Starting 5 (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

1
[mysterious music playing]
[Butler] Keep going, Pop.
One of my earliest memories with my dad,
we would go to the hood.
I just remember always playing dominoes.
He would always pick me to be his partner,
and we're playing against grown folk.
And the grown folk would be like,
"No, he can't play."
My dad was like,
"Yeah, that's who I want as my partner."
So, you know, now I'm five and six,
and we just whupping they ass.
And now I'm the greatest
to ever hold a set of dominoes.
But it's 'cause of Pop.
[man] Jimmy got really, really good
at it really, really fast.
And the course of playing dominoes
actually gave Jimmy a love of math.
It's a thing that makes him
really good at basketball.
Essentially, it's like looking at it
and seeing the game within a puzzle.
C'mere. Come here!
Beat me, goddamn it!
[chuckles]
Beat me.
How many dominoes you got, Pop?
Ah, hurry up. You got one play.
[Lee] During the playoff run last year,
um, between the New York
and Boston series,
Jimmy's dad, he didn't feel great.
We needed to get him to go see a doctor.
[somber music playing]
[Lee] He went through some testing.
But before the game was supposed to start,
that doctor called me
and said they got the results
back from the test, and that, um
and that
his his father, uh,
his health issue was gonna be terminal.
And I thought to myself,
"Do I wait until after the game
and, like, tell him this?"
"Or if it was me, I'd wanna know, right?"
I'd wanna know in that moment.
I couldn't I couldn't live with
not telling him that the second I knew it.
We walked into
a shower area of the locker room.
And I just told him.
I remember he looked at me,
and, um, he thanked me for telling him.
And he said, "I'm gonna go do my job,
and then we'll
we'll figure out
the things that have to come next."
[commentator] And away we go,
off and running in Boston!
With a turnover, it's Butler,
the other way and from behind
Butler has it and will put up a three.
Good! Big shot by Jimmy Butler.
[commentator 2] Jimmy Butler
has done it again.
When the Heat needed him the most,
he has absolutely delivered.
[commentator] The Heat
are going to the NBA Finals.
[Lee] I was texting with Jimmy's dad
during that game.
And I remember I texted him.
I was like, "Jimmy wins the MVP."
Let's give this one out
to the MVP
of the Eastern Conference Finals.
And Alonzo?
Jimmy Butler.
[cheering and applause]
[Butler] I get on a plane.
I fly out to spend some time with my dad.
He's telling me
every aspect of the game that went on,
what happened from his point of view.
Um
I hand him the trophy.
It gave him a different type of energy
and to like, "Yo, we're gonna beat this."
- [ball bouncing]
- [sneakers squeaking]
[train passing on tracks]
[Montgomery] You come off the high
of Christmas Day games.
It's flashy. Everybody loves it.
But that January to All-Star Weekend,
it's time to go to work.
[commentator] The best game
on the NBA card is here in Boston.
The two best teams about face each other.
Jayson Tatum coming off a day's rest.
They're set to go against Anthony Edwards.
He is a future superstar in this league.
[commentator 2] Those guys are
our best players in a marquee game.
Best of the West, best of the East
gonna square off tonight in the Garden.
[referee] Here's the deal.
We have to agree on a basketball.
If we don't agree, I get to pick.
Y'all don't want that.
I like this one.
That one's terrible, dawg.
- [Brown] Huh?
- This one terrible.
That's the one you want, the old one.
- This old.
- Come on, Ant.
This one, then. Let's meet in the middle.
This is a good ball, bruh.
[Mazzulla] The Timberwolves,
they play big.
And they're one of the best
defensive teams. You gotta earn it.
- [Tatum] You all right?
- Yeah, you?
[Tatum] Chillin'.
- Got your mic on?
- Yeah. You already know it.
[Montgomery] There's almost a competition
that happens inside of the season.
There's the series you play with the team.
For instance, in November,
you had the Celtics,
who played against the Timberwolves.
Ant Edwards goes crazy in this game.
fucking go!
Let's go!
- Get outta here!
- [man] What?
Go home to Boston, man!
Get outta here!
Go home to fucking Boston, man!
And then you fast-forward to January,
and then you have the same matchup.
[commentator] Great win
for Al Horford on the jump ball.
["THE REV3NGE" playing]
I just came back for the win ♪
They say success is the best revenge ♪
This time, Jayson Tatum was like,
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Go back to Boston? Pull up. I'm here."
