Warning! SPOILERS for Winning Time season 1, episode 8.
HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty episode 8 revolves around the 1980 NBA All-Star Game, and here's what it gets right and wrong about the true story. Success is in the air in Los Angeles as the first season of HBO's 2022 original show begins to wrap up. The story of the Los Angeles Lakers' rise to dominance after Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) buys the team and drafts Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Quincy Isaiah). While there were plenty of roadblocks after this, like Jerry West (Jason Clarke) quitting and replacement coach Jack McKinney (Tracy Letts) suffering a near-fatal bike accident, Winning Time episode 7 showed the team get a big break by beating the Boston Celtics. Winning Time episode 8 continues the storyline from this point on, as the Los Angeles Lakers begin to play some of their best basketball of the season.
At this point in the story, the team has climbed the NBA standings and have one of the best records in the league thanks to Paul Westhead (Jason Segel) and Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) figuring out the right way to coach the team. However, the NBA All-Star Break comes with a big surprise. Jack McKinney is ready to return to the bench and resume his role as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. This creates plenty of friction, as Westhead doesn't want to go against McKinney's wishes, but Riley pushes him to request to remain the team's coach for the rest of the season.
As the coaching carousel of the Los Angeles Lakers' 1979 season continues, Magic Johnson deals with several challenges of his rookie season. This includes claims that he's now going to be a father and figuring out how established NBA stars, such as Julius Erving a.k.a. Dr. J, view him. Winning Time episode 8 deals with these multiple storylines, as well as Jerry Buss coming to grips with the looming death of his mother in some unhealthy ways. Through it all, the series blends fact and fiction to tell its version of the true story Winning Time is based on.
Was Magic Johnson The First Rookie All-Star Starter Since Elvin Hayes?
Near the beginning of Winning Time episode 8, a reporter congratulates Magic Johnson on being the first rookie selected as an NBA All-Star starter since Elvin Hayes. This is a fact of Magic Johnson and NBA history, as many other rookies were selected to be All-Stars but did not receive a starting spot. This included Magic's future teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was an All-Star reserve as a rookie. Magic became the first rookie in more than a decade to start in the All-Star game. Fellow rookies Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird and New York Knicks center Bill Cartright were also All-Stars that year but as reserves.
Did The Lakers Consider Trading Spencer Haywood In 1980?
There is also a mention in Winning Time episode 8 that the Los Angeles Lakers were preparing to trade Spencer Haywood to the Detroit Pistons. Pat Riley suggests that trading him for Bob McAdoo is too good of an offer to pass up, even though the team just traded for Haywood earlier in the season. It is not known that the Lakers were looking to trade Spencer Haywood during the 1979-1980 season, though. The irony of this apparent piece of fiction on Winning Time's part is that the Lakers do eventually trade for Bob McAdoo, but Haywood was not part of the trade package sent to the New Jersey Nets, who McAdoo played for by 1981.
Did Magic Johnson Get Cookie's Friend Pregnant?
Magic Johnson gets some scandalous news in Winning Time episode 8 when Cookie questions him about a recent hookup with her friend, Rhonda, which was shown in episode 7. After Magic admits to sleeping with her, Cookie tells him that he's going to be a father, as Rhonda is now pregnant with his child. This is an example of Winning Time potentially blurring the lines of what is real and what is not. Rhonda appears to be an amalgamation character for the series who represents Cookie's friend who helped introduce her and Magic, while also being one of the many girls that Magic has sexual relationships with.
Magic Johnson only has three confirmed children in real life. Two of them were with Cookie after they are married and one was with Melissa Mitchell, who Magic dated during a break with Cookie. There have been other claims that Magic is the father of more children from secret romantic relationships but none have been proven. Unless Rhonda also represents Melissa Mitchell, then this part of Winning Time episode 8's story is not true.
Did Paul Westhead Also Go To The Hospital?
After a health scare already sidelined one Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Winning Time episode 8 puts Paul Westhead in the hospital just like Jack McKinney. Instead of a bike accident, Westhead's visit is said to be the result of kidney stones. This is based on what happened to the interim Los Angeles Lakers coach in real life. In February 1980, Paul Westhead was admitted to the hospital due to kidney stones, which required surgery to be removed. The procedure and recovery left him unable to coach the Lakers for a brief period of time.
Winning Time Changes Pat Riley's First Game As Lakers Coach
Pat Riley's take over as the interim-interim head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers happened a bit differently than Winning Time episode 8 shows. The show depicts that Riley takes the "hot seat" for the team's game against the Philadelphia 76ers after the All-Star Break. The result is a crushing loss for the Lakers, where they lost 112-92. However, Winning Time's true story is actually much better for the Lakers and Riley. The truth is that in real life Pat Riley's first game as the Lakers' coach was against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers also won this game 129-103.
Winning Time Makes Magic Johnson's Dr. J Performance Worse
There is also a mention in Winning Time episode 8 that Magic Johnson's first game against Dr. J in Philadephia was one of his worst performances as a rookie. This is not true based on what happened in real life. Winning Time doesn't share a specific stat line for Magic in this game, but the Lakers are blown out by the 76ers. The truth is that Magic Johnson played very well in this game against Julis Erving, as he scored 21 points and had 9 assists. The Lakers were even in the lead heading into the fourth quarter, but they did end up losing by one point when the final buzzer sounded. Despite the loss, Magic Johnson had many worse games in his rookie season.
Episodes of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty air every Sunday on HBO/HBO Max at 9pm EST.