Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty
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The modern NBA has been defined by player empowerment, particularly by the games biggest stars.
And those are just the obvious examples.
To give any individual special consideration is to court disaster.
Westhead thinks it will lead to efficient, high-volume scoring.
Why pay him $25 million over 25 years just to dump the ball to Kareem in the post?
Any third-string point guard in the league could do that.
Theres a strong basketball mind behind Wests bluster that Westhead doesnt seem to share.
Magic is a more complicated case.
His teammates feel slighted by the deal, and Magics refusal to buy into the program spoils the chemistry.
Whats the point of being Magic Johnson if the team that owns you wont let you be Magic Johnson?
The stress throws out his neck.
As for Buss, the real boss, he has paid everyone handsomely to keep the Lakers on top.
In fact, he has made great innovations in paying people.
He concedes to Westheads huffy demands that he trigger the team without interference.
(If you dont, Jerry replies, Im going to look like a fucking idiot.
And youre going to be looking for a new job.)
He deflects Magics private complaints about his coach.
Spoiler alert: Paul Westhead was not a Laker for life.
reads theSports Illustratedprofile of the 81 Lakers.
Rileys rhetorical answer, Good fucking question, is the rare time the shows occasional talk-to-the-camera bit works.
A confident coach neednt have to prove himself by running a rivals benchwarmers out of the gym.
The Jeanie-Honey subplot continues to go nowhere interesting.
Thats not the shrewd Jeanie Buss that traded her brothers girlfriend away for Martina Navratilova.
One, two, three … System!
When youre the Lakers in 1981, you have the talent to beat anyone on any night.
But there are times when wins feel like losses.
Perhaps a little humility about the job you lucked into may be more appropriate.
