'Lakers: Winning Time' is a fictionalised adaptation of the book "Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s" by writer Jeff Pearlman.
The first season focused on the arrival of Magic Johnson (played by Quincy Isaiah) to the Lakers and how the eccentric Jerry Buss (played by John C. Reilly) tried to build a legendary team.
In the second season the plot revolves around the tensions on the Lakers roster (centred on the rivalry between Norm Nixon and Magic Johnson), the progression of Pat Riley (played by Adrien Brody) against the insecure ace Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel), the rivalry with the Celtics and Larry Bird (played by Sean Patrick Small).
Norm Nixon denies 'Lakers: Time to Win' version of his rivalry with Magic Johnson
According to Norm Nixon, point guard for the Lakers from 1977 to 1983 and two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Angels, his alleged war with Magic Johnson is exaggerated in the HBO drama.
The series even shows an alleged locker room fight between the veteran Norm Nixon (played by his son DeVaughn Nixon) and the young Magic Johnson, who in the scene are separated by Michael Cooper (played by Delante Desouza).
"No... not even close," Nixon replied when asked by TMZ about his confrontation with Magic depicted in the HBO series.
How did the rivalry between Norm Nixon and Magic Johnson end on the Lakers?
The Lakers, who lost the 1983 NBA Finals to the Philadelphia Sixers, traded Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers for the 1983-1984 season in exchange for Byron Scott.
With this decision Jerry West (played by Jason Clarke) left the point guard position in the hands of the young Magic Johnson.
Winning Time (Lakers: Time to Win) irritates franchise legends
James Worthy, a legendary member of the Lakers from 1982 to 1994 and a three-time NBA winner with the 'Show Time' Lakers, has already complained that he disagreed with the show's portrayal of what really happened in the Lakers' backroom: "I just think 'Winning Time' could have been done very, very well. And I was disappointed that it didn't."
Jerry West demanded a rectification and an apology from HBO for his portrayal in 'Winning Time'.
"The portrayal of NBA and Lakers icon Jerry West in 'Winning Time' is a fictionalized, factual, deliberately false characterization that has caused great distress to Jerry and his family. Contrary to the unsubstantiated portrayal in the HBO series, Jerry had nothing but love and harmony with the Lakers and, in particular, with owner Jerry Buss during a time when he assembled one of the greatest teams in NBA history," West's lawyers charged in a letter.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar criticised the ridiculing of the characters: "Instead of exploring West's problems with compassion as a way to better understand the man, they turn him into the cartoon Coyote to laugh at. He never broke golf clubs, never threw his trophy out the window. Sure, those actions create dramatic moments, but they reek of shallow exploitation of the man rather than an exploration of the character."
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