To finally win the NBA’s MVP award, Magic Johnson had to do it the hard way.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend won the accolade for the first time in 1987 but had to overcome two fierce competitors in Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.
For three straight seasons between 1984-86, Boston Celtics legend Bird won the MVP award.
The streak tied a league record for the most consecutive MVP awards, demonstrating the grip Bird had on the league.
Johnson would be the player to eventually thwart Bird’s run as he claimed the 1987 MVP award, his first time winning the honor after eight seasons in the league.
Johnson averaged 23.9 points, shot 52.2 percent from the field, led the league with 12.2 assists and added 6.3 rebounds during the campaign.
He also became the first guard to win the award since Oscar Robertson, who won MVP in 1964 playing for the Cincinnati Royals.
Johnson’s performances also spurred the Lakers to a league-best 65-17 record that year.
The Lakers would reach the Western Conference finals when Johnson received his MVP award and his speech hilariously referenced how difficult winning the award was.
“I’d like to thank Larry Bird for having a slightly off year, and I want to strangle Michael Jordan for putting all the pressure on me,” Johnson said after receiving his third and last MVP award via NYT.
Johnson earned 65 of 78 first place votes and 733 of a maximum 780 total points in balloting.
Michael Jordan (10 first place votes) and Larry Bird (1 first place vote) finished second and third, respectively.
In an interview at the time with NBC’s Bryant Gumbel, it’s safe to say Jordan wasn’t best pleased with missing out on the award.
“I think both of us had good years,” Jordan said.
“Sometimes, you have to question what is the credentials for the MVP. I think other parts of my game was not acknowledged as well as it should’ve been. To have 100 blocks and over 100 steals also, I think you have to be contributing in other areas as well as scoring.”
For Johnson that season would get even more special as the Lakers would sweep the Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals before beating the Celtics in the NBA finals with a 4-2 series win.
Magic would be named Finals MVP and became the first player in NBA history to win the award three times.
“It was a total team effort really,” Johnson said at the time.
“We all chipped in and got the job done. It’s just great to be a champ again. Because of the fact of what we did in the regular season. We carried it on into the playoffs. It’s definitely the sweetest one.”
Johnson would end his career with his five NBA championships and three MVP awards as he lived out one of the greatest ever NBA careers.
It wouldn’t end bad for Jordan either, who finished second in the race for MVP in 1987.
The Chicago Bulls legend won six NBA championships and five MVP awards during his career as he cemented himself as the greatest basketball player of all-time.
How to watch NBA in the UK
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With the NBA hurtling towards playoff season next month, there’s plenty riding on the remaining games.
Reigning champions the Boston Celtics are chasing back-to-back titles, and will be the first team to do this since 2018 if they’re successful.
Meanwhile, LeBron James and Luka Dončić’s Lakers are looking to win LA’s first championship since 2020.
To watch the rest of this NBA season, sign up for an NBA League pass using the links below. NBA League pass allows subscribers to watch games live and on demand.
- Buy NBA League Pass – £79.99 for the season, £16.99 a month
- Buy NBA League Pass Premium – £104.99 for the season, £29.99 a month
For more information read our article on how to watch the NBA.
