Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Like its main character Jerry Buss,Winning Timeis not a show that is interested in subtlety.
The front office, led by Jerry West, wants to replace McKinney with former Laker great Elgin Baylor.
If Riley quits the broadcasting booth, will he still have a spot on the bench when McKinney returns?
Westhead, lying out of his mouth, assures him that he will.
Riley cant resist, especially since the alternative is being muted by Chick Hearn for three hours every night.
But Riley immediately knows hes been had by his new boss.
Magic wades through the mass of autograph seekers and groupies to bear hug Cookie.
The game against Detroit, a last-place team, ends in a similarly disastrous fashion.
Earvin Sr. jokes that the doctor didnt slap a newborn Magic to stop crying but rather to stop smiling.
But Westhead is either too drunk or uninterested in caring.
When Riley angrily confronts Westhead about his lie, Westhead tries to soften it by praising Riley ashiscoach.
As the team soon finds out, they really need to double team Larry Legend.
But after Riley prods him to send in Spencer Haywood, the Lakers get some much-needed buckets and toughness.
But he hesitates, so Riley takes the wheel to control his own destiny.
Which they do, as Michael Cooper hits a game-winning prayer to give the Lakers a one-point victory.
Among the hushed crowd are two unexpected smiling faces.
One is Kareem, whos played more than his fair share of games in the Garden.
Auerbach isnt smiling because the hated Lakers beat him in a regular-season game.
Forum Facts
The Bill Russell shit story istrue.
The1979-1980 Lakerssix-week skid after McKinneys accident was not only heavily overblown in this episode but also wildly fictionalized.
Finally, the Lakers went 4-0 versus the Pistons and Pacers that season.
