When the Game Was Ours

From the moment these two players took the court on opposing sides theyengaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. Their uncommonlycompetitive relati... » 

From the moment these two players took the court on opposing sides theyengaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. Their uncommonlycompetitive relationship came to symbolize the most compelling rivalry in theNBA. These were the basketball epics of the 1980s Celtics vs Lakers East vsWest physical vs finesse Old School vs Showtime even white vs black. Eachpushed the other to greatness together Bird and Johnson collected 8 NBAChampionships and 6 MVP awards and helped save the floundering NBA at its mostcritical time. When it started they were bitter rivals but along the way theybecame lifelong friends. With intimate flyon the wall detail WHEN THE GAMEWAS OURS transports readers to this electric era of basketball and reveals forthe first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting oneanother. From the heady days of trading championships to the darker days ofinjury and illness we come to understand Larrys obsessive devotion to winningand how his demons drove him on the court. We hear him talk with candor aboutplaying through chronic pain and its truly exacting toll. In Magic we see ayoung invincible star struggle with the sting of defeat not just as a playerbut as a team leader. We are there the moment he learns hes contracted HIV andhear in his own words how that devastating news impacted his relationships inbasketball and beyond. But always in both cases we see them prevail. Acompelling upcloseandpersonal portrait of basketballs most inimitable duoWHEN THE GAME WAS OURS is a reevaluation of three decades in counterpoint. Itis also a rollicking ride through professional basketballs best times. «