Flash. Go flash.
[Shelburne] Jayson is the perfect Celtic.
- This is a rude awakening ♪
- [Tatum] Ah!
[Shelburne] He is under control.
He's poised.
- Yo.
- [Shelburne] He's really mature.
Stop. Don't hesitate.
You know what I'm saying? Keep shooting.
[Shelburne] People forget
how young he still is.
Like, he's still younger
than Michael was when he first won.
He's still younger than
so many of these all-time greats were
when they first broke through.
[Edwards] Hey, Tatum and Brown
wanna bounce, bounce, step back
all day long.
We got Jaden back.
Jaden got You on Tatum or Brown?
All right.
[man] Tatum, he has
more versatility to his game.
But I also think
his natural kind of alpha instincts
aren't quite as,
I don't know, uh,
virile. [chuckles]
Ant has a level
that he can reach that is unmatched.
- [Edwards] Hey! Hey!
- [commentator] jump ball.
That's a foul, man! He grabbed my arm!
Courtney, what you looking at?
- He had his hand right on top of the ball.
- Listen. I I got a question.
[Edwards] My hand is on top of the ball.
How is
Can we throw the ball up?
Come on, Courtney, goddamn.
If my hand on top of the ball,
how is his hand on top?
That's my only question.
Not a foul. Got his hand on top.
- You ready for it?
- Yeah.
Reach up.
[Edwards] Hey!
Right there.
[commentator 2 chuckles]
That's unfair, that move.
Come here. Oh my God.
Oh my God.
[commentator 2] Tatum takes it.
Got it!
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 2] 109-107!
The crowd is going bananas here.
Tatum gets fouled.
He'll go to the line
with a chance to tie the game.
Oh! Big rebound by White.
Gets it in the hands of Tatum. Down one.
Pushes off. Passes to Horford. Corner.
Yeah!
[cheering]
[commentator] That is
unbelievable Celtic basketball.
[Horford] We got a foul to give.
- Right after?
- [Horford] Huh?
- After they pass the ball in, right after?
- Right after.
- After. Are we fouling?
- Huh?
We're not fouling, are we?
- We're not.
- Okay.
- [crowd] Defense!
- [commentator] So no time-outs.
So whatever the situation is,
we gotta watch Anthony Edwards.
- [commentator 2] Edwards to the basket.
- [Edwards] Hey!
He's gonna get to the line for two.
Get out there
and knock these bitches down.
[buzzer sounds]
[commentator 2] Tie game.
You have to be okay
that they're not gonna let you shoot it.
So if we get to our spacing
and you make a play,
I'm not gonna call it.
If I don't like it, I'll call whatever
[commentator 2] Tie game. Tatum.
Four to shoot. Tatum takes it.
- [buzzer sounds]
- [commentator 2] Overtime.
[Tatum] Ah.
[commentator 2] When you get the two
teams, the two best records in the league,
overtime probably makes
a whole lot of sense.
Damn, man.
We're supposed to be going home right now.
- [man] We're out now.
- [Tatum] No time-outs.
Hey, you thought I was gonna miss one?
I thought you were gonna make that first.
There was too much time in between.
I know.
They waited so long
for me to shoot my free throws.
- Hands sweating like a motherfucker.
- I see that.
I'm like this the whole time.
Like, "What? I gotta get this shit
off my hands."
[Montgomery] So now the series is feeling
like there's a back-and-forth.
Both games going to overtime.
There's the drama that we love in sports.
And these are two good teams.
They could meet up in the NBA Finals.
[commentator 2] Celtics with the steal!
[commentator 2] Holiday
Tatum takes his time.
Knocks it down!
[cheering]
[commentator] There you go. See ya!
Blowing the lead,
it's the worst thing ever, bruh.
I swear to God. And we do it so much.
- [commentator] And the streak continues.
- [commentator 2] It does.
[commentator 3] The Boston Celtics,
they believe they've got the team
to win a championship.
[Tatum] Had a lot of success here
wearing this uniform.
But we haven't achieved the ultimate goal.
I think to be
in a conversation with the greats,
you know, one of the best Celtics,
it's kind of crazy.
But obviously, to be in that conversation,
you have to win, you know, championships.
I put way too much in there.
- [man] You've written some songs, right?
- Yeah.
[man] What's your vision on the project?
You know, it's it's it's crazy
'cause my vision changes so very often.
