1979: The two black and white heroes saved the NBA. They completely reversed the image of the league

In 1979, Bill Cartwright recalled the black and white showdown in the 1980s on the podcast "Mike Check", saying that the Magic and Bird saved the NBA.

"When I entered the league in 1979-80, the entire league was in a transition period," Cartwright said. "The league was shrouded in negative impressions: too rough, dirty, drug-ridden, etc., and Bird and the Magic seemed to have changed all this overnight, which is often overlooked, but they did completely reverse the image of the league." The black and white showdown in the 1980s left a deep mark on the NBA. With the addition of other iconic players, the league's influence continued to rise: the number of viewers broke the historical record, and a few years later, basketball went global, followed by huge amounts of funds, commercial endorsements, and the great rise of the NBA's promotion to a world-class phenomenon.

"Don't forget that players' income was small at that time, with a daily allowance of only $14. We didn't stay in the Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons Hotel, but Days Hotel chain," Cartwright added, "It was like this basketball environment at that time. We traveled on civil aviation flights and there was no such thing as private jets."