This article contains spoilers for “Winning Time” Episode 5.
If you’ve been keeping up with HBO’s “Winning Time: Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” you know it’s been a bumpy ride for Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) and the Los Angeles Lakers. As the first four episodes have shown, the path to greatness is strewn with roadblocks: shaky financing, rivalries between teammates, the last-minute resignation of the head coach and the murder-driven dropout of his replacement.
In Episode 5, titled “Pieces of a Man,” Buss’ “Showtime” strategy – a revamped Forum, new Laker Girls, and most importantly, Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) – plus Jack McKinney’s (Tracy Letts) fast-break offense are finally put to the test.