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Magic Johnson dropped a humble admission after suffering 1981 injury with Lakers

 There is no question that Earvin "Magic" Johnson was one of the most talented players ever to play in the NBA. He was a vital part of the Los Angeles Lakers and kept the team together.

However, Johnson was not spared from injuries. He suffered one in 1981, and this made him realize that not all good things last forever.



"Maybe it was a blessing in disguise, to let me know that it can end as fast as it started. Wham. It made me keep it in the right frame of mind. It kept me from getting a big head, and thinking that things would always be like this," the 6-foot-9 guard said via NYT in 1981.

Forgettable return

Johnson suffered a torn cartilage in his left knee at the time. This forced him to miss the majority of the Lakers' regular-season games. However, the top pick of the 1979 Draft managed to return in time for the playoffs.

Unfortunately, Johnson's return did not help the Lakers against the Houston Rockets. In fact, the 1980 Finals MVP cost the Purple and Gold a chance to win Game 3 after he airballed his last-second shot. According to Houston Rockets center Moses Malone, LA should have gone with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar instead.

"Magic took that shot, but they should have gone to the big man," Malone said in another article in the New York Times.

Change the play

After that forgettable performance, Johnson and the Lakers sought redemption in the 1981-82 season. Johnson wanted the Lakers to shift from a slow-paced to a fast-paced brand of basketball, something that Paul Westhead opposed.

Things got heated between Johnson and Westhead, and Magic demanded that he be traded. But rather than grant that wish, team owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Pat Riley.

Johnson drew criticism for that, although he tried to explain his side of Westhead's firing. It turned out that Buss was also unhappy with the Purple and Gold's offense at the time, and the champion coach's job was already in jeopardy.



With no coaching experience to show for at the time, Riley was in a tight spot. Despite the pressure, the former Lakers guard passed with flying colors. Adopting an up-tempo style of play, Riles directed the Lakers to the 1982 title, ushering in the 'Showtime era.'

The Lakers would roll with the fast-paced brand of play in the years that followed. Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, and Riley formed a solid partnership that delivered four NBA championships to Hollywood in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988.

However, some good things never last. That run stalled in 1989, the last year of KAJ as a pro. Riles would step down as head coach in 1990. The 'Showtime era' officially died in 1991 with Johnson being forced into retirement due to HIV. 

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