After defeating the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, which Magic Johnson claimed shocked Celtics legend Larry Bird, the Boston Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers legend claims that although the forward played his entire career in Boston, he now had more loyalty to the Pacers than the Celtics.
When Johnson appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the host questioned Bird about his continued interest in the Celtics. He answered,
“[Larry Bird is] all Pacers now. He don’t care about the Celtics. He lives in Indiana. He works for the Pacers. So he probably was upset when Pacers lost [to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals].”
When Kimmel asked if the legendary player for the Boston Celtics hated the team he played for his whole playing career, Johnson said it was unlikely. The Hall of Famer and the audience erupted in laughter as the host, a die-hard Los Angeles Lakers fan, joked, “Let’s say he does.”
How Has Larry Bird become important to the Pacers?
Although Bird presumably still supports the Celtics, Johnson asserted that the Pacers are more important to the renowned forward. Before declaring for the 1979 NBA draft, he attended Indiana State and was born and raised in Indiana. Bird returned to Indiana in 1997 to take the helm of the Pacers as head coach after playing for 13 seasons and serving as a special assistant for five years in Boston.
Before taking a break from basketball and rejoining the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2003, he held the position for three seasons.
Health problems forced him to resign from his position as the franchise’s top executive after nine years in that capacity. He returned to the position the following year and remained there until 2017. With the exception of a brief 11-month break from June 2022 to July 2023, Bird has actively participated in the Pacers think tank since turning over leadership to Kevin Pritchard and stepping back into an advising role.
He is most known for his amazing time as a player for the Boston Celtics, yet he worked for the Pacers for more seasons than he did for the Celtics. Bird is an Indiana fanatic who will support them over the Celtics, as Johnson pointed out. However, that doesn’t take away from his successes or his affection for Boston.