Feed: It's Showtime! - AggScore: 76.6

  Earvin Johnson grew up in Lansing, Michigan and was a standout player at Michigan State University, leading them to a national championship in 1979 when he was a sophomore. He turned pro the next year and spent his entire career with the Lakers. During the 1980s the rivalry between Magic's Lakers and Larry Bird's Boston Celtics helped make the NBA a worldwide success.  

  The Lakers won championships in 1980, '82, '85, '87 and '88. Magic was most important part of "Showtime" Lakers, with his unexpected assists, impossible shots and quick transition game. Johnson played in 12 All-Star Games, was the league's MVP three times (1987, '89 and '90) and was a member of the USA's "Dream Team," gold medalists in the 1992 Olympics (after he'd announced his retirement). His enthusiasm for basketball and flashy play made him a crowd favorite and one of the most popular faces of the NBA. 

  Now he's occasionally on TV as a sports analyst and busy running Magic Johnson Enterprises, a collection of business interests that includes movie theaters, restaurants and fitness centers.

"Magic" Johnson (Earvin Johnson, Jr.) led the Los Angeles Lakers to five national championships, then retired from basketball in 1991 upon discovering he had the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

In his career he scored 17,707 points, retrieved 6,559 rebounds and made 10,141 assists... He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

 

   A quick 6'9"(206cm) , 225pound (102kg) forward, Worthy played a dozen seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers when they were the dominant team of the 1980s. Worthy was important part of the famous trio with Kareem and Magic- his willingness to sublimate his ego was seen as a blessing. He didn't want to be a star.     Swooping drives to the basket were Worthy's trademark, made possible by his lightning first step and huge stride.He was an accurate shooter from 15-20 feet and a strong defender at small forward.
  Born February 27, 1961, in Gastonia, North Carolina, Worthy attended the University of North Carolina, where he was coached by Dean Smith and played alongside Jordan and future Lakers teammate Sam Perkins. According to myth, Jordan was the star of the 1982 NCAA Tournament, clinching the national championship with a last-gasp shot against Georgetown, but it was Worthy who scored 28 points in that game and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

  Worthy joined the Lakers as the first pick in the 1982 NBA draft and was a unanimous choice for the NBA All-Rookie Team. The Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the 1985 NBA Finals, which Worthy later called his greatest moment as a pro, and followed with back-to-back titles in 1987 (over the Celtics) and 1988 (over Detroit). He was brilliant against the Pistons, amassing 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in Game 7 of the Finals for his first triple-double as a professional. In 1992-93, he joined Kareem, Magic, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor as the only Lakers with 15,000 points.

The last link to the Lakers' championship era, Worthy played through 1994 before retiring because of arthritic knees. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

  Showtime Era refers to a time period in the (NBA) over which the Los Angeles Lakers won five championships. The Lakers team of the 1980s has been labeled a dynasty by basketball fans and analysts alike. Coached by Pat Riley and lead by 6'9” point guard, Earvin “Magic” Johnson this team combined solid defensive principles with a fast break offense to produce a style of basketball that both entertained Lakers fans and consistently produced wins.

  In the summer of  '79, via a draft pick obtained from the New Orleans Jazz, the Lakers drafted Earvin “Magic” Johnson, a 6'9” point guard who had already then a great potential. That first season Johnson lead a Lakers to an NBA championship.His teammates in that season were  Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Norm Nixon, Jamal Wilkes, and another rookie, Michael Cooper.

  Pat Riley soon took over the coaching duties from Paul Westhead and it was under his direction that the Showtime style flourished. Celebrities from nearby Hollywood soon took notice and joined stalwart fans such as Jack Nicholson and Dyan Cannon at Laker home games.

 The Showtime Era lasted the entire decade, culminating in back to back championships in 1988 and 1989. By the end of the decade the Lakers had gone to the finals eight times and won five championships.