HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of The Lakers Dynasty has taken several creative liberties to dramatize the true events surrounding the 1980s Showtime Lakers. While Winning Time season 2 certainly tightened up on its historical accuracy compared to season 1, there are still a number of inaccuracies that become apparent throughout the course of the seven-episode season. Winning Time season 2 gives a fairly true depiction of the Lakers’ road to the legendary 1984 NBA Finals between Magic’s flashy West Coast squad and Larry Bird’s formidable and gritty Boston Celtics team.
Winning Time season 2 finale’s end credits revealed that the HBO series will not be returning for a season 3 despite having plenty of source material to pull from. The 1984 NBA Finals was only the tip of the iceberg for the Adam McKay series, as the Lakers would go on to win three additional NBA Titles during the 1980s under head coach Pat Riley and team owner Jerry Buss. While several minor details were shaped to better fit the heightened elements of the narrative in Winning Time season 2, the series succeeded in capturing the intense rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics and the efforts of Riley and Buss in creating one of the best franchises in sports.
10 There’s No Record Of Norm Nixon Bad-Mouthing Magic Johnson To The Press
Winning Time season 2, episode 2 depicts how Norm Nixon blasted his teammate Magic Johnson to the press, saying on the record “Nobody will remember Magic Johnson in fifteen years.” There is no official record of Norm ever saying that about Magic even though the fabricated Los Angeles Times article titled “Norm Nixon: Life At No. 2” in Winning Time appears to be authentic. The fake article highlights the true off-the-court tensions that the Lakers encountered but misleadingly uses Norm’s character as the primary motivation for the Lakers’ internal conflicts. While Norm and Magic certainly had a same-squad rivalry, Norm didn’t take it to a public level.
9 Jim Chones Wasn’t That Angry When He Was Traded To Washington
A big creative leap was taken in Winning Time season 2, episode 3 with the reaction of former Lakers forward Jim Chones after finding out he was being traded. Chones and his wife Elores were actually excited about the move to Washington D.C., saying that it would bring their family closer to their hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. In Winning Time, the fictionalized Chones has an explosive reaction to being traded for Mitch Kupchak, complaining that he had just bought a house in Los Angeles. In reality, Chones was saddened by the news but was not nearly as surprised, saying that Los Angeles was too fast-paced for him and that he preferred a quieter Midwestern lifestyle.
8 Magic Johnson Encouraged The Lakers’ Trade For Mitch Kupchak, Not Paul Westhead
Also in Winning Time season 2 episode 3, Coach Paul Westhead appears to be the driving force behind the Lakers’ desire to trade for Mitch Kupchak. In reality, Magic Johnson had expressed interest in getting Kupchak on their team, a key detail that was left out of the HBO series. Kupchak would go on to play four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Magic and would eventually become Magic’s front-office competition after their playing careers were over. In 2017, Magic took over the Lakers’ General Manager position from none other than Mitch Kupchak, who had previously been in the role for decades.
7 Red Auerbach Did Not Leak Magic’s $25 Million Deal To The Press
A fictionalized version of Celtics President Red Auerbach is depicted in Winning Time season 2, episode 4 leaking info to the press about Magic Johnson’s $25 million deal with the Lakers. While Auerbach was actually in charge of the NBA Players Association and had authority in approving Jerry Buss’ unique contract, he did not actually leak the news out of spite with the intention of stirring the already fragile Lakers locker room. In reality, Buss made the announcement of Magic’s 25-year contract extension before the 1981 season even started. Making Auerbach the reason for the leak in Winning Time was an inaccurate narrative device used to increase the rivalry between the two historic franchises.
6 Magic Wasn’t The Only Reason Paul Westhead Was Fired As Lakers Head Coach
While Winning Time blames Magic Johnson for influencing Jerry Buss to fire head coach Paul Westhead, the star Laker was not the only reason why Westhead was let go only 13 games into the 1981-82 season. Magic was certainly the most vocal in expressing his disapproval of Westhead but was not alone in carrying similar sentiments against the coach’s systematic offensive strategies. Westhead received criticisms of his insecurity and inability to listen to his staff or players, which had already put him on the hot seat with Buss the week before Magic spoke out against him. Several other Lakers players had gotten tired of Westhead’s approach but were not as direct as Magic.
5 Jerry Buss Was Not Sued For Palimony During The 1984 NBA Finals
Jerry Buss was not sued during the 1984 NBA Finals as depicted in Winning Time season 2. Buss allegedly was still married to his first wife JoAnn Mueller when he married his second wife Veronica Hoff in 1972, twelve years before Buss is depicted marrying Honey in the HBO series. Honey appears to be an amalgamation of three prominent love interests of Jerry Buss in Winning Time season 2. She draws close parallels to Hoff, Buss’ longtime girlfriend Karen Demel who had two of Jerry’s seven known children, and a woman nicknamed Puppi Buss who sued Jerry for palimony in 1990.
4 The Lakers Didn’t Run Straight To Their Bus After 1984 Finals Game 1 Victory In Boston
One of the most blatant inaccuracies in Winning Time season 2 appears at the beginning of both its first and last episodes. In the show, the Lakers sprint off the home court of the Boston Celtics after a surprising road win in Game 1 of the 1984 NBA Finals. This sequence, while entertaining and true to the passionate rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics, is not factual considering that many Celtics fans had left the Boston Garden before the final buzzer sounded. The Lakers did win that game but actually walked off the court calmly once it was over. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who led the Lakers in points (32) and rebounds (8) that game, even stopped for a postgame interview.
3 Norm Nixon Wasn’t Told He’d Be Traded On His Birthday
Norm Nixon wasn’t actually traded on his real birthday, but it certainly was close. The Lakers informed Nixon that he would be traded to the San Diego Clippers only two weeks before the start of the 1983-84 NBA season. Nixon, who turned 28 on October 11th, 1983, was informed of the trade on the day before his birthday, October 10th. The Lakers did actually have a joint birthday and farewell party for Nixon in Los Angeles on the night of October 10th. Nixon would go on to have a standout year with the San Diego Clippers by leading the league in assists and getting named to the 1984-85 NBA All-Star team the following season.
2 Magic Johnson Didn’t Propose To Cookie Until 1985
Magic Johnson and his eventual wife Cookie had a tumultuous on-and-off relationship ever since they met back in college in Lansing, Michigan. In Winning Time season 2, Magic is seen proposing to Cookie in a fictionalized version of 1983. The couple, however, were not officially engaged until 1985. Magic reportedly got cold feet on two separate occasions, resulting in him proposing for a second time in 1988. The two finally tied the knot in 1991 and have been happily married ever since.
1 The Lakers Actually Lost Their Next Game To The Celtics After Kareem’s Inspiring Speech
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is depicted in Winning Time as being generally serious and independent, making his inspiring speech to his Lakers teammates in Winning Time season 2, episode 6 somewhat surprising. Kareem did experience the painful loss of his LA mansion due to a house fire that destroyed his beloved collection of jazz vinyl and other irreplaceable NBA memorabilia. He did return to the Lakers locker room soon after the fire and gave a memorable speech that spoke to the entire Lakers organization. However, the Lakers did not get off to a great start in their 1983-84 season as depicted in the Winning Time episode. In fact, they lost their very next game in a 15-point blowout to the Boston Celtics.
