The first season of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is winding down, and the series has received positive feedback from viewers. And because of that, the HBO series has been renewed for a second season. But as much as viewers love the show, the same can’t be said for the Los Angeles Lakers legends who are being portrayed in the series. Some of the Lakers who have called out HBO for Winning Time are Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.
“It’s hard. I won’t watch it because it’s hard to duplicate,” Johnson told Entertainment Tonight in March. “You can’t duplicate Showtime. First, on the court, I mean, we just did our thing, it was up and down. And then off the court — because unless you were a Laker, or you’re a Buss family [member] — because you can’t duplicate Dr. Jerry Buss — and the Laker Girls and Paula Abdul and what that meant, I mean, it started on the court and it went all the way up.” Here’s a look at fans showing love to Winning Time.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Seems Accurate
One fan believes the portrayal of the main characters are accurate. The series is based on the book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman which takes a look at the Lakers during the 1980s, a time when they won five NBA Championships.
Intense
In the latest episode, the Lakers took on the Celtics who were led by Larry Brid. The Lakers won the game with a last-second shot, and everyone watching knew the rivalry between the two teams was only beginning.
Jerry West
West may not like the portrayal of him in Winning Time, but fans seem to enjoy it. In Winning Time, West is played by Jason Clarke who has appeared in films such as Terminator Genisys, Mudbound and Pet Sematary.
Larry Bird Comparison
Bird is played by Sean Patrick Small who spoke to PopCutlure.com in March. When asked about the challenge of playing Bird, Small said, “I went to YouTube right when I was getting the audition, because I was like, all right, I need to get the accent down and to not sound like a caricature of a Midwest twang or something like that.”
Loving the Acting
Winning Time has a mixture of veteran actors and new talent. The cast includes Clarke, John C. Reily, Sally Field, Gaby Hoffman, Adrien Brody, Quincy Isaiah, and Solomon Hughes.
Don’t Miss Out
There are three more episodes before the first season comes to an end. As for Season 2, it’s not clear when it will be released, but it will likely be available in the Spring of 2023.
Actual Footage
The Lakers and Celtics were the teams of the 1980s as the Lakers won five NBA titles and the Celtics won three. Johnson and Bird were the dominant players of the decade before Michael Jordan took over in the 1990s.
