'Winning Time' Episode 2 Review: Compelling chapter pits Jerry Buss against Red Auerbach
Almost every odds that John C Reily's Jerry Buss faced, he did so with a smile in 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty'. From signing Magic Johnson, trying to build a championship roster, and maintaining a smile at it, Buss's struggles were well documented. In Episode 2, he gets some freeze from Boston Celtics legend Red Auerbach. It was supposed to be a meeting where he learns from the best, but the latter spurns Buss motivating him to do whatever it takes to ensure the Lakers win.
There's also ample emphasis on Jerry West (Jason Clarke) as the Buss and the team's expectations from him, but he throws a curveball by handing in his resignation. In hindsight, this may be the right time to retire. All the rage he has and takes it out on the team, West has seemingly lost the faith and the interest of the players. His youth wasn't a great one either as he grew up in an abusive and toxic household with basketball being his only escape. West has been shown as an absolute wreck in a chapter that talks basketball more than playing it.
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On the other end, there are also some troubles in the world Magic Johnson (Quincy Isiah), fresh off his NBA Draft contract with the Lakers. He hopes his mother would see him as the superstar he's promised to be, and the woman just ensures that she's cold, calculative, and relentless. There's also the storyline where he attempts to win back Cookie, his girl who now dates someone else. Magic does just what Magic did later on — shut them down with some insane balling while also womanizing another girl. It's not the ideal way to do things, but he does it anyway.
Back to Buss vs Red, the competition is real and safe to say, the next few episodes is all about a dynasty team's journey to douse the flame of Auerbach's cigar with some ice-cold splashes and dunks. Episode 2 is all about the 'Now we have a team, what's next?' Buss's speech of the final moments shows he truly intends to make it a Showtime era and the sports drama, despite being pummeled by former NBA stars manages to hold the attention and has fans asking for more.
With eight episodes to go, expect a lot more of what's being seen on 'Winning Time'.
'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty' airs Sunday nights at 9 pm on HBO.