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Q. How much was Magic freelancing the key to success of that team, the Showtime? Byron Scott: I think every opportunity that he got to kind of go off script of things that were supposed to be playing because of the way that opponents played us, it was probably 75 percent of the time. As great a coach as Pat Riley was, Magic, I still say to this day the greatest point guard I've ever seen.
Q. You said Magic was freelancing 75 percent of the time. I mean that’s… Byron Scott: He was like I said controlling everything. He controlled the game. The closest to him to me right now is the Joker (Nikola Jokic). The Joker is a guy that controls the pace, the guys that play with him understand that he is more than willing to make them better and to help them. So I think he is the closest to Magic Johnson that I've seen and I'm not going by position, just is the way his knowledge of the game and the way that he sees the game. He's probably the closest in the game today. Well, he's changing the game now. They used to say point forwards now is a point center.
Earvin Magic Johnson: I want to congratulate Mark Aguirre on his #24 jersey retirement with the Dallas Mavericks. I met Mark and Isiah Thomas 45 years ago after they were drafted to the NBA - we formed a friendship and started training in my hometown Lansing, MI and their hometown Chicago, IL that summer. Mark was a triple threat on the basketball court and virtually unstoppable. Look at how good God is, all three of us now have our jerseys retired by the teams we played for - myself with the Lakers, Isiah with the Pistons, and now Mark with the Mavericks!
APHoops: Kobe Sanders on who he models his game after: "Obviously a lot of KD ... I've watched a lot of DBook and how he gets to his spots ... My dad's favorite player was Magic Johnson so I kinda had to grow up being a guard."
Jorge Sierra: Andre Drummond is now a Top 30 rebounder in NBA history. ALSO: Nikola Vucevic passed David Robinson in rebounds. Brook Lopez moved ahead of Magic Johnson in scoring.
Andre Drummond is now a Top 30 rebounder in NBA history.
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) January 8, 2026
ALSO:
Nikola Vucevic passed David Robinson in rebounds.
Brook Lopez moved ahead of Magic Johnson in scoring. pic.twitter.com/gfGR9enEMT
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Law Murray: LeBron James now has as many (regular season) games with 10+ assists and no more than one turnover as Magic Johnson (48) Tonight, James led Los Angeles with 10 assists and only one turnover (a KCP steal and score) Asked LeBron about avoiding mistakes while making plays
Russell Westbrook posted 21 points, five rebounds and nine assists in a 113-107 victory over the Mavericks at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. With his second assist of the game, Westbrook passed Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson for seventh on the NBA’s all-time list for career assists. “Passing Magic, it’s an honor,” Westbrook said. “Magic is one of the greats.” Westbrook, who was born in Long Beach and grew up in the shadow of the Inglewood Forum when the Lakers were playing there until 1999, went on to praise Johnson for his contributions to the Los Angeles community. “Yes, Magic did a lot of great things on the court, but growing up in inner-city Los Angeles, Magic did a lot for the underserved and continues to do a lot, something that I’ve kind of modeled,” Westbrook said. “For him, that is something that I’m grateful to be able to pass him because he’s such a legend in so many different ways, and I’m grateful to be passing him now.”
Rich Kleiman: You miss coaching, commentating more, you think? Mark Jackson: I would say coaching. And the reason why I would say that because when I'm commentating, I'm commentating what's taking place on the court. When I'm coaching, I'm impacting lives and I'm making a difference and I'm giving birth to something that I may not be able to be part of it when it's over with, but I'm able to identify and say not just look at Steph Curry, the four-time champ. No, look at Steph Curry, the man, the husband, the father. I take pride in that. There are certain guys and I'm 60 years old I still call them coach and I'll never call him Rick Pitino. That’s coach Pitino to me. Rick Pitino is the best coach I ever played for. And I say that with respect. I don't play 17 years. I don't win rookie of the year. I don't go to an All-Star game. I don't have all any of those things if Rick Pitino is not the first coach I ever played for. The dude had me believing I was better than Magic Johnson. I'm on the court believing I'm Magic. I know I'm not better than Magic Johnson, but if you put me on the lie detector test, I would have passed it because he instilled something in me that I'll forever be grateful.
Q: Fans love the MJ vs. LeBron GOAT debate. You have a unique perspective as Jordan’s former teammate. Is it even a debate in your mind? Randy Brown: “I’m the wrong person to ask. I’m a LeBron James fan. I know his family personally, met LeBron James when he was in high school living in Ohio, when we didn’t know he’d be the LeBron James of today. “But what Michael Jordan brought to the game was extraordinary. He’s clearly the best guy to ever put on a uniform. 6-0 in the Finals. He set the standard of what the NBA should be, in uniform and when that uniform comes off. There’s no comparison between Michael and LeBron. LeBron should be compared to Scottie Pippen and Magic Johnson, as far as basketball abilities. “But what LeBron James is still doing right now is absolutely amazing. It’s going to be a sad day when you don’t see him anymore. I’ll forever be a fan.”
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In fact, Bird’s Celtics and Magic’s Lakers met only three times in the NBA Finals: back-to-back in 1984 and ’85, and again in 1987. And when it comes to drama, the Celtics in seven games the first time stands among the greatest all-time NBA series. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch at the time was a 14-year-old kid growing up in Pennsylvania. He was asked Saturday which team he was rooting for in that must-see series. “I grew up as a Sixers fan, so it was really hard to root for either,” Finch said. “Actually, when I really started to watch basketball … I was probably a secret Celtics fan that time, with Bird."
In leading the Lakers to their fifth straight win, Luka Doncic now has recorded 39 double-double games of at least 40 points, which moved him past Anthony Davis for the fourth most among active players and tying Magic Johnson for the sixth most 40-point double-doubles as a Laker. Doncic also tied Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal for the most 40-point double-doubles as a Laker before the age of 27 since the NBA/ABA merger (five). “I think we played a great game,” Doncic said. “I think they were getting a lot of shots, especially in the first half.”
Michael Scotto: Russell Westbrook is the eighth player in NBA history with 10,000+ assists. He joins John Stockton, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Mark Jackson, and Magic Johnson. Westbrook and LeBron James are the only two NBA players with 25,000+ points and 10,000+ assists.
Kendrick Perkins on top point guards of all time: You got Isiah Thomas, you got Magic Johnson, you got Stephen Curry. We know they're in there. Anybody else? You can kiss my ass. I ain't putting them in front of Russell Westbrook.