Larry bird vs magic johnson head-to-head record

Q: Who has better stats Magic Johnson or Larry Bird?

Comparing both Larry Bird and Magic Johnsons regular-season career data, we see that Larry Bird leads in Value Over Replacement Player, usage %, points, blocks, defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, free-throw %, three point %, and minutes played statistical categories.

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Regular Season
This is the detail of NBA games in which Larry Bird and Magic Johnson played against each other, including head-to-head record, stats average, game highs and game-by-game data both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.
Games Played Against Each Other
Summary of Victories
Stats in Games Between Them
Head To Head Games Played: One by One
What is Larry Bird's record against Magic Johnson?
Who won the most between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson?
Who has better stats Magic Johnson or Larry Bird?
How many times did Magic and Bird meet in the finals?

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Regular Season

Regular Season Table

Player	G	W	L	GS	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	ORB	DRB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS
Magic Johnson	18	11	7	18	39.6	6.7	13.6	.496	0.3	1.1	.316	5.6	6.6	.856			6.8	11.5				1.9	19.4
Larry Bird	18	7	11	18	41.7	8.8	17.6	.500	0.5	1.1	.474	3.7	4.5	.815			10.9	6.2				2.8	21.7

18 Games

Playoffs

Playoffs Table

Player	G	W	L	GS	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	ORB	DRB	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS
Magic Johnson	19	11	8	19	40.3	8.1	15.2	.533	0.1	0.3	.400	4.4	5.2	.838	1.2	6.4	7.5	13.5	2.2	0.4	3.4	2.8	20.7
Larry Bird	19	8	11	19	42.1	8.8	19.2	.460	0.6	1.2	.478	7.0	8.1	.864	2.8	8.3	11.1	4.6	1.7	1.0	2.9	2.5	25.3

19 Games

This is the detail of NBA games in which Larry Bird and Magic Johnson played against each other, including head-to-head record, stats average, game highs and game-by-game data both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

They faced each other a total of 37 times in NBA games. Magic Johnson has a 22-15 winning record over Larry Bird, including a 11-8 record in Playoffs.

Games Played Against Each Other


NBA Timeline:	1946-47 2022-23
Larry Bird: 1980 to 1992
Magic Johnson: 1980 to 1996

37 Games played

18 in Regular Season

19 in Playoffs

Summary of Victories

Stats in Games Between Them

Games with better stats than the other player...
Player	Points	Rebounds	Assists
Larry Bird	23 games	28 games	3 games
Magic Johnson	11 games	7 games	34 games
Both had same stat	3 games	2 games	0 games

Head To Head Games Played: One by One


1979-80 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Dec. 28, 1979
1.	Celtics	105		Larry Bird	16	4	3	4	0	2	5	40	7-15	.467	0-0	-	2-3	.667
	Lakers	123		Magic Johnson	23	8	6	4	0	7	4	40	7-14	.500	0-0	-	9-10	.900
	Jan. 13, 1980
2.	Celtics	98		Larry Bird	14	12	1	1	3	3	4	36	7-10	.700	0-1	.000	0-0	-
	Lakers	100		Magic Johnson	1	3	2	2	0	3	1	21	0-2	.000	0-0	-	1-2	.500


1981-82 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Feb. 14, 1982
3.	Celtics	108		Larry Bird	12	9	9				2	43	4-11	.364	0-1	.000	4-5	.800
	Lakers	103		Magic Johnson	19	10	8				4	39	6-11	.545	0-2	.000	7-9	.778


1982-83 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Jan. 30, 1983
4.	Celtics	110		Larry Bird	21	13	8	5	0	1	3	43	9-22	.409	0-0	-	3-3	1.000
	Lakers	95		Magic Johnson	14	9	10	2	1	8	1	42	5-10	.500	0-0	-	4-4	1.000
	Feb. 23, 1983
5.	Celtics	113		Larry Bird	32	17	9	4	0	3	3	46	13-23	.565	2-3	.667	4-6	.667
	Lakers	104		Magic Johnson	20	13	10	2	1	6	3	46	9-21	.429	0-1	.000	2-3	.667


1983-84 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Feb. 08, 1984
6.	Celtics	109		Larry Bird	29	11	7	0	0	1	3	42	12-19	.632	0-0	-	5-5	1.000
	Lakers	111		Magic Johnson	20	8	10	6	0	5	1	43	9-13	.692	0-0	-	2-2	1.000
	Feb. 24, 1984
7.	Celtics	108		Larry Bird	14	11	5	0	3	1	3	39	6-12	.500	0-0	-	2-2	1.000
	Lakers	116		Magic Johnson	9	8	18	3	1	5	2	40	4-11	.364	0-1	.000	1-2	.500


