678) 225-3100 [help@leadercast.com](https://share.hsforms.com/1PIV4R9cxQvKkfPF8WvOnSQ34fjc)   [![LC_FullColor_Logo_Print-02](https://blog.leadercast.com/hubfs/LC_FullColor_Logo_Print-02.png "LC_FullColor_Logo_Print-02")](https://leadercast.com) Leadercast is dedicated to building leaders others will follow by providing solutions, events and resources for individuals, teams, organizations and corporations across all industries. Whether you need tools to lead yourself, your team or your company, Leadercast will guide you on your journey to being a leader worth following. [FB](https://www.facebook.com/leadercast) [TW](https://www.twitter.com/leadercast) [LN](https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadercast/) [IG](https://www.instagram.com/leadercast) Copyright © 2020 Leadercast. All rights reserved.