Just because, like, I always
I always felt like I wanna have,
like, 200 songs.
- Yeah.
- So then down the line, in ten years
Fuck you, Travis. You know what?
I saw the way you just looked at me, man.
I didn't say anything.
You didn't say nothing,
but it's it's the eyes.
- The eyes are very telling.
- with your eyes?
You are inspiring me.
[guitar playing]
[Butler] I listen to music
based upon how I'm feeling
at any point in time throughout the day.
I love that you can find music
to fit any type of mood that you're in.
But a text message ♪
Wishing right now ♪
[man] What kind of vibes
you feeling about writing on?
[Butler] You know what? I wanna write
a song about the friend zone.
I got a text message this morning that
You know what? I'm just gonna show you.
- [man 2] When's the last time you saw her?
- Show me too.
No. 'Cause if I swipe too far up, you may
see something you don't need to see.
You feel me now? You feel me now?
[laughing]
Look
Okay, so that's not
the first thing she said.
She said, "So who has the key?"
I said, "What key?" And she goes
[Travis] To your heart.
Can you shut the fuck up?
Let me read my text messages.
- And that's not what it says.
- [laughter]
It says, "To my corazón."
- [Travis] To your what?
- "Corazón."
"Corazón," which I know
is Spanish for "heart."
[Heath] Oh, I thought you were saying,
like, "cortisone cream."
[Jacob] Yeah, I was like
[Heath and Jacob laugh]
No. And then I was like,
"Yo, are you macking me right now?"
Like, this is fucking crazy.
Then that's when she got to,
"Why'd you friend zone me?"
And I was like,
"I mean, I didn't do that."
Literally, we did yoga, and she was like,
"Yo, tomorrow, I leave.
Like, I move to Dubai."
- And she legit moved to Dubai.
- Wow. She said, "Dubai, bye-bye."
- For sure.
- "Dubai, bye-bye." [laughs]
[man] That's the next song.
[Butler] She was like, "Friend zone."
I was like, "That ain't a friend zone."
"You in a different time zone.
I think you got the wrong word."
- [man] Wow!
- [Heath] Oh, Jimmy got bars!
- I got bars!
- Wow! Let's go!
- [Heath] Keep talking.
- Don't sleep on me.
[Jacob laughs] Sing on that.
He's all right.
[guitar playing]
By the time
We get to the bottom of this ♪
One of us
Is gonna have to call it quits ♪
I'm wondering why ♪
[Butler] I think there's just
so many different ways to relate to music.
There's so many different types of music.
There's so many different people in music.
And that's why I wanna do
my own version of music
in my country album.
If you shoot your shot
And I'll shoot mine ♪
- [Heath] Love it.
- [Jacob] Yeah!
- [Butler] Pass me the mic!
- [Jacob] You know what?
Like, it makes
it makes perfect sense to me now
[Lee] Over the course of
the last number of years,
his world has gotten broader and larger.
Like, there's nothing
that he can't touch or have access to.
[Butler] Can I put a T-shirt on?
- [woman] No, you're gonna get used to it.
- Hey, do I look like Prince?
- [woman] Uh, yes.
- Perfect.
Purple rain ♪
- [woman] Does it fit?
- Purple rain ♪
- [woman] Yeah, he's complaining.
- So many And they're so good. There's
He's like
He knew in the car on the way over here.
[Butler] Pete's a huge basketball fan.
They just reached out,
and Pete was like,
"Yo, if we get you in this video
it'd be a it'd be a huge hit."
[Pete] There's so much stuff!
[laughing]
Back, back, back, back.
- That's it after that.
- You don't say.
- Okay, good, good. I got it.
- Man
- That's all there is?
- You're doing dance moves.
This is low-key a workout, by the way.
This is all glutes, but you lucky
I got a lot of those. Don't I?
[Monika] Can we try
a little slow-dance moment with you two?
Can't take my thoughts
And I am awake ♪
[Monika] Yeah, slow dance.
Nice and serious, looking at each other.
Like it's the day
Right after Christmas past ♪
[Monika] Can you turn around as you do it?
Keep holding each other.
No. [laughs]
[Montgomery] When I saw
the Fall Out Boy video
featuring Jimmy Butler,
I was like,
"Will somebody come look at this?"
I couldn't believe it.
So much for stardust ♪
We thought we had it all ♪
Thought we had it all ♪
Thought we had it all
Thought we had it all ♪
[Montgomery] When you think about
NBA players and their stardom,
I mean, I don't know
if there's very many more leagues
that have bigger stars than the NBA.