1984 Playoffs - NBA Finals
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	May. 27, 1984
8.	Celtics	109		Larry Bird	24	14	5	3	0	6	4	42	7-17	.412	1-1	1.000	9-11	.818
	Lakers	115		Magic Johnson	18	6	10	4	0	3	5	38	7-11	.636	0-1	.000	4-4	1.000
	May. 31, 1984
9.	Celtics	124		Larry Bird	27	13	3	1	2	3	4	49	8-22	.364	0-0	-	11-15	.733
OT	Lakers	121		Magic Johnson	27	10	9	0	1	4	5	46	10-14	.714	0-0	-	7-7	1.000
	Jun. 03, 1984
10.	Celtics	104		Larry Bird	30	7	2	3	1	2	3	38	9-16	.563	0-0	-	12-15	.800
	Lakers	137		Magic Johnson	14	11	21	1	1	2	3	39	4-6	.667	0-0	-	6-10	.600
	Jun. 06, 1984
11.	Celtics	129		Larry Bird	29	21	2	3	0	3	4	49	9-24	.375	1-3	.333	10-10	1.000
OT	Lakers	125		Magic Johnson	20	11	17	2	0	7	5	49	8-12	.667	0-0	-	4-7	.571
	Jun. 08, 1984
12.	Celtics	121		Larry Bird	34	17	2	2	1	5	4	42	15-20	.750	2-2	1.000	2-4	.500
	Lakers	103		Magic Johnson	10	5	13	2	2	4	2	39	3-9	.333	0-0	-	4-6	.667
	Jun. 10, 1984
13.	Celtics	108		Larry Bird	28	14	8	1	3	4	4	47	8-11	.727	0-0	-	12-13	.923
	Lakers	119		Magic Johnson	21	6	10	1	0	4	3	41	10-18	.556	0-0	-	1-2	.500
	Jun. 12, 1984
14.	Celtics	111		Larry Bird	20	12	3	2	1	2	1	38	6-18	.333	0-0	-	8-8	1.000
	Lakers	102		Magic Johnson	16	5	15	4	2	7	5	43	5-14	.357	0-0	-	6-7	.857


1984-85 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Jan. 16, 1985
15.	Celtics	104		Larry Bird	19	11	7	1	0	3	3	41	9-16	.563	0-0	-	1-1	1.000
	Lakers	102		Magic Johnson	8	7	13	2	0	3	0	39	4-11	.364	0-1	.000	0-0	-
	Feb. 17, 1985
16.	Celtics	111		Larry Bird	33	15	3	3	0	3	4	42	14-22	.636	1-3	.333	4-5	.800
	Lakers	117		Magic Johnson	37	3	13	2	0	5	1	42	10-16	.625	0-0	-	17-19	.895


1985 Playoffs - NBA Finals
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	May. 27, 1985
17.	Celtics	148		Larry Bird	19	6	9	3	0	3	1	31	8-14	.571	1-2	.500	2-2	1.000
	Lakers	114		Magic Johnson	19	1	12	3	0	2	2	34	8-14	.571	0-0	-	3-4	.750
	May. 30, 1985
18.	Celtics	102		Larry Bird	30	12	3	2	2	5	2	41	9-21	.429	1-3	.333	11-11	1.000
	Lakers	109		Magic Johnson	14	4	13	3	0	7	3	41	6-9	.667	0-0	-	2-4	.500
	Jun. 02, 1985
19.	Celtics	111		Larry Bird	20	7	3	1	0	2	1	35	8-21	.381	0-0	-	4-5	.800
	Lakers	136		Magic Johnson	17	9	16	2	0	1	2	39	6-13	.462	1-2	.500	4-4	1.000
	Jun. 05, 1985
20.	Celtics	107		Larry Bird	26	11	5	3	1	1	4	43	8-16	.500	0-0	-	10-12	.833
	Lakers	105		Magic Johnson	20	11	12	2	0	4	3	43	5-12	.417	0-0	-	10-11	.909
	Jun. 07, 1985
21.	Celtics	111		Larry Bird	20	7	7	1	1	0	3	44	8-17	.471	1-2	.500	3-5	.600
	Lakers	120		Magic Johnson	26	6	17	2	0	2	1	42	11-20	.550	0-0	-	4-4	1.000
	Jun. 09, 1985
22.	Celtics	100		Larry Bird	28	10	3	1	0	2	3	47	12-29	.414	0-2	.000	4-5	.800
	Lakers	111		Magic Johnson	14	10	14	1	0	4	5	36	5-15	.333	0-0	-	4-4	1.000


1985-86 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Jan. 22, 1986
23.	Celtics	110		Larry Bird	21	12	7	3	0	4	2	38	8-16	.500	1-1	1.000	4-4	1.000
	Lakers	95		Magic Johnson	15	1	6	3	0	0	3	27	6-10	.600	0-0	-	3-3	1.000
	Feb. 16, 1986
24.	Celtics	105		Larry Bird	22	18	7	0	0	2	4	43	7-17	.412	0-1	.000	8-12	.667
	Lakers	99		Magic Johnson	6	6	12	2	0	4	1	38	0-4	.000	0-0	-	6-6	1.000


