Home Columns Magic Johnson’s heroics not enough 30 years ago on this day

Magic Johnson’s heroics not enough 30 years ago on this day

It was 30 years ago today. Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson had 24 points and 24 assists in a 121-118 overtime defeat to the host Phoenix Suns.

Here’s the box score from that game: https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199001090PHO.html

In UPI’s report of the game, it was noted that Magic tied his career high in assists.

Magic Johnson highlights

Magic Johnson 1990: 24pts & 24asts vs. Phoenix Suns

Despite Magic’s heroics on that day, the defeat was a nutshell of the team’s season. The Lakers were good, but not good enough. They had, after all, impossibly high standards based on what they achieved in the 1980s.

Here’s a look back at the end of their 1989-90 campaign, which ended in the playoffs against the Suns: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-05-16-sp-174-story.html.

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