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On this date: Magic Johnson becomes the center of attention

When you think of Magic Johnson, you think of him as a dazzling point guard, capable of scoring, leading and passing with astounding skill and wizardry.

At 6-foot-9, Johnson was big for a guard, but you certainly don’t think of him as a “big man.”

Thirty seven years ago Tuesday, Johnson came up big in every possible way. He filled in at center for NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who was out with an injured ankle) and scored 42 points in an NBA Finals-clinching Game 6 win for the Los Angeles Lakers over the Philadelphia 76ers.