Starting 5 (2024) s01e09 Episode Script

1
[LeBron] Why would you run a play-action
on fourth and six?
[man] Yes, son?
Why are you running a play-action,
then you gonna go for the run?
[laughing]
- [man] Oh shit.
- No, sir. No, sir.
- [man] Oh.
- No, sir. No, sir.
[LeBron] I dare you, son.
Come here, fat boy.
- [man 2] He's got a man!
- Got his ass!
- [man 2] Touchdown, Eagles!
- Got his ass!
[yells]
[suspenseful music playing]
One, two.
You wanna go?
[man] I can shuffle.
[LeBron] Throughout the course
of a long NBA season,
I mean, you have to have camaraderie.
You have to have chemistry.
You have to have those in order to build.
[LeBron] I ain't had shit
in about four hands. I'm gonna be honest.
So 2,800. Here.
- All of us
- [man] You got a book.
- Yeah.
- [man] We all got a book.
Hold on. Didn't I just pay you this?
- [man] No, you didn't pay me!
- [man 2] Oh yeah.
You gotta stay in. You're LeBron James.
[LeBron] Nah, fuck that. You stay in too.
[LeBron] We have
some guys in our ball club
that's either made it to the Finals
or actually was able to win it all.
So, you know, that is the goal.
That's what we all came together for.
[LeBron] Turn 'em over.
- [laughing]
- [man] Oh, two trumps.
[LeBron] Damn!
Ha!
No flex zone ♪
They know about it ♪
[commentator] The Denver Nuggets' quest
to repeat begins tonight.
Fans flood Ball Arena to watch Game 1
against the Los Angeles Lakers.
[LeBron] At this point in my career,
I'm playing for championships.
That's my only motivation.
[pundit] The chatter has been
that the Lakers can't beat Denver.
[Shaq] LeBron said it.
It's going to be a tough task.
It's difficult to contain
Joker and Jamal's championship chemistry,
that championship flow they have
on the offensive side of the ball.
[LeBron] The Nuggets,
they make it tough, especially in Denver.
You know, the altitude
weighs on you a little bit.
You know, but that's just the mindset.
[suspenseful music playing]
[pundit 2] The time is right now.
To me, if you're the Los Angeles Lakers,
you've got to capitalize on this moment.
Now if you don't, you don't have a chance
in the future as far as I'm concerned.
[pundit 3] LeBron tells us he's the GOAT.
Don't tell me, show me.
- [ball bouncing]
- [sneakers squeaking]
[crowd clamoring]
[crowd chants] Let's go, Nuggets!
[rhythmic pounding]
[crowd chants] Let's go, Nuggets!
[LeBron] Hey!
[commentator] Here comes James.
Backing down the smaller Murray,
as LeBron gets inside.
[LeBron] I'm in a great rhythm
right now, bro.
You want to stay?
[LeBron] Hell yeah, I wanna stay.
Hell yeah.
- [LeBron] AD!
- [commentator] James gets free.
Lets it fly and hits a three!
41%, the best he's ever shot from three.
[LeBron] Oh man, I feel great, bro.
You wanna take Joker?
Yeah.
I'll take him.
I'll take him. I'll take him.
[commentator] Now Jokić downcourt,
pass broken up by James.
[LeBron] Hey!
C'mon, boy! Short! Short! Short!
[commentator] Pick-and-roll, Jokić,
lobs it up there for Gordon!
Just beautiful basketball.
[commentator 2] That is
signature Denver Nuggets.
[LeBron] Having a guy
like Joker and Murray,
that makes it challenging on you
throughout the course of 48 minutes.
[Davis] Made it.
If you put hands on 'em, I'm there.
- What?
- If I get any closer, I'll foul him.
[LeBron] Short! Short! Short!
[commentator] Fighting for the loose ball!
And it's Denver basketball!
Jokić! That's a slam over James!
[commentator 2] Had a chance there.
Just getting a little bit outworked
here in the fourth.
- [LeBron] Ah!
- [whistle toots]
[commentator] James loses his footing,
shaken up on the play.
Denver ball
as LeBron is holding his right elbow.
[LeBron] Ah!
[commentator] That might be it
for the Lakers after that.
[LeBron] Fuck. Fuck!
[commentator] Both James and Davis
played over 40 minutes.
And then you wonder, at age 39, 21st year,
did LeBron run out of gas there?
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Nuggets!
[reporter] What happened?
I landed on my elbow again.
[clears throat] Same one
from the New Orleans game.
It swell up on me.
Again.
[crowd clamoring]
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Nuggets!
Don't worry about it. We good. We good.
We get this stop right here.
[commentator] Murray on top.
Davis will defend.
Gets the screen. LeBron comes up on him.
- Here is for the tie.
- [commentator 2] The midrange!
Good midrange. It keeps you honest.
Murray's getting his rhythm
back on the midrange.
[LeBron] Obviously,
when the stakes are higher, you know
I try to play my best then
because it's just like, you know,
this is what people come to see.
[commentator] Defender falls.
LeBron three!
Rebound by Porter.
- Denver with the time-out. We are tied.
- [commentator 2] I love it. Don't call it.
