There have been a number of winners in the NBA. However, it is rare that someone rises in a special way. For Lakers legend Magic Johnson, he has these moments quite frequently. With winning as his only motive, Johnson saw no friends on the court. Notably, he even went after Isiah Thomas who was Michael Jordan’s arch-nemesis at the time.

Thomas and Magic were great friends. They had massive respect, but the competition got the best of them. The 1988 finals were where their rivalry was on full display. It got to the point where Magic even gave Thomas a hard forearm when he tried to attack the rim. This was only the start of their conflict.

While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, Johnson spoke about his 1988 altercation with Thomas. Despite being great friends, Johnson did not hold back. And Magic said it was all because of his hunger to win.

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Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan on one side

While Johnson and Thomas had a great friendship, their clashes on the court brought about a toxic turn. Johnson even refused to go to the hospital to visit Isiah’s newborn child. It was clear their relationship wasn’t heading in the most positive way. But for Magic, Thomas became an obstacle in his pursuit of championships.

He said: “He was getting in the way of my championships. Listen, Jimmy, you can’t get in the way of winning for me because I hurt you.”

The 1988 finals clash was iconic. Both the Pistons and Lakers weren’t losing an ounce of energy all game long. It went to an emphatic 7 game series. At the end of the day, Johnson and his Lakers troops emerged victorious. But this wasn’t the final blow to the Thomas-Magic friendship. Johnson was ticked off when he heard that Thomas was sharing vile rumors after he tested positive for HIV. This led to major tension between the two.

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It is said Magic and Michael Jordan were the biggest reasons for Isiah to not be a part of the 1992 Dream Team. With all things given, do you think Magic was right on his part? Let us know your views in the comments below.