Magic Johnson - the magic of changing position

The key moment that made Johnson truly magical

In team sports, it's always good to have people for everything. People who would put themselves in an unusual position to fill a hole, be of service and help at a key moment. There are not a few examples in football of field players standing at the goal. We also have one in Bulgaria from the recent past. But in basketball, this is also quite unusual. Especially when we're talking about a point guard who has to play center. How is this possible, you ask?

The answer is also somewhat related to the Harry Potter films, because there is magic in it. The magic of Irwin, better known as Magic, Johnson. The legendary Los Angeles Lakers basketball player will hardly ever forget how he put on his first of 5 rings with the Lakers team.

To tell you the story, we go back to the already distant 1980s. A year in which Magic Johnson is a rookie in the National Basketball Association and with his team, which selected him in the draft with the number one pick, plays in the final against the Philadelphia Seventy-sixers. A final that could turn out to be key, both for the future of the Lakers and the Magic.

Everything is going extremely evenly, the result is 2-2 wins when the series is moved back to LA for game number 5. In it the Lakers win 108-103, but they give a big sacrifice - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who made 40 points, suffers an ankle injury and leaves his side without a center for the sixth and possibly seventh game. Doctors do not let the biggest star of the "lakes" go to Philadelphia, so coach Paul Westhead has to make an unusual decision - to give the role to Magic Johnson.

Johnson agreed and made a mark in NBA history that few players would, especially in their debut season. An incredible third quarter, turnaround and victory for the Lakers with 123:107, which brings the team the title. And Johnson deservedly can put on his first ring - 42 points, a perfect 14 shots from the foul line, 15 rebounds and 7 assists for a point guard playing as a center. To that we add 3 steals and 1 umbrella. Quite logically, Magic was also chosen as the most valuable player. Whether it's just for this game or for his overall performance against Philly, it doesn't matter. It's just that this is the night Irvin became Magic.

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