Former Globe columnist Jackie MacMullan’s book, “When the Game Was Ours,’’ detailing the fierce rivalry between the two Hall of Famers, hit stores last week, and the former adversaries, now close friends, hit the promotional circuit.

While Johnson’s comments about his severed friendship with Isiah Thomas have garnered the most attention, Bird has been given another opportunity to reflect on his Celtics past, especially the three brutal confrontations with the Lakers in the Finals during an era that resurrected the NBA in the American consciousness.

Bird, now president of the Indiana Pacers, has become more outspoken about his Celtic days, especially in his criticism of former teammate Cedric Maxwell, whom he, ironically, lauded during a conference call with reporters last Monday.

With the basketball public thirsting for more intimate tales from the ’80s, and Bird at peace with his role in the Celtics-Lakers connection, he offered his take on that remarkable period.

“I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I went to Boston,’’ he said. “I got there and I knew the history somewhat and I didn’t know what extent it was going to be, fan support, and everybody on the streets knew who you were. And what it meant for them to win games and have success in the playoffs.

“It was mind-boggling to me what winning meant to the people in the city. What it meant for them to win and have success in the playoffs.

“It was an eye-opener for me when I first went out there, and I knew right then it was time to get to work and try to get a team to win a championship.’’

Bird led the Celtics to a 61-21 record in his first year, 1979-80, the team’s most wins since 1972-73. A year later, the Celtics beat Houston in the Finals, the original Big Three’s first NBA title and the franchise’s first in five years.

His relationship with Magic has grown over the years. Johnson attended Bird’s retirement ceremony at the Garden, wearing a Celtics T-shirt underneath his Lakers warmups.

Johnson is a talker, having remained in the spotlight after his retirement, while Bird has maintained a lower profile, especially since the Pacers aren’t close to being an upper-echelon Eastern Conference team.

But as with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 30 years ago, Johnson’s vibrant personality and positive attitude bring out a colorful side to Bird.

“Larry always is honest,’’ Johnson said. “I used to get mad at him because he could be honest and I tried to be this diplomat. I hated the guy because he could beat me. I knew how great he was. I knew he was working hard in the gym for hours to get better. The dislike for him and the Celtics was definitely there.’’

Now the friendship is apparent, and the two agreed on one major thing about those Celtics teams: Dennis Johnson’s presence was the difference in beating the Lakers in ’84 and Houston in ’86.

“Dennis Johnson to me was the only guy I ever played with on a consistent basis that I knew we was on the same page,’’ said Bird. “I still feel he’s a Hall of Famer.

“I was very fortunate. A great guy to play with. Always wanted to win games. He practiced hard. And luckily we got Bill Walton in ’86. A Hall of Famer coming off the bench is a great way to start.’’

Bird said his relationship with Magic warmed up when they went to French Lick, Ind., to film a Converse commercial in 1985.

“There was no hate, just an admiration,’’ Bird said. “Having Magic Johnson come to my hometown of French Lick, Ind., was pretty big. Shooting that commercial in my home territory told me a lot about the man.’’

Bird jokingly added that he resented how much his mother liked Magic.

The players say they talk about twice a year, but the conversations cover the lapsed time. They talked for hours at last April’s Final Four when Magic was supporting Michigan State and Bird was scouting North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough.

In the conference call, Magic facilitated the questions and told reporters he promised Bird that he would keep it to an hour. Bird always answered questions following Magic, and toward the end, Magic reminded reporters that Bird’s time was valuable. Bird didn’t disagree.

“If I really need something, I know who to call,’’ Bird said. “If I really needed Magic for something and it didn’t have anything to do with basketball, I know he’d be there for me.’’

In a statement following the settlement, assistant attorney general Thomas Perez appeared to chide Sterling, saying, “Housing is a basic human need, and yet decades after passage of the Fair Housing Act, far too many still encounter barriers like discrimination. Particularly in times of economic distress and rising foreclosures, we must remain vigilant to ensure all individuals have equal access to housing.’’

According to the Justice Department, a 2006 investigation revealed that those who worked for Sterling “prepared internal reports that identified the race of tenants’’ and “made statements to [other] employees . . . indicating that African-Americans and Hispanics were not desirable tenants.’’

It is the largest settlement for housing discrimination in United States history, but the Sterling camp is saying it’s better to settle than face the financial cost and poor publicity generated by fighting such a case. Sterling is the league’s most unusual owner, making Mark Cuban appear compliant and affable in comparison.

The Donald is currently fighting a lawsuit brought by former general manager Elgin Baylor, who claims he was fired because of racial discrimination after 22 years. While Baylor’s claim may be baseless, considering his draft history and free agent decisions, it’s not flattering for Sterling and the perception of the Clippers.

But Sterling seems to float above any criticism. He simply ignores it. When critics insisted 15 years ago that he should move his team to Anaheim, he remained in Los Angeles, playing at the desolate Sports Arena, until the organization received occupancy in the Staples Center.

Having covered the team in the late 1990s, I found Sterling to be friendly but rather delusional. Many Clipper insiders said the reason he refused to move to Anaheim was that it was too far from his Beverly Hills offices.

Some believe he kept Baylor around so long because he loved being tight with a Hall of Famer, especially since the Lakers employed Baylor’s old teammate Jerry West for decades.

Now the question is whether the NBA will react to Sterling’s settlement with any penalty. The likely answer is no. If Sterling complained about officials or embarrassed the league with an off-court act such as a DUI, perhaps the league would act.

There seems to be such apathy regarding the Clippers that fan outrage - despite Los Angeles being such a diverse city - is also unlikely. Sterling appears content to preside over a team known for losing and mismanagement, and the NBA appears content to leave Sterling alone and let him run his tormented organization in peace.

Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com.