When you're watching anything now,
throughout the commercial break,
you will see NBA players sprinkled in.
They're in fashion.
They're in every entertainment space,
not just basketball.
I'm good. I'm good. I'm good.
[Edwards] People love me.
People want me to be in
the commercials and all this.
Hope you like it hot.
Right now, my favorite snack,
I probably have to go with
the Jayson Tatum Ruffles.
Yeah, them they be hitting it. [chuckles]
- You have endorsements, commercial shoots.
- [man] Here we go.
[indistinct chatter]
I've been a celebrity
for a long fucking time.
[Sabonis] NBA players
feeling like celebrities.
To be honest, for me,
I haven't felt it as much.
- [man] How you guys doing?
- [Sabonis] What's up?
How are you? Hey. Hi. Hi.
All right.
- Thank you so much.
- Sure, of course.
You're the reason
why I ripped up my Draymond Green.
[all laugh]
[Sabonis] What's up, guys? What's up?
What's up? Good.
- [boy] Hey, boy.
- [Sabonis] What's up? What's up?
[Sabonis] Going to a high school
and speaking to kids,
I love doing all these little things
and being part of the community.
- What's up?
- [applause]
- [Sabonis] What's up, guys?
- [cheering]
[Sabonis] Right here?
Giving back to them, trying to give
your knowledge and your experiences
'cause there's so many kids there,
especially in your home city.
Just by you saying something,
it might change their life,
it might change their outcome.
To me, that's really important,
and I don't take that for granted.
My name is Desia, and I want to know,
like, who in your life helped you the most
getting into basketball?
[Sabonis] I would say definitely my dad.
Um, he's experienced everything
that I'm going through, and, um,
we come from the same background,
so we kind of It's just easy.
You can't take a day for granted.
You just keep doing everything, every day.
What you're looking for is gonna happen.
[woman] Thank you.
He's so loving, and he's so sweet,
and he's constantly appreciating everybody
and seeing the value
of everyone around him.
[Sabonis] After events like that,
usually everyone
wants to take pictures or autographs.
- What's up?
- Hey, everybody, back up. Back up.
Back up. Back up. Back up. Back up!
[Sabonis] I try and sign
anything they have.
And, uh, I always try and do everything,
you know,
uh, give them
everything they want and above.
And, um, it definitely can get
a bit crazy sometimes.
[girl] Ready to take a picture?
[woman] All right, guys.
He can't sign everyone's ball, guys.
- Next year, let's go.
- Thanks, boss.
All right, that's it. No more. That's it.
Whose is this? All right.
[Sabonis] I always love
giving back to the fans, and
and giving them that quality time,
you know, so at the end of the day,
they are supporting you.
That's a feeling every player wants.
[overlapping chatter]
[Montgomery] People wanna be closer
to NBA players. That's their celebrity.
We already know that they're global stars,
and so you mix that with All-Star Weekend,
man, there's nothing like it.
[man] Hey, Kings fans, I'm here to tell
you how to vote for Domantas Sabonis
for the NBA All-Star Game 2024
in Indianapolis.
[Sabonis] For All-Star voting,
it's 50% fans,
25% coaches,
and another 25% is media and players.
Who should be in
this year's NBA All-Star Game?
I'm gonna let you know who I'm voting for.
I feel like all their little pictures
are looking at me, like, "Vote for me."
A lot of these times, these All-Star Games
are, you know, popularity contests.
[Shelburne] The All-Star Game is
the measuring stick of the season.
If you make the All-Star team,
you can be like,
"I came in here and wanted to have
a good season, and I did that."
[Tatum] I had a list of things
I wanted to accomplish.
And from a very young age,
it was to be a All-Star.
[Edwards] Being named
a All-Star is super dope.
'Cause if you don't,
what you doing it for?
There are gonna be tough calls to make.
- I agree.
- It always is.
[crickets chirping]
He's spectacular, man.
I mean, somebody who is as good as he is,
that works as hard as he does,
that cares as much as he does.
I mean, for a coach,
that's all you can ask for.
Um, so, you wanna do
some flips, hooks, middy?
You guard me so I can just shoot over you,
you know what I mean?
[Christie] Okay. Okay. Well, that's not
[Brown] Before you lead vocally,
you have to be able to lead by example.
And that has been a given
for Domas since day one.
