Hoops fans are in for a treat as HBO has renewed Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty for a second season. The announcement came at the perfect time with the buzzer just about to sound on the first season. Catch the climactic season finale of the hit HBO Original sports drama series same day as the U.S. on Monday, May 9 at 9am on HBO and HBO GO, with a same day encore at 10pm on HBO.
Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty follows one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties that defined an era. Following the purchase of Los Angeles Lakers by Dr. Jerry Buss in 1979, the team went on to win five championships between 1980 and 1991.
The Lakers of the 80s did not just win games and rack up championships, they did so with style – personifying the flamboyance and excess of the decade in which they reigned supreme. True to the Hollywood nature of their homecourt, the Lakers unleashed a style of basketball on a league unprepared for their speed and ferocity – perfectly encapsulated in one word: Showtime.
Here’s how Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty captured the magic of Showtime and introduced an important period of basketball history to a new generation of fans:
PURE MAGIC
The Lakers had the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft, and the team selected Earvin “Magic Johnson”, a 6’9” point guard with a big smile and an even bigger drive to win games. After a storied career, Johnson would go on to be one of the best players to ever step foot on a basketball court.
Played by Quincy Isaiah on the show, Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty follows Johnson just as his career takes off, shortly before he became the star who helped define the Lakers’ exciting brand of basketball.
WELCOME TO THE FORUM
Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty brings viewers along to experience the exciting atmosphere of Lakers’ home games.
With Los Angeles as their home court, Dr. Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) took inspiration from the opening act of The Horn nightclub and brought the glitz and glamor of Hollywood to Lakers games at The Forum – the team’s home arena. Pairing a theatrical atmosphere, music, and dancers with the Lakers’ new and exciting style of play made Lakers’ games the place to be for fans and celebrities alike.
RAZZLE DAZZLE
During the Showtime era, the Lakers played an up-tempo style of basketball that relied on fast breaks and Magic Johnson’s creative passing to generate offense.
Episode four of the series offers viewers an in-depth look at the beginnings of Showtime basketball. In a practice session, coach Jack McKinney (Tracy Letts) convinces the Lakers to adapt his offensive scheme of running fast breaks. Expertly filmed to bring viewers close to the action, this practice scene is important in Lakers lore, as it marked the beginning of the transition from fundamental-heavy basketball to the Showtime Lakers style that continues to influence the modern game.
THE SKY HOOK
Aside from Magic Johnson and the fast break, the Lakers enjoyed the luxury of having Kareem-Abdul Jabbar on the team. Played by Solomon Hughes in the series, the 7’2” center would go on to finish his career with the most points scored in NBA history.
A key move in his offensive arsenal was the Sky Hook – a sweeping shot released from the side of the body that maximized Abdul-Jabbar’s long reach and tall height. In preparation for the role, Hughes spent hours trying to replicate the shot, utilizing his background as an academic researcher to analyze footage, break down the nuances, and to practice it.
Notoriously difficult to block when done right, Abdul-Jabbar’s Sky Hook was a big part of the Showtime Lakers’ success.
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is based on the book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s” written by Jeff Pearlman.
Catch up on Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on HBO GO. Subscribe to HBO GO online at www.hbogoasia.ph or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store on your device for as low as ₱99.70/month. Or access HBO GO via Cignal, Globe and Skycable. HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
