HBO's "Winning Time" Cast and Their Real-Life Counterparts

Bird and Magic faced off for the first time in the 1979 NCAA championship, when his Indiana State took on Magic's Michigan State. It previewed their professional lives, where Bird led the Celtics on the East Coast, as Magic dominated with the Lakers on the West Coast. Bird played for the team from 1979 to 1992, and they won the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. Bird coached the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000 before moving into executive leadership for the team. Bird and Magic ultimately faced off in the NBA Finals three times, and their rivalry is considered one of the greatest ever in all sports. They also played together on the 1992 Olympics Dream Team, which won the gold medal. Bird and Magic ultimately became friends.