That's that's just who he's been.
You have to give
heavy consideration to Domas
when it comes to voting for All-Star.
[commentator] Yeah.
Domas says, "Why not me?"
When you stop,
own it so that you can catch it.
And then when you make that bump,
you're in your area you wanna be in.
That make sense?
[pundit] You got a bona fide All-Star
in Domantas Sabonis.
[pundit 2] He underrated, man.
That man got game.
[Brown] He's gonna be that All-Star.
He's gonna be
the double-double machine that he is,
and then he'll start getting
the love that he deserve.
I don't have to do anything special to try
to get him to go get a triple-double
because that's how good he is.
A triple-double is not easy to do,
or everybody would be doing it.
Good work.
- Getting better. Appreciate it.
- Yes, very good.
Domantas is getting a triple-double,
which is 10-plus in three categories.
He did it seven times in January.
[woman] You don't like
to speak about triple-doubles.
- Yeah.
- [woman] But we have to.
- Okay.
- [woman 2 laughs]
[Shashana] He's like, "Oh."
Just say, "It makes me very uncomfortable.
I never talk about myself."
It's just weird. I don't believe
Anthony Edwards saying, "I'm the best."
- Oh no, he does. That doesn't count. Um
- [all laugh]
Who'd be like
Jimmy Butler's not saying, like,
"I'm the friggin' clutchest player ever."
And, like, it's just weird.
Like, they can add the highlights
and the whole
"Oh, he's had 22 triple-doubles,"
and then I'm like
[chuckles]
What?! ♪
[commentator] Back at Golden 1 Center,
the Kings ready to meet the challenge
of taking on the Miami Heat.
Like the game ♪
[reporter] Seven players from the Heat
will be missing tonight's game.
This includes Jimmy Butler.
Domantas Sabonis
has been playing out of this world.
He is currently averaging
a triple-double this month.
If you ask me, that is just insane.
[both] Ah!
Go, Foxy!
[cheering and applause]
[commentator] Which Domas feat
is more impressive,
20 triple-doubles
or 39 consecutive double-doubles?
Come on. That is a tough one, y'all.
[McMenamin] What I admire
about watching him
is that he seems to be a guy
who goes about his business.
- [player grunts]
- [dings]
- [dings]
- [commentator] And rebounded by Domas.
[McMenamin] Goes out, gets 20 rebounds,
20 points, sometimes nine, ten assists.
You see how
Duncan Robinson does all that heavy shit?
Or whatever and he's attacking aggressive?
Scouting report is
more scared of you than him.
Kev, Kev, Kev, I got you.
[commentator] Sabonis
And Adebayo really backing off him,
so yeah, Domas says, "Why not me?"
A pocket pass to Sabonis.
Bam stayed down on the fake.
Great jab step by Sabonis.
[player] Hey!
[dings]
[Sabonis] People ask me
about my triple-doubles,
the media, fans, being an All-Star.
At the end of the day,
I just wanna go out and play hard.
Shot.
[dings]
[Sabonis] I'm the big man.
I wanna go out, gotta score.
[commentator] Man,
hit him with the Dream Shake.
And rebounding is definitely
what bigs have to do.
[commentator] Offensive board
by Sabonis, muscling inside.
And then on top of that, I like to pass.
I like to pass and get my teammates open.
Hey, wait till I make eye contact.
[cheering]
[dings]
[cheering]
It just kind of goes together.
And I don't even realize it, you know.
I'm just out there trying to play hard
and play the way I know how to play.
[indistinct chatter]
[dings]
[McMenamin] Sabonis has so much talent.
It it helps a team win basketball games.
And to have it all in the package
of one player is remarkable.
[commentator 2] Domas
with another triple-double tonight.
[commentator 3] Domantas Sabonis, he's
first in the league in double-doubles,
second in the league in triple-doubles.
And he's putting up numbers
that can only compare to Wilt Chamberlain.
If Sabonis' résumé is
not worthy of an All-Star selection,
I don't know what else to say.
And there you have it, triple-doubles.
[chuckles]
[woman laughs]
- [Sabonis] That's all.
- [man] That's great.
- They're gonna use that.
- [woman] They're gonna use that one.
[laughing]
- [Shashana] That's funny. Good.
- [woman] Right?
[pundit] It is that time of year again.
The All-Star voting results.
They are top secret.
The official starters
for the All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
The captain, from the Los Angeles Lakers,
the King, LeBron James.