Tie ball game.
Worst can happen, we go to overtime.
[commentator] Four seconds!
Three seconds left!
Jumper, Murray!
[buzzer sounds]
[commentator] Good!
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] The Nuggets have won!
[tense music playing]
[LeBron] When you play as hard
as you do in the postseason,
you give everything
you got to a to a single game,
then you lose at a at a buzzer-beater,
um, it's demoralizing.
It's it's stressful.
You know, it hurts.
You'd much rather get blown out
where you know you had no chance.
Even in the postseason.
[commentator 2] By the way,
that's ten straight now for the Nuggets.
[commentator] Ten consecutive wins.
The Nuggets have gone up
two games to none on the Lakers.
[commentator] The Nuggets and the Lakers.
LA trying to stay in this thing.
Meanwhile, Grant,
Denver is trying to take command.
The Nuggets are rolling!
They take a 3-0 lead in the series,
and the Lakers are
on the brink of elimination.
[LeBron] Dealing with the stress of losing
when you wish you would've won,
and all the things that goes with
being a professional athlete,
the best thing to counter that
is to have a stress-free zone.
[LeBron vocalizing]
[laughs]
[man] For my hat
[laughing]
[LeBron] Man, when I walk through my door,
it's just like,
you know it's home base.
Yup. What time you gotta get going?
[LeBron] You know it's like,
now it's time to recharge,
and that's all because of Savannah.
She just She keeps everything flowing.
Why you rushing me out the door?
That's absolutely not true, but okay.
You wanted me to come down here
and observe you shooting the pod?
Yeah, and you said,
"I can't 'cause I gotta go."
- I did not say that.
- Best out of three.
[laughs]
Playoff LeBron is not very different
from regular season LeBron, if we will.
I don't think personality-wise,
he changes much.
I think the that the focus
and the determination
to what we're trying to get to
at this point just shifts.
- [mimics buzzer]
- [Savannah laughs]
Ah! [laughs]
- Are you ready?
- [man] Yep.
[police siren blares]
[man] Get Murray to pick up the ball,
and then, Bron, you at the rim.
TP, you gotta be ready
to play that two-man game.
And then Murray, solo.
Jax and Rui will be ready to hit,
uh, and then Murray,
his post back downs,
we'll be in a blitz on dribble.
That's only in the Murray solo minutes.
[LeBron] The series is never over
until the team wins four.
You know, so my confidence continues
to stay high no matter what.
No matter what the deficit is,
no matter what the record is,
no matter what the series is.
Until a team wins four games,
then, um, it's time to fight.
- [upbeat music playing]
- [applause]
[commentator] It's Game 4
between Denver and the Lakers.
The Lakers face elimination tonight
against the defending champion
Denver Nuggets.
C'mon now!
[reporter] Pressure and LeBron James
are strange bedfellows.
He has met and exceeded
every, like, reasonable challenge.
No more features ♪
I might just stare at you ♪
I'm geeked
Don't ask me 'bout no more features ♪
I might embarrass you ♪
[Woike] I'm not sure it's fair
to expect him to be able to pull this off.
If LeBron James can somehow,
this deep into his career,
find 48 perfect minutes
against the Denver Nuggets,
the Lakers are gonna look
for him to do it three more times.
[LeBron] What's up, baby?
[commentator] The Lakers
won't give you the game.
You're gonna have to withstand a punch.
[commentator 2] James gets to the rim
and scores the game's first points.
I'm here! I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!
I got ball!
AD, stay here! Clear! Clear!
[commentator 2]
Murray crossing over James,
and there's LeBron catching up to it
and swatting it!
[LeBron] Hey! I'm smacking. Hey!
If I see him stop behind, I'mma jump it.
- Go red!
- [commentator 2] Single digits.
James gets the steal and the breakaway
and the highlight slam!
[Ham] They trying to ice it.
Just throw it to Bron,
and AD set it for Bron.
[LeBron] Lob to me?
No, no, no, I'm just baiting 'em.
It's gonna come from you now.
[commentator] And he gets the best player
Whoa!
[commentator 2] No-look pass, Russell!
James with the slam!
I got great hands. I played wide receiver.
[commentator 2]The Lakers are still alive.
They'll head to Denver
and try to win another one.
Good shit, y'all. Good shit.
Good shit. Good shit. Good shit.
Yep. Yep.
- Good shit.
- [man] Yes, sir.
The togetherness,
the competitiveness, the selflessness
It's gonna get even harder.
We got to relock in.
Focus, buckle down,
and get ready for Game 5.
One game at a time.
Just one game.
We still down 3-1.
I've been there before, so
That shit is over and done with.
We live to see another day.
Live to see another day.
That's all you can ask for.
I'm not I'm not
about to walk out here happy. For what?
Ain't shit to be happy about right now.
That's it. One game at a time.
[Tatum] It's flat.
You got another ball?
Deuce.
Bebe about to get another ball
'cause it's flat.
Go show 'em your playground.
That was luck.
Go show 'em your playground.
- I'm gonna lower the hoop, all right?
- [Deuce] Okay.
[curious music playing]
This is the spiderweb.
