Magic Johnson once scored 40 points against the Pacers with a serious Achilles injury: "I wouldn't have played tonight"

In the 1980s, there was no advanced medical method for handling injuries compared to today. Regardless, this was not a reason for players like Earvin "Magic" Johnson not to suit up. For as long as he felt he could perform, he would do so and try to help his team win.

An excellent example of Magic's dedication to winning was when the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Indiana Pacers in February 1987. The purple and gold went on to win that game despite concerns about the Michigan State product's availability. The reason behind this is that the All-Star guard was dealing with a sore Achilles tendon. Thankfully, it loosened up during the warmups, allowing Johnson to play.

"If it (the Achilles tendon) didn't loosen up in the warmups I wouldn't have played tonight," Johnson said at the time via UPI .

What injury?

Johnson's availability gave the Lakers a huge lift against the Pacers. He scored 40 points in 41 minutes of action to lead LA to a 113-108 win over Indiana. It was a fitting performance for the Lakers, especially considering other players struggled offensively while the Pacers put up good defense.

Pat Riley lauded the Pacers for their defensive effort. It took them a while to figure it out, although Magic's timely plays in the second half gave Los Angeles the win.

"We had to work hard reading their defense. Finally, Magic made a great stance in the second half and just took control. It was definitely a bump-and-grind type of game, " Lakers coach Pat Riley stated.

James Worthy helped with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Byron Scott likewise contributed 16 points, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Magical year for Johnson

Despite not being at 100% health, the 1986-87 season was a banner year for the top pick of the 1979 Draft. He went on to win his first regular-season MVP award. The Lakers also went on to win the NBA title that season at the expense of the Boston Celtics. Magic was a key figure in the final and was hailed as the Finals MVP.

One unforgettable moment in the 1987 NBA Finals was Johnson's game-winning hook shot over Kevin McHale and Robert Parish in Game 4. Although it was his only basket in the fourth quarter, that shot handed the Lakers a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Boston Celtics managed to stay alive when they won Game 5, 123-108. However, the Lakers were determined to finish it all by Game 6, aware that allowing the Celtics to knot the series would be costly. Thanks to Jabbar and Worthy, the Lakers finished off the Cs, 106-93, to bag their 10th NBA title.

Related: "He's trying to buy an NBA team, not coach an NBA team" - When Magic Johnson's agent addressed rumors about him coaching in 1993