Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 13 seasons. On the floor, Larry Bird was the higher-volume scorer (24.3 points per game to 19.6); Magic Johnson was the more efficient scorer (61.0% true shooting to 56.5%); Magic Johnson created more for others (11.2 assists per game to 6.3). Magic Johnson holds the edge on accolades — 3 MVPs, 5 championships, 3 Finals MVPs and the #7 all-time ranking to Larry Bird's #10.
Career averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3 | Points / game | 19.6 |
| 10.0 | Rebounds / game | 7.2 |
| 6.3 | Assists / game | 11.2 |
| 1.7 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.8 | Blocks / game | 0.4 |
| 49.4% | Field goal % | 52.0% |
| 34.6% | 3-point % | 22.9% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 84.3% |
| 56.5% | True shooting % | 61.0% |
| 897 | Games played | 906 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Larry Bird's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Magic Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Larry Bird | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 23.7 | Points / game | 19.5 |
| 10.3 | Rebounds / game | 7.7 |
| 6.5 | Assists / game | 12.3 |
| 1.8 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 0.9 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 47.1% | Field goal % | 50.6% |
| 31.6% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 88.5% | Free throw % | 83.6% |
| 164 | Playoff games | 190 |
Accolades
| Larry Bird | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 2 | Finals MVP | 3 |
| 3 | Championships | 5 |
| 10 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 9 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #10 | All-time GOAT rank | #7 |
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