For those of us alive in the 1980s, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Los Angeles Lakers’ prolific Showtime offense created a Hollywood-style glitz and glamour that went far beyond the basketball court. Even non-sports fans knew who they were. Love ’em or hate ’em, they were among the few sports stars that moved the needle culturally.
Like all dynasties, the Lakers’ rise was fueled by a mixture of visionary (occasionally foolhardy) bravado. And sometimes, just plain luck.
For instance, in the new 10-episode HBO series“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,”events that seem so outrageous they must have been invented by producer Adam McKay(“Don’t Look Up”)and his team are actually true. A mob hit really did scare off new owner Jerry Buss’ top choice to be head coach, then-UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian. Buss’ next choice, Jack McKinney, really did suffer a near-fatal bicycle accident 13 games into the season and was replaced by Paul Westhead, who would steer L.A. to the first of five titles in the 1980s.
Through the first eight episodes provided to critics, “Winning Time” is like those vintage Lakers on a fast break: quick-moving, freewheeling, creative, packed with colorful characters and occasionally rising to the level of art. It is also a foul-mouthed and sex-fueled titanic clash between alpha male super-egos (and some alpha females as well).
The series, which covers 1979-80 — Buss’ first season as owner and Johnson’s rookie year — is based on Jeff Pearlman’s 2014 book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.” It is powered by the performances ofJohn C. Reilly,playing Buss as a man who revels in the good times that power can bring, and who has not yet discovered a reach that is beyond his grasp; and Quincy Isaiah, who — it would seem impossible, but he does it — convincingly exudesJohnson’s charm and charisma,even down to that distinctive Magic smile.
一个臭名昭著的花花公子,巴斯是描绘成unable to function without women in his life. That would include the many he bedded — he was a regular at the Playboy Mansion. But it also includes his eccentric mother (Sally Field), of whom he is still in awe and whose approval he constantly seeks; his daughter Jeannie (Hadley Richardson), a 17-year-old scarred by her parents’ divorce who assumes an entry-level position in the Lakers’ front office (she now runs the Lakers); and Claire Rothman (Gaby Hoffmann,“C’mon C’mon”), the pioneering events manager of the Lakers’ arena, the Forum.
By doting on Jeannie and including her as a decision maker in the family business, Buss almost seems to be offering her existence as his apology to all other women.
Meanwhile, Magic is caught between two worlds — his old life in Michigan, where he starred with Michigan State and has an on-again, off-again girlfriend named Cookie (Tamera Tomakili, “Fruitvale Station”); and an eye-opening Los Angeles lifestyle, some of which he embraces fully. In this sense, he is like Buss, a man meant to live large.
But as a rookie, he needs to earn the respect of his team, including the introverted, brooding Abdul-Jabbar (formerCal center Solomon Hughes,in a soulful performance). Kareem is a social justice warrior, a prominent Black activist who refused to play for the U.S. at the 1968 Olympics because of the Vietnam War. He is mystified by Magic’s seeming ability to rise above the racism around him, while he himself is obsessed by it. There is a lovely scene in which Kareem talks deeply with Magic’s working-class father (Rob Morgan, excellent) and gains newfound respect for his teammate.
“Winning Time” also boasts Jason Segel as a wishy-washy Westhead; Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, the team’s future head coach; Jason Clarke as an angry and manic-depressive Jerry West (the Hall of Fame player who was aWarriors executive from 2011 to 2017);Los Altos High alum Sean Patrick Small as Boston Celtics starLarry Bird;and a really nice, sympathetic performance from Wood Harris as embittered ex-superstar Spencer Haywood, then in the throes of a cocaine addiction, who clashed with Westhead.
One almost devastating misstep in the series is that characters constantly break the fourth wall, talking directly to the audience to reveal their thoughts. Not only is it dramatically lazy and unnecessarily glib; it temporarily takes us right out of the emotion of the story.
But no worries. The constant swirl of dramatic action, bigger-than-life characters and obsessive drive make “Winning Time” impossible to resist.
M“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”:Drama series. Starring John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, Solomon Hughes, Jason Clarke, Adrien Brody, Jason Segal, Hadley Robinson and Sally Field. (TV-MA. 10 hour-long episodes). First episode premieres 9 p.m. Sunday, March 6, on HBO and HBO Max. Subsequent episodes released Sundays through May 8.