Unveiling the Incredible Truth: Winning Time Season 2 Episode 1 Recap - The Real Story Revealed!
Unveiling the untold tales of Winning Time season 2! Explore the intriguing reality behind the 1984 NBA Finals, Magic Johnson's knee injury, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's iconic goggles, and more Discover the true story that goes beyond creative liberties in this captivating recap
WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Winning Time season 2, episode 1.
Summary
Winning Time season 2 explores the legendary rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, starting with a flashback to the Lakers' victory in Game 1 of the 1984 NBA Finals against the Celtics.
True footage from the 1984 NBA Finals disproves the notion that the Lakers hastily left the court to evade hostile fans, as numerous Boston supporters had already departed the arena.
In the 1980 NBA Draft, Celtics President Red Auerbach made a significant trade to bring in Robert Parish and Kevin McHale. This move ensured a prosperous future for the Celtics in the following decade.
The second episode of season 2 of HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty starts right after the 1980 NBA Championship, where season 1 left off. It focuses on Jerry Buss (played by John C. Reilly), the controversial and innovative owner of the Lakers. Buss shocked the basketball world and revolutionized sports entertainment with his daring approach to winning. Magic Johnson (played by Quincy Isaiah) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (played by Solomon Hughes) continue to showcase their electrifying style of basketball. Jerry West (played by Jason Clarke), Jason Segel (playing Paul Westhead), and Pat Riley (played by Adrien Brody) oversee the team's operations from the sidelines.
What Really Happened After Game 1 Of The 1984 NBA Finals
In the first season of Winning Time, episode 10 explored the remarkable journey of Magic Johnson, who made history as the first ever NBA rookie to win both an NBA title and be crowned the Championship MVP in the same year. Moving on to the second season, Winning Time will delve deeper into the legendary rivalry between Magic Johnson and basketball icon Larry Bird, with Sean Patrick Small portraying Bird in five episodes of the first season. The anticipated second season of Winning Time kicks off with a thrilling teaser scene showcasing the Pat Riley-led Lakers securing a victory in Game 1 of the 1984 NBA Finals at the Boston Garden. This sets the stage for the remaining seven episodes to focus intensely on the feud between Lakers owner Jerry Buss and Celtics President Red Auerbach, played by Michael Chiklis.
In Game 1 of the 1984 NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics faced off in a thrilling competition. Surprisingly, the Lakers emerged victorious on Boston's home court, gaining an early advantage in the series. Boston's dedicated fans were notorious for their intense support, so it is entirely plausible that the fan aggression witnessed at the end of the game did indeed occur. This matchup marked the first time Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had met in a championship game since their iconic clash for the NCAA state championship in 1979, where Magic's Michigan State triumphed over Larry's Indiana State with a score of 75-64.
The Celtics Really Got McHale & Parish In The Same Trade
The 1984 NBA Finals Game 1 concluded with a Lakers triumph over their opponents by a score of 115-109. Nevertheless, upon reviewing the actual game footage, it becomes evident that the Lakers did not hastily exit the court, bypassing their locker rooms and seeking refuge on their bus. Contrary to popular belief, numerous Boston fans had already left the stadium before the game's conclusion, resulting in the debunking of the alleged deluge of popcorn and beverages hurled at the Lakers as they made their departure. In fact, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar remained behind for a televised interview with Pat O'Brien on CBS. Nonetheless, it is worth mentioning that this particular scene from Winning Time season 2 may have been inspired by Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals, during which Celtics fans commemorated their triumph by pelting the Lakers' departing bus with rocks.
Celtics President Red Auerbach orchestrated an incredibly successful move for the team by acquiring center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale in the same trade, marking one of the most lucrative deals in the team's history. After the retirement of Dave Cowens, Auerbach recognized the Celtics' need for a center, leading him to pursue Parish during the 1980 NBA Draft. Auerbach made a strategic trade, offering the Celtics' number one overall pick and the thirteenth pick in the 1980 NBA Draft to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Parish and the third overall draft pick. Utilizing that third pick, Auerbach selected McHale, solidifying the Celtics' prosperous future for the following decade.
