<DIV><DIV><DIV><DIV>From the moment these two legendary players took the court on opposing sides, they engaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. In Celtic green was Larry Bird, the hick from French Lick, with laser-beam focus, relentless determination, and a deadly jump shot, a player who demanded excellence from everyone around him and whose caustic wit left opponents quaking in their high-tops. Magic Johnson was Mr. Showtime, a magnetic personality with all the right moves. Young, indomitable, he was a pied piper in purple and gold. And he burned with an inextinguishable desire to win.</DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV>Their uncommonly competitive relationship came to symbolize the most thrilling rivalry in the NBA&#8212;East vs. West, physical vs. finesse, old school vs. Showtime, even white vs. black. Each pushed the other to greatness, and together Bird and Johnson collected&nbsp;eight NBA Championships and&nbsp;six&nbsp;MVP awards,&nbsp;helping to&nbsp;save a floundering NBA. At the start they were bitter rivals, but along the way they became lifelong friends.&nbsp;&nbsp; </DIV><DIV>&nbsp;</DIV><DIV><DIV>With intimate detail,&nbsp;<I>When the Game Was Ours</I>&nbsp;transports readers to an electric era and reveals for the first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting each other.&nbsp;It is a compelling portrait of two giants of the game, during professional basketball&#8217;s best times.</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>