FS1’s ‘Speak’ featured Magic Johnson on the NBA’s current situation with Paul Pierce. He pointed out that no true rivalries exist between teams and players since everyone gets along.
Former Lakers superstar likened the NBA of the 1980s when he and Larry Bird had their famous rivalry, to the NBA of today. Johnson thinks the NBA’s waning appeal is due to the absence of rivals.
Paul Pierce asked Johnson, “What’s happened to the rivalries?”
To which Magic Johnson replied, “They don’t hate each other. I hated Larry and every Celtic. I really don’t like you but you’re my little brother. Now I love you because you’re out of that green & white. That’s what it was. The Celtics and Lakers hated each other. It made for great TV and people tuned in. And now, I don’t know if it’s AAU, but everybody is shaking each other’s hand, everybody likes each other, they won’t go at each other really hard. That’s what happened to the All-Star game. We hated the East. I’m coming to bust you Michael, Isiah, Dr. J. You can’t have one over me, I’m coming to get that. Now it’s 200-200, what is that?”
He further stated, “I knew Larry Bird was coming from me. If we line up now, and he puts on the green and I put on the purple? Come on man. It’s gotta get back to that. And there’s a reason why the viewership is going down. And these guys better wake up and say ‘Hey, we gotta change this’. Also, the load management – the guys gotta play. We took pride in playing.”
Johnson is undoubtedly correct. When NBA players compete against one another, there is no longer any hostility or hatred. Although some would contend that this is advantageous since it creates a less hostile playing atmosphere, it has significantly diminished the game’s fury and intensity. Recently, Shaquille O’Neal also blamed one of the NBA superstars for declining ratings.
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Magic Johnson Sounds Off On Lakers To Make Roster Changes Around LeBron James And Anthony Davis
Magic Johnson’s main worry is the depth of the team’s squad. On the same topic, he stated on the “Speak” show that the Lakers are struggling because they don’t have a clear third star, even though James and Davis are playing at a high level. According to the five-time NBA champion, players such as Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves are extremely inconsistent.
For the last two years, Reaves has been the Lakers‘ go-to third option, averaging a career-high 17 points per game, but even in those years, his inconsistent play was evident. Even while Hachimura has improved as a reliable option under offensive-minded coach JJ Redick, he is still not good enough for a club hoping to contend in the Western Conference.
Magic Johnson said, “The west is stacked. LeBron is playing at a high level. AD, he’s been dominating. What we need, the role players gotta step up. We gotta get somebody who can be a consistent third scorer. That’s what’s missing. One day Austin is playing great, maybe for a couple games, but then he falls off. Rui, will step up, and then not be consistent.”
He added, “And we making LeBron play too hard. You can’t play too hard at his age. So we need D’Angelo Russell to step up as well. And so we’re having problems with just being inconsistent, and they make me mad man. When we played Minnesota in Minnesota and then we turned around and Miami blew us out, and the way our effort, that’s not Laker basketball.”
The Lakers will want to finish in the top four rather than last since they have a crucial stretch of games before the New Year. Unverified rumors have surfaced that the Lakers are open to reorganizing their whole squad, except their two top players. However, who will they have to give up, and who can they trade for?
