And that's with the advantage of nostalgia as an added selling tool, thanks to a matchup invoking memories of the Larry Bird-Magic Johnson battles of the 1980s (the three L.A.-Boston finals of the '80s averaged a 30 share, as did the six Michael Jordan-led Bulls series in the '90s).

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His very first draft pick, Magic Johnson, took the league by storm and led L.A. to the 1979-80 title, kicking off a decade of memorable battles with Larry Bird and the Celtics (the two teams combined for eight of nine NBA championships from 1980 through 1988).

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But when you combine the unknown variables of health and chemistry with the known historical evidence, co-owner Magic Johnson better not be making plans for ticker-tape parades through downtown L.A. just yet.

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Patrick Soon-Shiong, the richest man in L.A., bought a 5% stake in the Lakers from Magic Johnson in 2010 and could easily afford a bigger stake if the Buss family wants to raise any cash.

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