From the Boston Celtics, Mr. Jayson Tatum.
From the Minnesota Timberwolves,
Anthony Edwards.
- [pundit] This is it.
- [man] Only one more?
- From the Orlando Magic, Paolo Banchero.
- [man 2] Ooh.
If you don't think I'm an All-Star, great.
Y'all keep y'all opinions
to y'all self anyways.
[pundit] I'm just gonna
I'm gonna actually open the card
and then read it and not try any of that
I already know who it is, Ernie.
- Here it is.
- [Shaq] I didn't okay.
Final reserve, Western Conference.
Domantas Sabonis.
From the Minnesota Timberwolves,
- Karl-Anthony Towns.
- Ooh! Wha
No Sabonis?!
I will tear this shit down right now!
No Sabony?
[mysterious music playing]
[Marcelas] Are you shitting me?
Domantas Sabonis,
almost averaging a triple-double,
top five big in the league,
doesn't make the NBA All-Star Game?
[pundit 2] That'd be
one of the best seasons
somebody not making an All-Star team.
- [pundit 3] Doing it on a playoff team.
- Full of shit!
Domantas Sabonis leads the NBA
in double-doubles,
second behind Jokić in triple-doubles,
and for him to not get an All-Star nod?
To me, that is disrespectful.
[Sabonis] In my mind,
I know I'm an All-Star.
It's tough. Frustrating.
But everyone who knows me knows
I'm not content and always want more.
And yeah, this year,
I didn't get selected to be an All-Star,
and you know, at the end of the day,
that's not the final goal.
The final goal is to win,
put my team
in the best position for playoffs.
The ultimate goal is
to win a championship.
[Tatum] Living in Boston
and being from St. Louis,
it took some time to get used to,
but I always said
we have by far the best fans in the NBA.
Regardless if we're playing
the Lakers or a last-place team,
every game is gonna be sold out.
[man] What up? How are you?
I want you to have
a fuckin' ten three-pointer game.
Shoot ten threes? Make them?
- No, no, no, make, yeah. I want you to
- [Tatum chuckles]
[Hanlen] I want, like,
a game-seven performance.
All right. Have a good one.
- Shoot 'em.
- I got you.
[indistinct yelling]
[Tatum] In Boston,
fans are gonna be cheering.
The energy's always gonna be there.
Like, I thought, before I got to the NBA,
that it was always like that.
And, um, it's not.
It's a lot of places you go where
you know, people don't show up
till the second quarter.
And, you know,
there's empty seats everywhere.
The energy isn't,
you know, alive as it should be,
only for big games.
And, like, when I go out
when we go out there for layup lines,
like, everybody's in their seat,
the gym is packed,
and they're ready to watch us win.
[commentator] From Boston,
with a historic rivalry.
The two most famous franchises in the NBA,
but, Reggie, they are going
in completely different directions.
[Reggie] Boston has
the overall best record.
They're 22-2 in this building.
They have two All-Stars. It's the upswing.
[commentator] For the first time
this season, the Lakers will play a game
without LeBron and AD.
Let's go through
the litany of injuries for both.
LeBron dealing with
a foot and ankle injuries.
[Reggie] Think this is
gonna be an easy night.
[Tatum] The people in Boston, the fans,
they know basketball.
Like, the fans understand the game.
They believe that this was
our time and our moment
and that we were gonna get the job done.
[commentator] And away we go in Boston
for the 37-11 Boston Celtics.
The number one record
in the NBA right now.
[Tatum] Shit.
Right there, right there.
[crowd] Defense!
[commentator] So to Reaves,
Reaves from way outside.
- Oh!
- [commentator] Ooh!
- Oh my God.
- [commentator] Goodness, he's on a heater.
[Reggie] Another steal!
[commentator] Turnover by the Celtics.
Vanderbilt into Reaves, a hesitation.
Two fly by as he puts it in.
[whistle blows]
[commentator 3] But it's all Lakers.
This was the nightmare for the Celtics.
The energy taken out of the building.
[man] Guys, don't foul. Don't foul.
[Tatum] Hey!
[commentator] Frustration foul
right there by Tatum.
[Tatum] 'Bout time
we go on a run, ain't it?
[commentator 4] What we're seeing
is a lack of energy.
[commentator] That's a three. Tatum.
The shot there is errant.
[commentator 2] Boy, Tatum has missed
shots he normally makes.
