HBO’s new show about the Los Angeles Lakers has become appointment viewing, especially for basketball fans with an affinity for storytelling.
The season has had many memorable moments thus far, including brilliant portrayals of Lakers legends by John C. Reilly (Dr. Jerry Buss), Solomon Hughes (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Quincy Isaiah (Magic Johnson), Adrien Brody (Pat Riley), and plenty more.
But one of the season’s best moments came in the show’s fifth episode, which depicted the opener of the 1979-80 season. This marked the first game Magic Johnson played in his NBA career. Johnson faced the Clippers, who played in San Diego at the time.