When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson with Jackie Macmullan

“When The Game Was Ours” by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson with Jackie MacMullan is an engaging tour of the careers of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and the National Basketball Association of the 1980s and early 1990s. These were two of my five favorite players growing up, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the highlights of their careers and learning more about what was behind the two basketball superstars.

The book chronicles his journeys from the classic college matchup through his seasons with the Lakers and Celtics and the intense rivalry between players and teams, to the Olympics, Johnson’s HIV, both from his training and involvement. in the teams after playing. You learn how similar the two hall of famers were (and both were elected, Bird in 1998 and Johnson in 2002), but equally how different and how they brought out the best in each other.

While the book is written by both players, it really feels more like a Jackie MacMullan biography than an autobiography of the two superstars. It is written in the third person, as an outsider observing their careers and how they interacted, not as a firsthand personal account. This is especially true in the section looking at other facets of the game, the NBA, and players other than Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. This is not bad, I enjoyed those sections too, and I think they added to the book. Bird and Johnson did so much to help the NBA that it’s only fitting that their history would be intertwined with other aspects of the game and personalities.

The parts of the book that I enjoyed the most were the highlights of the duo’s careers. It took me back to those games and it was nice to relive them through this book. The casualties, injuries and hurt feelings the two suffered show that no matter what their success, it’s not all a bed of roses. The book also highlighted the differences between the NBA of the 1980s and early 1990s and the NBA of the late 1990s and 2000s. Maybe it’s just because I’m getting older, but I connect more with Bird and Johnson and the players in their time more than today. That’s another reason why it was nice to relive those moments briefly while reading this book. The final chapters share a bit of what the two are up to now, and it was satisfying to know that these two basketball heroes of my youth are still doing well. If Bird and Johnson were heroes and you grew up with them and the NBA like I did, you’ll enjoy revisiting their history.