In today's column, I review the latest "30 for 30" documentary - and probably my favorite so far: Dan Klores' "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks," and compare it to HBO's "Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals," which premieres tomorrow and, while good, is very much the sort of traditional HBO thing the ESPN films are rebelling against. I'll have a separate post to discuss "Winning Time" after it airs a week from Sunday.
I'm looking forward to both of these. Magic vs Bird might be the greatest individual rivalry in sports history and I can never get enough of it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't anticipate watching Wining Time as much (although I still planned to do so) but Alan's enthusiasm has me excited now.
I saw a screening and couldn't agree more. What I really liked was that this is that rare thing that humanizes Patrick Ewing. Starks was somewhat more predictably adorable, but Patrick was lighthearted, introspective, serene at times. It was interesting to see this side of him.
ReplyDeleteWonderful comedy, wonderful drama. Too bad Klores didn't have time to follow the rivalry through the '99 season...
I LOVED this doc - saw it at Sundance this year and probably had more fun watching with an audience. Laughs were abundant during the interviews and the game highlights have you on the edge of your seat -- even when you know the outcome. I highly recommend seeing this film!
ReplyDeleteAs a decades-long Knicks fan, I was sort of dreading the Reggie Miller one until I read your write up. Now I can't wait to see it.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Indy and lived there during the hey day of the Knicks-Pacers rivalry and can't wait for this doc. I have fond memories of watching the games, laughing about Spike Lee and getting all huffy about it being called the Knicks vs. the Hicks. Good times, good times.
ReplyDeleteAlan, you say in your review that the Pacers-Knicks rivalry would mean little to those outside the Tristate and Indiana, but I'm a basketball fan from Australia and this was one of the great rivalries of the last 20 years.
ReplyDeleteI can still vividly remember Reggie's performance THAT fourth quarter against the Knicks - he was draining 3s from a good 6 feet behind the arc. I still get chills thinking about it. As you say, it didn't really matter what the outcome of the series was - those moments of drama were laden with drama.