Larry Bird's Favorite Part About Winning an NBA Title Was Knowing How Much It Hurt Magic Johnson

Larry Bird is such a savage.

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Complex Original

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Larry Birdwas a certified savage when it came to talking trash to other NBA players. But apparently, he was also such a savage that he actually took pleasure—great pleasure—in watching his fellow superstars fail.

During a discussion about LeBron James on ESPN Radio's Max and Marcellus show yesterday, Max Kellerman shared a story about the time he heard Bird talking about winning championships. According to Kellerman, Bird didn't necessarily love winning them because they made him feel good. Instead, he liked winning them because it made other guys and, more specifically, Magic Johnson feel bad.

"The best part about winning a championship was knowing that Magic was suffering in the other locker room," Bird said a few years ago, according to Kellerman (you can listen to him talk about it here).

It's worth noting that Bird and the Celtics beat Magic and the Lakers in 1984, while Magic and the Lakers beat Bird and the Celtics in both 1985 and 1987, which technically gives Magic an advantage over Bird. Magic also won five titles overall to Bird's three. But still, assuming Bird actually said this, what an amazing quote.

Can you even imagine what would happen if an NBA player came out and said something like this today?

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[via Reddit]

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