[grunts]
C'mon!
[commentator 2] Celtics cannot get out
of their own way here. This has been ugly.
Come on, we're right there.
It's gonna be hard. C'mon.
Like, whoever on Hayes gotta box out
'cause he really just, like, tapping it.
So whoever got him
gotta get him off the board.
Everybody else come in.
We can't leak out.
We too fucking little right now.
[man] Right.
[commentator 2] Steady hands for Hayes
who gets in behind everybody
for a two-hand slam.
And it is almost as if the Celtics
have forgotten how they won 37 games.
[Garnett] A lot of people
talk about the process
of getting to the top of the mountain
'cause it's so hard to be consistent.
I think it gives you great perspective
on what really, really, really
what this is like
and how hard this is.
Obviously, when the highest of the high
and you're on and riding,
you wanna be with it.
But, man, when you crash
and you're going through
a really, really hard time,
it's very important to stay positive.
- [man] Yeah!
- [man 2] No!
[man] Yeah!
[commentator 4] Fans are starting
to head for the exits in Boston.
[Garnett] But, man, it's nothing
nothing more difficult than when something
happens on your team that kills momentum,
and now you're on the other side.
That's why it's important
to always stay humble.
It's always important to stay confident.
It's always important
to stay on your craft.
[commentator 4]
And the Los Angeles Lakers,
without LeBron James
and without Anthony Davis,
stunned the team atop the NBA.
[Shaq] When it was announced
that no LeBron, no AD, they got bored.
They thought, "With our talent,
we can beat these guys."
The route to being a champion,
you don't ever give up.
I don't care who's on the court.
This is why
they're not ready to be a champion.
[somber string music playing]
[Tatum] Sports media is tough.
When we lose, it's my fault.
It's hard to explain that
or have other guys on the team understand.
Like, nobody can really prepare you
of how to deal with that.
[pundit] They were talking about
lacking effort.
That's the worst thing you want
to be hearing at the professional level.
When you're not playing
with the energy or the effort
or it just seems like
they're playing harder than you are,
even though
they're missing LeBron and AD, like,
how do you digest that when you know,
damn, they're just
They're out-hustling us.
They're beating us back on defense.
They're getting transition layups
after we make baskets.
- Like, how do you digest not playing hard?
- [reporter]were able to stop you
[Tatum] I'm certain everybody wish
they could go back and change some shit.
We're no different. This is our job.
Um, we'd love to be perfect.
We would love to win every game
and make every shot, but,
um, it's just not the case, but
You know, we gotta be better
and look ourselves in the mirror,
and that's what we're gonna do.
I'm still a mama bear,
so, a lot of times, it's difficult
to be able to emotionally, to be able
to watch and know statistical numbers,
and then still hear people get on TV
and, you know,
talk about your son like a dog
or make it seem like, you know,
he's not as good as he is.
And then you're looking at the numbers
like, "Make it make sense."
[man] It seems to me that Jayson
has to deal with unfair criticism
- Gets to deal with.
- [man] Yeah
He gets to deal with it.
It's the ultimate compliment.
You know, and that's what we talk about.
Like, this is what you asked for.
You asked to be one of the best players
in the NBA on the best team in the NBA,
with an opportunity, uh, you know,
to be an icon for the league for a long,
long time. This is what you asked for.
Why does it have to be this way? ♪
Can't tell you go
Can't tell you to stay ♪
[man] You lose to the Lakers,
especially the Lakers are not that good.
Tear your heart out a little bit 'cause
you know they were better than that.
You get doubt in your mind sometimes
when you see a couple losses,
but they bounce back pretty quickly.
I love being a Celtics fan.
I I love the team this year.
There's gonna be times
when it's a lot worse.
So you gotta enjoy what you have.
This is the best team
they've had probably since 2008, 2009.
So this is
their best chance to win a title.
[Tatum] One thing I have noticed
is that the people in Boston,
the fans, the love is real.
And it has been from day one.
And, you know, that
that takes place over, you know,
the people writing the articles,
the people on the sports radio show.
They truly love what we do, what we
stand for, and the way that we play.
And you can feel that throughout the city.
And that is unlike any other place.
[suspenseful music plays]
[Lee] His father had been going through
some health issues that had been evident.
We were here
at the hospital during the day,
and Jimmy had a conversation
with the hospital staff people
just to make sure that the TV
in the room that his father was in worked.
I remember him actively
making a point to say to his father,
"Hey, enjoy the game tonight."
