Winning Time Episode 7 Recap – HBO’s Winning Time, like its protagonist Jerry Buss, is not a show that is interested in subtlety. So when “Invisible Man” starts with Dr. Jerry Buss lecturing (straight to the camera, of course) about Monopoly being a metaphor for life, you hope as a viewer that it will contradict the old TV trope of a tabletop game and its player serving as a stand-in for a larger message. It doesn’t, which is regrettable given the high drama of episode 7: Magic’s first professional match-up against Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, and broadcaster-turned-assistant coach Pat Riley formally taking over from befuddled coach Paul Westhead. Maybe that’s why there’s a cold open: it’s impolite to fall asleep while someone is talking to you.
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Jerry Buss faces a difficult job in ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty‘ episode 7, titled ‘Invisible Man,’ as he seeks to keep the LA Lakers financially afloat while dealing with the head coach dilemma. The squad’s early strong play under interim Head Coach Paul Westhead has begun to fade, raising questions about his ability to lead the team to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Jerry West tries to persuade Buss to hire a new coach in order to keep the team in contention for the playoffs. In the end, it all comes down to a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics, and Westhead’s fate is determined by the conclusion of that game.
Here’s everything you need to know about the ‘Winning Time’ episode 7 ending, including how the LA Lakers one-up their opponents and Westhead keeps his job!
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Winning Time Episode 7 Recap ‘Invisible Man’
Jerry Buss began the seventh episode by reflecting on the myriad challenges that the Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with just a few months into the current season. Jerry West expresses his concerns about Westhead’s ability to Jerry Buss after the LA Lakers lose another game under his leadership.
West insists that a change of coaches is required, while squad manager Bill Sharman believes that Westhead simply requires more time. Nonetheless, West recommends that they hire Elgin Baylor, a former LA Lakers player who was just fired by another team.
Jack McKinney is still recovering from his injuries in the hospital. Buss pays him a visit and explains Westhead’s predicament. McKinney insists on returning to the bench as soon as possible, and Buss is persuaded that Westhead can hold down the fort until he returns. As a result, Buss decided to give Westhead a few more games to demonstrate his worth. Meanwhile, Westhead persuades Pat Riley to join him as an assistant coach to aid him in running the squad.
The Lakers will embark on a five-day journey that will see them take against the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, and Boston Celtics, among others. The club, on the other hand, loses its first two away games against the Pacers and Pistons, two of the league’s bottom-ranked teams. As a result, Buss becomes anxious and considers terminating Westhead. The tour concludes with a game against the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers’ chances of winning appear gloomy, given their terrible form, Westhead’s lack of authority over his squad, and the Celtics’ new star Larry Bird in prime form. Regardless, Westhead must recognise the stakes and rise to the challenge.
Do the Los Angeles Lakers Defeat the Boston Celtics in Winning Time Episode 7?
The stage is prepared for the LA Lakers to face the Boston Celtics in the final act of the show. The squad, on the other hand, enters the game with a low level of confidence and a poor track record. Furthermore, Westhead doubts his own ability to lead the Lakers to victory. Westhead and Riley spend the entire night devising a strategy for defeating the Celtics. Riley and Westhead, on the other hand, have a fight that acts as a wake-up call for Westhead. He knows that his career isn’t the only thing at danger.
The game begins, as the Los Angeles Lakers establish an early lead over the Boston Celtics. Westhead’s plan to keep Bird quiet appears to be working. Bird, on the other hand, begins to get into the heads of the LA Lakers’ players, and the game’s tide begins to turn. The Celtics establish a decisive lead in the game.
Furthermore, the referee is clearly biassed in favour of the Celtics, adding to the Lakers’ dissatisfaction. Riley and Westhead lose their calm and start verbally abusing the referee. Riley, on the other hand, accepts responsibility and is dismissed from the game. As a result, he entrusts Westhead with the task of turning the game around.
On the byline, Westhead assumes a commanding position and pushes his side to fight back. After ignoring Spencer Haywood for the majority of the season, he puts in the power forward, whose physicality aids the Lakers’ comeback in the game. Magic and Kareem continue to work effectively together, allowing the Lakers to close the gap on the Celtics.
The Lakers are only down one point with 14 seconds remaining. Cooper scores the game-winning points, and the Lakers triumph against all odds. Despite winning the game by a razor-thin margin, Westhead keeps his job for the time being.
