HBO's 'Winning Time' is a soothing balm after Lakers' unsurprising playoff elimination
The acquisition of Russell Westbrook was meant to help the Los Angeles Lakers, already equipped with two powerhouses in LeBron James and Anthony Davis to land their 18th NBA championship. Safe to say, it blew up in their faces and the journey is done now. With an abysmal 31-48 record that saw them ousted from playoff contention, it's a long offseason for the side and for the fans, but for the latter, there's a silver lining with 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty'.
The HBO drama, a 10-episode series is based on Jeff Pearlman’s book 'Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty' of the 1980s is a dramedy that puts the spotlight on Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson. It follows “the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of the sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined an era, both on and off the court.”
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The jokes and the memes are already out there. Social media was flooded with posts from fans who felt 'Winning Time' was the only silver lining after a woeful season. "Pretty humbling to realize that the Washington Wizards have 4 more wins than your squad the only series I'm excited to watch this post season is #WinningTime stick it out @KingJames and put a run together next year #LakeShow," one of the tweets read.
Pretty humbling to realize that the Washington Wizards have 4 more wins than your squad 😭 the only series I'm excited to watch this post season is #WinningTime 😂 stick it out @KingJames and put a run together next year #LakeShow
— Jared T., MSF (@TucTownTevis) April 7, 2022
Why did the Lakers fail to make the playoffs in the NBA 2021-22 season?
Westbrook aside, the Lakers have been guilty of playing poor quality ball. Their inability to close out games and lose it in crucial junctures will now see them cool their heels. Add to this, the famed trio of Russ, AD and James played together just 21 times throughout the season, and the results were mixed (11-10 if you want the record). The franchise's offseason is filled with uncertainty. Their championhip-winning coach Frank Vogel faces the possibility of being fired, Westbrook's player contract hangs in question.
It wasn't just the health of the team that was a concern. The roster itself was disjointed with Malik Monk and Austin Reaves being the two bright spots. The veterans group of Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza and Kent Bazemore didn't do much. James had a phenomenal season, despite missing 29 games. Davis missed 39 and while Westbrook was the only one who missed a game, he wasn't enough to carry the side when the two pivotal pieces were out.
In a way, it would be unfair to say much of this is on Westbrook, who averaged 21.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.6 assists in the last nine games. There were glimpses of the vintage PG, but it wasn't enough to take them over the line. Vogel summed up the season: “It just sucks we can’t get over the hump and put a ‘W’ on the board when we really need it,” he said. “It sucks telling these guys after every game, ‘I’m proud of you, good effort. We lost," he told The Athletic.
There's 'Winning Time' to keep Lakers fans going
And up until May 8, Lakers fans will have some comic relief and an insightful, dramatized look at the 'Showtime' Lakers. It may not have earned the nod of appreciation from the Lakers legends who are part of the series, but that's not to say it wasn't received well by the audience. Rotten Tomatoes rated it an impressive 84% and the critics consensus read, "Gleefully excessive in both form and function, Winning Time pairs a larger-than-life roster of characters with whiplash style to deliver an absolute slam dunk."
What makes the HBO dramedy interesting is the fact that it appeals to the casually curious. Those not invested in basketball can still give this a whirl and watch it for the breezy piece of content that it is. Much like Netflix and ESPN's 'The Last Dance' that traced the journey of the Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, that appealed to audiences across the world, 'Winning Time' takes a similar route. It's a toughie, no doubt that a side like the Lakers not making the postseason may hurt, but they still have a consolation prize.
'Winning Time' airs Sundays at 9 pm on HBO.
