Relive the Exciting Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy.

E-man: If you are a Laker fan of the 80’s you will enjoy this book. Jeff Pearlman is a great author. His research and interviews are combined into an enjoyable read every time you pick up where you left off. I have read several of his books and they all share the same quality of work.

United States on Jan 14, 2024

Danny Nishri: I got the book after the TV series got cancelled and wasn’t disappointed.
Great book, very informative. I liked the stories and the inside scoops about the players and other characters.

United States on Dec 04, 2023

A. Finch: Showtime by Jeff Pearlman is a good read for any basketball fan who wants to know more about the "Showtime" lakers of the 1980's. The book begins with the tragic bicycle accident suffered by now forgotten coach Jack McKinney. Pearlman underscores that it was McKinney who created the style of play that became Showtime. His successors, Paul Westhead and Pat Riley used McKinney's ideas to propel the Lakers to greatness. One of the strengths of the book is how it focuses in on the people who made the Lakers what they were. Not just the big stars, although Kareem and Magic have a lot of ink. But guys like Kurt Rambis, Micheal Cooper, James Worthy and Byron Scott get their lives and contributions studied as well. Jerry West is a key figure too. His work with owner Jerry Buss and with coach Pat Riley is well documented. West, like all people made some good decisions and some bad-but he was a Laker through and through.
Showtime is an excellent sports history. If you liked Laker basketball-and even if you were a 80's Celtic or Sixer fan and didn't- you will still enjoy the stories and insights provide in this readable book.

United States on Oct 27, 2023

giuliano merlo: Che dire? Per chi come me ha giocato tanti anni a basket ed e' cresciuto col mito di Magic Johnson e Kareem Abdul Jabbar (e con le telecronache di Dan Peterson), questo libro rappresenta benissimo il clima di allora della NBA e dei mitici Lakers di coach Pat Riley

Italy on Aug 21, 2023

mike c: Not worth the money, the series is far better.

Germany on Nov 02, 2022

Nicolas: Très bon livre à combiner avec la dernière série sur les Lakers, un livre pour les fans bien que la lecture est un peu compliqué quant à l’écriture un peu petite

France on Oct 30, 2022

SportsChump: Out of conflict, strife, and sheer determination, if we’re fortunate, comes greatness. Amongst our finest collections of art, music, and film, we often witness unparalleled beauty emerge from uncompromised will and pressure, like a diamond out of coal or a dynasty out of thin air.

This happens in sports as well, for what is sport if not entertainment. Nowhere, and at no time, was this more evident than in Los Angeles back in the early 1980s.

At long last, HBO has released its limited series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” directed by Adam McKay. As of right now, four episodes have been released. It is unclear how long the series will run but this fan says, the more the merrier!

The series is based upon the 2014 publication entitled “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s,” written by Jeff Pearlman. It traces the bizarre and unlikely circumstances that led to the creation of one of the greatest teams in sports history, one that not only changed the NBA but professional sports as we know them.

Aware the series was greenlighted, I waited months for its release. I now count down the days to...

United States on Mar 31, 2022

Robert P. Brown: From 1979 when Dr. Jerry Buss ( he held a PhD in Chemistry) bought the Los Angeles Lakers and drafted Earvin "Magic" Johnson, until 1991, the Lakers were the preeminent team in basketball, playing in nine championship series, winning five. This is the inside story of that team, nicknamed "Showtime" and the central characters involved.

The owner, Jerry Buss, who loved the ladies and built the Forum Club, which became the hot spot for players, celebrities and invited guests, featuring food, drinks, women and drugs.

The GM, Jerry West, keen spotter of talent and a "win at all cost" attitude.

The coach, Pat Riley, a coaching genius whose ego overtook him.

The players, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabber, the game`s best center and all time scoring leader, but a thoroughly unlikeable person off the floor, Magic Johnson, who ran the team, James Worthy, All Star forward, who wasn`t the family man he appeared to be and the surrounding cast which included genuine talent, kooks, misfits and short lived stars.

Described are the key games over the decade, the relationship and rivalry between Magic and Bird; Magic and Isiah Thomas, and what goes into building and...

Canada on Mar 23, 2015

C. Baker: Jeff Pearlman’s Showtime, chronicling the great Los Angeles Lakers team of the 1980’s is a fun and entertaining read about one of the most compelling sports teams ever assembled. Of course Magic Johnson takes center stage with his effervescent personality and larger than life persona who really defined the Showtime era. And he, coupled with the mercurial, sometimes inscrutable, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar formed the nucleolus of one of the most compelling and greatest dynasties NBA history.

The strength of this book is the way Pearlman is able to bring the inner personalities of the players and coaches to life – personalities that the public persona may hide. Seeing the tension and jealousy between the established Norm Nixon and the new kid on the block Magic Johnson is something that has been alluded to in the past but here the real story comes out. Ultimately the two alpha dogs could not coexist. Behind the scenes looks at the owner Jerry Buss, and executive Jerry West, and players like AC Green, James Worthy, Jamaal Wilkes, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott, and the underdog and fan favorite Kurt Rambis were also compelling and interesting.

The other key player in this...

United States on Jan 09, 2015

JT: Great detail and behind the scene anecdotes. Well written and an entertaining read. I recommend this book for all Laker fans who remember "Showtime"

United Kingdom on Nov 05, 2014