Magic Johnson’s Real-Life 1980 Knee Injury Explained
Magic Johnson's brutal knee injury was based on true events that occurred during the early 1980 Lakers season. He initially encountered issues with his knee during a regular-season game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 11th. During a basketball play, Tom Burelson, a Hawks player, accidentally fell on top of Magic's left knee, causing damage to the cartilage. It wasn't until November 18, 1980, during a game against the Kansas City Kings, that the severity of Magic's injury was acknowledged, and he began to receive medical treatment. The injury forced Magic to be sidelined for 100 days and miss 45 games, which significantly humbled the young superstar, who had quickly become the face of the franchise at only 20 years old.
Why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Started Wearing His Iconic Goggles
Kareem's decision to don his iconic goggles for the first time in season 2, episode 1 of Winning Time during the 1980-1981 season was depicted. However, in reality, he had already been wearing these signature goggles since 1974 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. This was after he suffered an eye injury and had to sit out a number of games. Standing tall at a height of 7' 2", Kareem frequently faced eye pokes from shorter defenders, prompting him to start wearing goggles for protection. Winning Time suggests that Kareem's 1974 eye injury occurred during a Lakers practice in 1980. While this scenario might have taken place, it is important to note that it was not the first instance of the athlete sporting his memorable goggles.
The True Story Behind Magic Johnson’s Firstborn Son Andre
Magic Johnson's firstborn, Andre, is portrayed fairly accurately in the first episode of Season 2 of Winning Time. The character Rhonda Mitchell, who appeared in two episodes of Season 1 as one of Magic's romantic interests, appears to be inspired by Andre's mother, Melissa Mitchell, in real life. It is reported that Melissa dated Magic during his separation from his longtime partner, Cookie Kelly. However, in Winning Time, she is shown as one of Magic's many sexual partners.
In the show, Rhonda and Cookie are described as friends who had to see each other regularly, which caused strain in their friendship. Rhonda is a composite character, incorporating different women from Magic's romantic past, but she is not directly based on Melissa Mitchell, despite being the mother of the fictionalized Andre Johnson in the series.
Did Jerry Buss Actually Found Tennis & Indoor Soccer Teams?
Jerry Buss, the owner and founder, had a hand in establishing both the Los Angeles Lazers, an indoor soccer team, and the Los Angeles Strings, a professional team tennis franchise. The Lazers, which began in 1982, were operated by Jerry's son Johnny (played by Thomas Mann) in the show. The Lazers incorporated elements of Jerry's renowned Showtime style and entertainment, including the Laker Girls, who also served as the Lazer Girls from 1982 to 1989.
The Lazers attracted numerous celebrities and influential figures from Hollywood, hosting their home games at the Forum. Johnny served as the Lazers' President until 1985, when Jimmy Buss (played by McCabe Slye) took over until the team disbanded. Jerry initially founded and owned the Los Angeles Strings from 1974 to 1978 before bringing new life to the franchise in 1981. At just 19 years old, his daughter Jeanie Buss (played by Hadley Robinson) assumed the role of General Manager. In a parallel to her father's successful 1980 Lakers, Jeanie led the Strings to a TeamTennis championship in her inaugural season in 1981.
Why Paul Westhead Brought His Unusual System To The Lakers
Paul Westhead introduced 'The System', an innovative offensive approach, to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981. The aim was to increase the pace of play by assigning specific areas on the court to each player based on their shooting skills. This strategy was meant to create a chaotic atmosphere that would disorient opposing defenses.
The main objective of Paul's system was to maximize the Lakers' shooting efficiency within a time frame of less than 7 seconds. This marked a turning point in the NBA, foreshadowing the modernization of the league into the game we see today. Initially, Westhead relied on former Laker coach Jack McKinney's offensive style, which led the team to win the 1980 NBA title in the Winning Time season 1. However, a change became necessary after Magic Johnson's knee injury in 1981.
