"You can always be friends after the series is over" - Magic Johnson put his friendship with Isiah Thomas to the side in the 1988 Finals

The 1988 Finals was eventful because it would be the final championship in the Showtime Lakers era. The matchup was between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons, a clash of styles between the exciting offensive team and the defensive titans.

As the two point guards and leaders for either side, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Isiah Thomas had to compete against one another. This competition became even more meaningful because they were close friends and greatly respected each other.

"It was hard, but winning takes precedence over everything. Friendship, you can always be friends after the series is over," Johnson said in an interview about the Finals.

Johnson and Thomas respected each other

Being the best point guards of their generation, Magic and Zeke had to compete against each other often. Considering the Lakers legend was from Michigan and Isiah played in Detroit, they hung out during the offseason. They probably shared memories, but that did not matter during their matchup in the '88 Finals.

Before Game 1, they even shared a brotherly kiss on the cheek. It was a sign they would be friendly off the court, but it also signaled the start of the point guard duel.

Both players performed well in the NBA Finals, with Magic scoring 21.1 points and dishing out 13 assists per game. Zeke averaged 19.7 points and nine assists per game during the close seven-game series.

Their performances showed they brought out the best in each other, but the Lakers would triumph en route to their fifth championship of the 1980s. All of them were led by Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, cementing their status as legends.

That series mattered because in the following year, 1989, they would have a rematch in the Finals. Unfortunately, the Lakers were riddled with injuries, so the Pistons had an easy path to the championship, winning in a sweep.

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The duo had a public spat

Magic and Isiah were always friends, but there were cracks in the friendship in 1987 when Thomas made controversial comments about Larry Bird that were deemed discriminatory. Magic had an issue with that because he and the Celtics forward had a special connection as friends and fierce rivals.

They were not on good terms after the matchups in 1988 and 1989, which became worse when Johnson tested positive for HIV. Rumors were spreading about Zeke mocking Magic about his sexuality, which potentially played a role in Magic and the rest of the Dream Team, keeping him out of the roster.

Thankfully, they reconciled a couple of decades later. It was not too late to save their friendship because they were close, and they knew they loved each other and could get past their issues. Magic and Isiah were superb competitors because they improved each other through their friendly rivalry.

Related: “He was getting away from the game when I needed him the most” - Michael Jordan felt ‘cheated’ when Magic Johnson announced his retirement