Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for Winning Time Season 2.HBO subscribers were shocked to discover the Season 2 finale of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was actually a series finale, as the big-budget Lakers biopic concluded its run earlier this week. What makes this cancelation so surprising is that HBO made the unusual choice to announce this news in the actual finale instead of sharing that info prior. To be blunt, this is a decision so bad that it should be considered a personal foul.

Look, we’re not necessarily upset that Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty was canceled. Cancelations of shows, regardless of their quality, are a reality in the industry. That’s especially true in the current industry landscape, with several projects being axed as cost-cutting measures amid the ongoing dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, it’s the way that HBO decided to go about revealing this cancelation that gives us pause, as it frankly feels like a smack in the face to the loyal fans who stuck with the series for its overall gripping second season.

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‘Winning Time’ Season 2 Ends With a Historic Loss

The surprise series finale of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty begins where Season 2 started, featuring legendary Lakers head coach Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) delivering a rousing speech to the team after a big win against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Grand Finals. Apart from the big championship against their arch-rival, it seems to be business as usual for the HBO show’s core characters. Pat Riley is finally finding his footing as head coach, Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) is going through another messy divorce, and Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) is doing his best to be a good significant other to his beloved Cookie Keely (Tamera Tomakili).

Those unfamiliar with the history of the Los Angeles Lakers were probably expecting the titular team get a massive win over their rivals, the Celtics. However, those more familiar with this true story know that this heavyweight match-up ends in heartbreak for the Lakers. This Grand Finals tournament concludes in an explosive Celtics win, leaving the hardworking LA team to get into several fistfights with the raucous and excited Boston fans. Not exactly a flattering finale for the team we’re supposed to be rooting for.

This hits the team and staff of the Los Angeles Lakers pretty hard. That’s especially true for Magic Johnson, whose final scene in the Emmy-nominated series sees the NBA legend lamenting the series loss in a locker room shower. Again, not exactly the triumphant ending for Winning Time‘s depiction of Magic Johnson that fans of the series were expecting.

The true final shot of the season comes in an admittedly pretty appropriate way. In a nod to the pilot episode ending of Season 1, we see Jerry Buss is coping with the loss by laying down on the Lakers home court. He’s quickly joined by his beloved daughter, Jeanie Buss (Hadley Robinson), who would later inherit the hugely valuable sports team later in life. Jeanie joins her dad on the floor of the court, as they repeat the immortal words, “We fucking own this!”

This is when the shock of Winning Time‘s cancelation arises, as the finale ends with a “where are they now” slideshow, explaining what happens to the show’s subjects. The sequence confirms right away that this is the last time we’re ever going to see these characters again. It’s a tonally confusing and remarkably abrupt way to end the series, going from a massive loss to a triumphant montage that feels entirely unearned in the show’s narrative.

The Circumstances Behind ‘Winning Time’s Cancelation Are Hardly Surprising

The shocking part of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty‘s cancelation announcement isn’t the cancelation itself. In fact, the sports series being canceled is hardly a surprise at all. It’s no secret that ratings for Winning Time Season 2 had significantly dipped from Season 2, with the season premiere rating reportedly dropping 30% from the prior season. That’s not always the kiss of death for a series with a consistent fanbase, but with how predictably expensive Winning Time was to produce, big ratings dips like that can create a big problem.

Another reason for Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty‘s early ending is for PR reasons, as the series was no stranger to controversy. While the series takes clear creative liberties and is self-aware of that fact, several of the show’s subjects have expressed ire over their portrayals in the series. This includes NBA legend Jerry West, who criticized Jason Clarke‘s depiction of him as far too over-the-top.

The last big reason behind the early loss for Winning Time could potentially be attributed to the ongoing industry strikes. Several shows have been canceled across the entertainment industry as a way to cost cuts, as most productions have been indefinitely stalled. It’s rather likely that was a factor in the HBO show’s cancelation, joining the ranks of A League of Their Own Season 2 and Disney+’s The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Keeping ‘Winning Time’s Cancelation a Secret Feels Like an Insult to Fans

Regardless of the actual quality of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty‘s impromptu conclusion, keeping that cancelation a secret was a bad call. If you look at early reviews for Winning Time Season 2, there was zero indication that the series would be ending. This means that the decision to cancel Winning Time was a fairly recent one, but the editing team still had enough advanced notice to create the “where are they now” segment at the end of the finale.

HBO likely made the decision to cancel Winning Time midway through the second season’s run. If they had just come out with an announcement around the midpoint of the series and just said that the show wouldn’t be continuing with Season 3, but would wrap up with Season 2, that would have been somewhat better. Both Succession and Barry announced that their fourth seasons would be their last with their debut trailers, appropriately setting expectations. Instead, Winning Time viewers were misled under the potential hope that the show might continue; instead, what they received was a rushed, unearned conclusion.

The complete series of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is available to stream on Max.