Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty

*Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty*
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
	Season 1 title card
Also known as	Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty II (s. 2)
Genre	Biographical drama; Comedy-drama; Sports drama;
Created by	Max Borenstein; Jim Hecht;
Based on	Showtime; by Jeff Pearlman
Starring	John C. Reilly; Quincy Isaiah; Jason Clarke; Adrien Brody; Gaby Hoffmann; Tracy Letts; Jason Segel; Julianne Nicholson; Hadley Robinson; DeVaughn Nixon; Solomon Hughes; Tamera Tomakili; Brett Cullen; Stephen Adly Guirgis; Spencer Garrett; Sarah Ramos; Molly Gordon; Joey Brooks; Delante Desouza; Jimel Atkins; Austin Aaron; Jon Young; Thomas Mann; McCabe Slye; Rob Morgan; Sally Field; Michael Chiklis;
Music by	Nicholas Britell (s. 1); Jeff Beal (s. 2); Robert Glasper;
Opening theme	"My Favorite Mutiny"; by The Coup
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	17
Production
Executive producers	Adam McKay; Kevin Messick; Max Borenstein; Scott Stephens; Jim Hecht; Jason Shuman; Rodney Barnes; Salli Richardson (s. 2);
Producers	Doug Ornstein; Bruce Dunn;
Cinematography	Todd Banhazl; Mihai Mălaimare Jr.;
Editors	Hank Corwin; Jeremy Weinstein; Jessica Hernández; Max Koepke; Felicia M. Livingston; Juliana Rodzinski;
Running time	54–59 minutes
Production companies	HBO Entertainment; Steeplechase Amusements; Jim Hecht Productions; Hyperobject Industries; Jason Shuman Productions;
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	March 6, 2022 –; September 17, 2023

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is an American sports drama television series created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht for HBO, based on the book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman. The first season, comprising 10 episodes, chronicles the 1980s Showtime era of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team (beginning in late 1979), featuring notable NBA stars Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It features an ensemble cast led by John C. Reilly, Jason Clarke, Jason Segel, Gaby Hoffmann, Rob Morgan, and Adrien Brody. The series premiered on March 6, 2022, with the pilot episode directed by Adam McKay. In April 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on August 6, 2023. On September 17, 2023, it was announced that the series was canceled after 2 seasons.

Although HBO has reinforced that the series is a dramatization, the series has been strongly criticized by several former NBA players and basketball historians over what they allege are significant factual inaccuracies within the storylines. Multiple players and staff from that time claimed the show was false and interpreted certain storylines and personalities wrong, such as the nature of the relationship between Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Spencer Haywood, or the mischaracterization of Jerry West.