Like, you know, "I got it set up
so I know you'll be able to watch."
[Butler] It's, um,
over-the-top frustrating.
Just because, like,
I wasn't in control of this.
There's no way I could fix it.
- My boy!
- [indistinct chatter]
When life has never been going my way,
I always got lost
in the game of basketball.
[dramatic music playing]
Hey, run fucking pistol.
Pistol. Uh-uh, pistol.
[commentator] Butler, why not?
Drives in, gets there, and puts it in.
[Butler] And one! And one!
C'mon!
[commentator] Jimmy Butler
playing like it's almost playoff time.
[commentator 2] Jimmy spinning,
putting it up off glass.
[commentator] Big-time spin.
Big-time move by Jimmy.
I'm shooting a three.
I am. I'm telling you right now.
[commentator] Jimmy Butler
really in a strong groove right now.
Kaboom.
[laughs]
Hey, guys, when we pass the ball
we're a good team when we pass the ball.
We are.
Go over there.
Go over there. Go over there.
[commentator 2] A chance at a fast break.
Butler holds up, finds Jaquez!
[commentator] And how about
Jimmy Butler doing everything?
I have it. I have it.
[commentator 2] from Branham,
gets it back. Here he comes.
The lob and the slam!
[commentator] Well done, Jimmy Butler.
Ooh!
Oh, they live!
[commentator] And Butler
needing one assist
for his 16th career triple-double.
Could it be? Yes!
The playoff chase is on.
A triple-double for Butler.
A 116-104 win for Miami.
- My boy. Love you, kid.
- Love you, bro.
- You too.
- Yes, sir.
Keep doing what you're doing.
Young. Good shit, baby.
C'mon now.
I don't like hugging tall people, man.
[indistinct chatter]
- [boy] Jimmy!
- [Butler] What's up, buddy?
- Can you sign my card?
- Jimmy! Jimmy!
- [Butler] Happy birthday.
- Thank you so much.
[chuckles]
Earl the Pearl, appreciate you, baby.
You been working on your domino game?
Yeah, I hope so.
[Lee] The game ended.
And he took the shoes that he had,
and he wrote
the date of the game on the shoes.
He took those shoes,
and he took them to the hospital
to give them to his father. Um
[Butler] Yeah, he was stoked.
He was super excited.
I see my dad on the hospital bed.
Tell my dad I love him.
The doctor comes in.
I'm like, "Hey, Doc." Like
"I gotta go see my brother get married."
"Will he still be here? Will he still
be alive whenever I get back?"
And the doc was like,
"I mean, I don't know."
I was like, "All right, well, I gotta go,
but please, please, please." Like
"I need my dad here whenever I get back."
I get on the plane, and I'm flying.
And I'm probably, like,
20 minutes from landing,
and I get a text from my agent
that asked me if I landed yet.
And I was like, "Nobody ever texts me
when I'm in the air 'Have I landed yet?'"
So that's when I knew
my my dad had passed.
My dad had passed at what, February 8th
One I don't know,
1:04 a.m. or something like that.
So it's crazy that that triple-double
was the last game that my dad was alive.
[somber music playing]
[Butler] Okay, paint his nails, then.
[chuckles] Thank you, Rylee.
[woman] Keep doing it.
Keep doing it, Papa.
[woman chuckles]
[Butler] When you lose somebody
that's that dear to you
and that's taught you so much,
that has seen you grow
from a kid to a young adult
to a star
to the man that I am today as a father,
and then, all of a sudden,
he's not there anymore.
I didn't know what to do.
No amount of money in the world
could bring him back.
Basketball, no matter
how much I played it,
it couldn't fix that.
Now more than ever,
I really don't take anything for granted
because you never know
when they will not be here anymore.
My dad was special.
He's not here,
but I know he's always gonna be here.
I know my pops is proud, man.
He would walk around
in my jersey so often,
and it would
it would piss me off because I'm like,
"In my home, we don't do basketball."
And now I realize it wasn't basketball
that he was celebrating.
He was literally celebrating his son.
Knowing that my dad was was proud of me,
that was a a large reason
why I wanted to become who I am today.
The fatherhood aspect of it.
Like, I really, really, really enjoy
being a dad.
That's where his legacy's gonna live on.
Imma love my children like he loved me,
and Imma be there,
and I'm gonna support them.
So Imma be the best dad.
[emotional music playing]