On the rivalry:

Magic: "I think we both, when we came into the NBA, into our perspective teams, we probably both didn't know that we would jump-start the NBA to what it is today, that we would be able to play for two storied and historical franchises like Boston and Los Angeles.

"I think the main thing is we were a team. We knew that Boston was one of the most incredible teams, would run their offense to perfection. I thought they were the best at running their offense and executing on their offensive end.

"Then on their defense, they always played a great team defense. They had one of the best individual defensive players probably to ever play in the league, that being Dennis Johnson. I had to match up against him. Boy, that was a tough matchup every time.

"But I knew that Larry Bird could beat us at any time. I knew that he was one player, nothing we could do with him because he was gonna score, he was gonna get his rebounds, his assists. Then his will to win was higher than everybody else's. The thing that I tell people that Larry had that was probably unmatched with anybody, he knew how to make his other players better. I think that still today nobody has surpassed him when it comes to that. Also being so smart at the game, knowing how to play the angles, knowing how to always be on balance.

"...I'm just happy to see these new Lakers in the championship with these new Celtics because it's not really about Larry and I now. It's about what we, of course, have built over the years, but now this is their stage. It's Kobe's stage, Garnett's stage, Paul Pierce's stage, Ray Allen, Odom's stage. They will take advantage of it. It's Doc Rivers and Phil Jackson's stage.

"Even though the names have changed as players and coaches, when you think about the most fans around the world who watch basketball, if you ask them what team would they want to see in The Finals, they would pick these two teams."

Bird: "I just think it's great for the league. It's great for basketball. I think both teams last summer made great deals to put their teams, give them an opportunity to get back to The Finals. They're there now. Like Magic said earlier, it's their stage. I really felt bad about doing this press conference because I felt that it's really the players of today's game. That's what they should be focusing on. It really doesn't matter what happened in the '80s or '50s, '60s. It's what's happening now. It's in the big stage. First time in The Finals for a lot of the guys. It will be interesting to see how they perform because there's going to be a lot of pressure on them. There's going to be some situations that they never have been in as far as the media, the pressures at crucial times of the game. It's going to be interesting to see how they handle it.

"Over the years, being able to play against a guy like Magic Johnson, it's really an honor to play against the Lakers of their greatest teams ever put together in this league. It was extraordinary, great competition. It was battles every game. You knew if you didn't play good, your team wasn't going to win.

"I just feel very honored being able to be in an opportunity with the great teammates that I had to compete against a team either better or on an equal level as we were.

"It was an extraordinary time. I'm really happy for Danny Ainge and the Celtics. I look forward to them winning another championship."