Winning Time: Lakers Series Canceled After 2 Seasons at HBO

Winning Time showrunner and creator Max Borenstein took to Twitter to confirm that HBO has officially decided not to renew the Lakers-centered series for a third season. The cancellation comes after the sports drama had just wrapped up its 7-episode second season yesterday.

In his post, Borenstein admitted that the Season 2 finale titled “What Is and What Should Never Be” wasn’t the ending they originally planned for Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

Who was Winning Time Season 2 about?

“A fast-break series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined an era, both on and off the court,” reads the logline. “Season two hones in on the period just after the Finals in 1980 through 1984, culminating in the first professional rematch of the era’s greatest stars: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.”

Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was written and co-created by Max Borenstein and Jim Hecht, who were also executive producing. It starred John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, Jason Clarke, Adrien Brody, Gaby Hoffman, Tracy Letts, Jason Segel, Julianne Nicholson, Hadley Robinson, Dr. Solomon Hughes, Tamera Tomakili, Brett Cullen, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Joey Brooks, Sarah Ramos, Spencer Garrett, Molly Gordon, DeVaughn Nixon, Delante Desouza, Jimel Atkins, Austin Aaron, and more.

The story was based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. It was executive produced by Adam McKay, Kevin Messick, Jason Shuman, Scott Stephens, and Rodney Barnes.