Pat Riley opens up about his intense rivalry with Larry Bird: 'Only to this day that we can shake hands and hug one another'

Patrick James Riley paved two vastly different careers in the world of basketball. First, he had a solid but nothing special nine-year playing career from 1967-1976. However, after he hung up his playing boots for good, his journey took a completely different direction.

Most of his playing career was spent in the iconic Purple and Gold uniform of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the same followed after his retirement. First, he became the assistant coach in 1979, and then early in the 1981-82 season, he took on the full duties of the franchise's head tactician. It was during this time, as with all members of the Lakers, that he developed a lifelong rivalry, one with the team from Beantown—the notorious Boston Celtics, led by Larry Bird.

The rivalry and battles between the teams during the 1980s have evolved into mutual respect and even friendship, as Riles admits.

"Only to this day, you know, Larry Bird and I can shake hands and hug one another," the Hall of Fame coach said in his appearance on the "OGs Podcast."

"It's not personal. He wanted to beat our a**, and we wanted to beat their a**. But as you get older, it's such a wonderful feeling to see somebody who has aged that you knew was so great as a player, and you had to coach to try to beat them, and he has always trying to beat you," he added.

The Lakers won their 80s Finals clashes

The 1980s marked the reigniting of the fierce rivalry between the two basketball powerhouses, led by superstars Magic Johnson and Bird, who brought long-awaited popularity to the NBA. Their battles over the years were closely followed, and the world eagerly anticipated the moment they would finally meet on the biggest stage. Their clash was viewed as the peak of their legendary rivalry, and it happened in the 1984 NBA Finals. In a grueling seven-game series, with momentum swinging back and forth, the Celtics ultimately took home the ultimate prize and bragging rights for every fan in Beantown.

The Purple and Gold wasted no time getting their revenge in the 1985 final clash, while the tie-breaker series happened in 1987, during which "Showtime" became victorious as well.

Riley was the mastermind behind the "Showtime"

Riley called the shots from the Lakers' bench in all three Finals series against the C's, and he admits that Bird caused him more sleepless nights than he'd like to admit. After all, "The Hick from the French Lick" was a fierce competitor, and it was not easy to stop him. However, "The Godfather" wouldn't become who he is if he had given up after the first setback. He had stars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and Magic, all of whom shouldered their share of responsibility.

Still, without Riles and his vision, we might not have seen the legendary "Showtime" era in full effect, and who knows, maybe Bird would have added another title to his name. One thing is certain, however: despite being fierce rivals at different positions at the time, Larry and Pat have a deep respect for each other's Hall of Fame careers.

"True winners, true champions are like that. They want that competitive, not hate, but that competitive desire to beat somebody else. That gives you that DNA," the legendary coach and an executive concluded.