Paul Westhead is feeling the pressure of his feud with Magic Johnson in an exclusive sneak peak of Sunday’s new episode of HBO’s “Winning Time.”
In the episode, titled “The Hamburger Hamlet”, a final clash between Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) and the Lakers head coach (played by Jason Segel) causes Lakers owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) to task Jerry West (Jason Clarke) with picking up the pieces. Meanwhile, as Honey (Ari Graynor) attempts a heart-to-heart with Jeanie (Hadley Robninson), Buss faces pushback from the press and his captain. Later, Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) faces his demons and takes control of his team.
The clip sees Westhead pay a visit to Buss’ office, where the former is told that the latter is in a meeting.
“With who?,” Westhead asks, to which Buss’ secretary replies, “I’m not at liberty to say.”
As Westhead turns to leave, another door swings open where Jerry West, Bill Sharman and Chick Hearn appear to be listing the names of coaches on a chalkboard. Hearn says “Fellas, I’ll lay you 10 to one he doesn’t last a day” as he walks by Westhead.
Sharman tells Westhead he’s early, to which the latter responds: “I thought I’d come down to so we could all powwow about this bee in Magic’s bonnet, make sure we’re all singing the same tune.”
Sharman replies that the “boss is singing solo on this one,” adding that Buss’ meeting is with Johnson.
“Of course he is. Any idea what he’s going to say?,” Westhead asks.
“I know as much as you do, Paul,” Sharman says. “We’ll get with you in a couple hours, okay?”
In addition to Segel, Isaiah, Reilly, Clarke, Brody and Robinson, the series stars Gaby Hoffmann, DeVaughn Nixon, Solomon Hughes, Sean Patrick Small, Tamera Tomakili, Brett Cullen, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Spencer Garrett, Molly Gordon, Joey Brooks, Delante Desouza, Jimel Atkins, Austin Aaron, McCabe Slye, Thomas Mann, Gillian Jacobs, Michael Chiklis and Rob Morgan.
“Winning Time” is executive produced by Adam McKay and Kevin Messick for Hyperobject Industries, showrunner, writer, and co-creator Max Borenstein, writer and co-creator Jim Hecht, director Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Scott Stephens, Rodney Barnes and Jason Shuman.
New episodes of “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” air Sunday evenings on HBO and stream on Max.