Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals

  • TV Movie
  • 2010
  • TV-PG
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals (2010)
BasketballSports DocumentaryBiographyDocumentarySport

An exploration of the fierce rivalry between NBA superstars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson during their decade of dominance.An exploration of the fierce rivalry between NBA superstars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson during their decade of dominance.An exploration of the fierce rivalry between NBA superstars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson during their decade of dominance.

  • Director
    • Ezra Edelman
  • Writers
    • Aaron Cohen
    • Charles Olivier
  • Stars
    • Magic Johnson
    • Larry Bird
    • Steve Springer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    2.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ezra Edelman
    • Writers
      • Aaron Cohen
      • Charles Olivier
    • Stars
      • Magic Johnson
      • Larry Bird
      • Steve Springer
    • 10User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast32

    Edit
    Magic Johnson
    Magic Johnson
    • Self
    Larry Bird
    Larry Bird
    • Self
    Steve Springer
    Steve Springer
    • Self - LA Times
    Evelyn Johnson
    • Self - Sister
    George Fox
    • Self - High School Coach
    Bryant Gumbel
    Bryant Gumbel
    • Self
    Rick Robey
    • Self
    Mark Bird
    • Self
    Jim Jones
    • Self - High School Coach
    Bill Russell
    Bill Russell
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Jerry West
    Jerry West
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Charles Pierce
    Charles Pierce
    • Self - Boston Globe
    • (as Charles P. Pierce)
    Cedric 'Cornbread' Maxwell
    • Self
    Michael Cooper
    Michael Cooper
    • Self
    Arsenio Hall
    Arsenio Hall
    • Self
    Pat Riley
    Pat Riley
    • Self
    Ted Shaker
    • Self
    Brent Musburger
    Brent Musburger
    • Self
    • Director
      • Ezra Edelman
    • Writers
      • Aaron Cohen
      • Charles Olivier
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews10

    8.22.4K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10vochieng83

    Well Done Documentary

    What a lovely and well done documentary. I didn't plan to watch it all but the story just made me sit back and soak it all in. I wish I could have seen these two play. I started following the sport when I saw Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls.
    4leplatypus

    Slowtime (web)

    Well, this basketball documentary about Bird & Magic tries another approach than the amazing, fantastic, incredible comments from the NBA production. Here, it's more psychological with less highlights and more interviews! But, finally, I found it boring and as much « false » : it's like basketball which is a team sport can be reduced to only one player, even if he has extraordinary skills. All the more i must say that Magic exhausts me with his constant smile and laughs and i prefer without hesitation Bird who does his job and quits. The documentary is however interesting about their early career (rare footages) and make understand how those 2 players just fit with their city. Just imagine if Bird had played in LA and Magic in Boston ??? The other thing that we can understand is how their competitiveness and thirst for victories can never be quenched !!!
    10Jansaguttin1976

    The Magic Bird :-)

    For all my youth, Magic was the one, with even ever seeing the man play, but after seeing this Documentary, ewrything changed, and Larry Bird became my favorit Sports Star. This is the one Documentary, and the one Sports Rivalry that Towers above any one in Sports History. Its a Must watch.
    10hscoggin

    Great story

    The story of how these complete opposite personalities became friends is fascinating. And watching them interact, and describe their different perceptions of various social situations is really entertaining.
    8view_and_review

    How Magic & Bird Saved the NBA

    If you grew up watching basketball in the 80's then you knew all about the Magic v. Bird rivalry. My brother is a Lakers fan to this day because of Magic and the Showtime Lakers, and I'm sure there are many Celtics fans out there because of Bird.

    This documentary chronicles their upbringing and their rivalry that began in college. There are interviews from pros, fans, and analysts about the two. Their rivalry may have been exaggerated for the sake of the NBA, but it wasn't a myth, and the world benefited as a result.

    More like this

    Kareem: Minority of One
    7.4
    Kareem: Minority of One
    Shaq
    7.7
    Shaq
    Celtics City
    8.4
    Celtics City
    The Dream Team
    8.3
    The Dream Team
    Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
    8.2
    Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
    They Call Me Magic
    7.7
    They Call Me Magic
    We Beat the Dream Team
    7.3
    We Beat the Dream Team
    Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
    8.3
    Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
    The Redeem Team
    7.4
    The Redeem Team
    Larry Bird: A Basketball Legend
    8.4
    Larry Bird: A Basketball Legend
    Larry Bird: Larry Legend
    Larry Bird: Larry Legend
    Tiger
    7.8
    Tiger

    Related interests

    Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in White Men Can't Jump (1992)
    Basketball
    Michael Jordan in The Last Dance (2020)
    Sports Documentary
    Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)
    Biography
    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary
    Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)
    Sport

    Storyline

    Edit

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 10, 2010 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 大鳥與魔術強生:不是冤家不聚頭
    • Production company
      • HBO Sports
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 25m(85 min)
    • Color
      • Color

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.