1986-87 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Dec. 12, 1986
25.	Celtics	110		Larry Bird	26	3	6	0	1	2	1	43	11-13	.846	1-1	1.000	3-3	1.000
	Lakers	117		Magic Johnson	31	7	8	2	1	2	2	42	13-25	.520	0-0	-	5-7	.714
	Feb. 15, 1987
26.	Celtics	103		Larry Bird	20	5	7	1	2	3	2	43	7-12	.583	1-2	.500	5-7	.714
	Lakers	106		Magic Johnson	39	7	10	2	0	4	4	45	12-20	.600	1-1	1.000	14-15	.933


1987 Playoffs - NBA Finals
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Jun. 02, 1987
27.	Celtics	113		Larry Bird	32	7	6	1	0	0	0	42	14-25	.560	0-0	-	4-4	1.000
	Lakers	126		Magic Johnson	29	8	13	2	1	0	2	39	13-25	.520	0-0	-	3-3	1.000
	Jun. 04, 1987
28.	Celtics	122		Larry Bird	23	10	4	1	1	3	1	36	9-17	.529	1-1	1.000	4-5	.800
	Lakers	141		Magic Johnson	22	5	20	3	0	2	2	31	10-17	.588	0-0	-	2-2	1.000
	Jun. 07, 1987
29.	Celtics	109		Larry Bird	30	12	4	0	1	4	2	44	10-24	.417	0-1	.000	10-11	.909
	Lakers	103		Magic Johnson	32	11	9	1	0	1	0	43	12-18	.667	0-0	-	8-8	1.000
	Jun. 09, 1987
30.	Celtics	106		Larry Bird	21	10	7	1	2	5	3	47	7-19	.368	2-3	.667	5-5	1.000
	Lakers	107		Magic Johnson	29	8	5	1	0	5	0	41	12-20	.600	0-0	-	5-6	.833
	Jun. 11, 1987
31.	Celtics	123		Larry Bird	23	12	7	2	1	2	2	44	7-18	.389	1-2	.500	8-9	.889
	Lakers	108		Magic Johnson	29	8	12	4	0	2	4	40	12-21	.571	1-1	1.000	4-4	1.000
	Jun. 14, 1987
32.	Celtics	93		Larry Bird	16	9	5	2	2	4	1	41	6-16	.375	0-1	.000	4-4	1.000
	Lakers	106		Magic Johnson	16	8	19	3	1	3	2	42	7-21	.333	0-1	.000	2-2	1.000


1987-88 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Dec. 11, 1987
33.	Celtics	114		Larry Bird	35	9	8	5	2	1	3	43	14-26	.538	1-1	1.000	6-8	.750
	Lakers	115		Magic Johnson	18	8	17	2	0	4	3	44	6-11	.545	1-1	1.000	5-6	.833
	Feb. 14, 1988
34.	Celtics	106		Larry Bird	25	17	4	0	1	5	2	40	8-22	.364	0-0	-	9-11	.818
	Lakers	115		Magic Johnson	22	5	14	3	0	3	1	42	9-19	.474	0-1	.000	4-7	.571


1989-90 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Dec. 15, 1989
35.	Celtics	110		Larry Bird	21	12	2	3	0	5	3	43	9-27	.333	1-2	.500	2-2	1.000
	Lakers	119		Magic Johnson	16	6	21	6	0	3	0	43	4-12	.333	0-1	.000	8-8	1.000
	Feb. 18, 1990
36.	Celtics	110		Larry Bird	20	7	7	1	0	4	2	46	9-17	.529	0-0	-	2-2	1.000
	Lakers	116		Magic Johnson	30	4	13	1	0	4	2	38	10-21	.476	3-6	.500	7-7	1.000


1990-91 Season
Game		Player	Pts	TRb	Ast	Stl	Blk	TO	PF	Min	FG	%	3PT	%	FT	%
	Feb. 15, 1991
37.	Celtics	98		Larry Bird	11	11	11	2	0	2	1	40	4-16	.250	1-3	.333	2-2	1.000
	Lakers	85		Magic Johnson	21	9	16	1	1	2	1	41	7-13	.538	1-4	.250	6-8	.750

What is Larry Bird's record against Magic Johnson?

Larry Bird was 7-11 versus Magic Johnson in his career.

Who won the most between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson?

Magic Johnson - 37 Games, 15-22 (40.5%) The player that owns the best overall record against Bird was Magic Johnson. During their heyday, the Lakers and Celtics met in the NBA Finals three times where the Lakers won two championships. The Celtics won one championship in 1984.

Who has better stats Magic Johnson or Larry Bird?

Comparing both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's regular-season career data, we see that Larry Bird leads in Value Over Replacement Player, usage %, points, blocks, defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, free-throw %, three point %, and minutes played statistical categories.

How many times did Magic and Bird meet in the finals?

Magic and Bird even faced off in the NBA Finals on three occasions; 1984, 1985, and 1987. Bird and the Celtics won their first encounter in 1984 but would lose to Magic and the Lakers in 1985 and 1987. The rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics was arguably at its peak during this time.