Another double slide over there.
And then sometimes, I like to do this.
This is how you do this part.
And then
you pull yourself up
[Tatum] I got the ball.
I'm not done yet!
Over here is kind of like the spiderweb,
but the spiderweb's over there.
And then you climb up.
Either you can go down here
or go down the slide.
[ball bouncing]
- [Tatum] That's one.
- I wanna hang from it.
Good layup. Good layup.
You tell 'em you got a steal today?
Yeah.
- Tell 'em you got a rebound?
- Yes.
Yeah, I know.
[Deuce] When you take the ball from me,
I'm not gonna kiss and hug you.
One day.
One day.
[curious music playing]
[Tatum] The playoffs is
a totally different animal.
Being able to put
all your attention and focus on
playing this one team.
You wanna win a championship,
you wanna get to where you gotta get to,
you gotta lock in on one opponent.
There's such a heightened level
of awareness of what's going on.
Attention to detail.
Mentally, physically.
The guys they have
and how they make you play
and how you're
trying to force them to play
and things you're trying to take away.
You're playing more minutes.
The intensity level's just so much higher
'cause you know what's on the line.
[uplifting music playing]
[Edwards] This year,
I've been living the dream.
I made my second All-Star Game.
Beat my idol, KD.
I had my daughter, Aislynn.
And I bought a crib,
you know, for my family to, you know
so we can feel stable and, you know,
finally get a place
where we know this is home.
It's crazy how life comes so fast
and in a circle, for sure.
[man] Welcome home, man.
You gonna go down?
- [man 2] You gonna go down first?
- I mean, I can look around. [chuckles]
[man] All right.
Let's go on the lower level.
[Shannon] I'm so excited
about our new house.
Especially because it's just, like
it's gonna feel like our home now.
He hasn't seen the house.
Like, he saw pictures, but he
hasn't physically been at the house.
I'm so excited to see how he finna react.
If you know Ant,
he's not gonna give a big reaction, but
[laughs]
Inside, he gonna be happy.
[man] That house right there,
that's a cabin.
That's one of the first people
that worked with Bill Gates and Microsoft.
That's their cabin.
This is one of the only
true floating staircases in Minnesota
because, normally, you're
gonna have a wall on one side of it.
But these guys put commercial tube steel,
craned it in before they put the roof on
so that they could
build this free-floating.
[Aislynn crying]
Since Aislynn been here,
I just see a total difference.
[Shannon] Ant.
He wanna hold her.
He wanna talk to her.
He don't like to see her cry.
She falls asleep on his chest.
They have this little thing.
He has to kiss her
all around her whole face,
and she sits there and let him do it,
and she smiles afterwards.
So soft when it comes to her.
[emotional music playing]
[Edwards] Fatherhood,
it's just the best feeling right now
in the world for sure.
[Aislynn cries]
My goal this year was to just make it
out the first round of playoffs.
I accomplished that goal, and I wanted
a little more, so we was going for more.
[woman] Do you like the house, Ant?
- [man] It's a thumbs up.
- [woman laughs]
[Edwards] Second round of the playoffs,
I know we gonna see Jokić or LeBron.
So I mean,
y'all better come ready to play.
Y'all already know how I'm coming.
I'm coming to bust y'all ass
the whole time,
so y'all already know what's going on.
[energetic music playing]
[commentator] The Los Angeles Lakers
face another elimination game.
The Denver Nuggets looking to close
this series against the number seven seed.
This where we at, right?
Going into the fourth, two-point game.
Let it be our best quarter.
[commentator] It's Reaves again!
LeBron makes a move.
Down the lane, into three, good!
It's a one-point LA lead.
Two-point shot, no! Rebound Gordon!
Doubled inside, spins out of traffic.
Out to Murray, three!
Good!
[crowd cheering]
[commentator 2] Worst-case,
we're going to overtime.
We saw this in Game 2
with Murray with the game-winner.
[commentator] Jokić, a screen,
Murray to try to break the tie.
[commentator 2] No time-out by the Lakers.
They gotta go!
[commentator] James, a bump,
the feed, a Prince shot.
No! Zeroes on the clock!
[somber music playing]
[commentator] The Nuggets advance!
They have won!
And the defense
of their championship title
is alive and well!
[LeBron] Obviously, when you lose,
and you go back to the locker room
I mean, you think about all the hours
that you put into into that season.
All the games.
[commentator] The old man did a 360!
[LeBron] All the road trips.
All the plane rides.
All the film sessions.
Everything. Like, you just like,
"I can't believe it's over."
Like, another season is is gone.
You know, everything's just going
through your mind over the whole season.
Could I have gotten more sleep?
Did you, you know, prep your body
the best way you could
to be able to be, you know, high-level?
At the end of the day,
you know, the best team wins.
And, uh, Denver
was the better team in that series.
[coughs]
[man] Uh, tonight,
was there any thought at all
that this could've been
your last game with the Lakers?
Um,
I'm not gonna answer that.
Appreciate it.
[LeBron] If I was to walk away
after this season
or walk away after next season
or whatever that case may be,
I hope when I do decide to give it up
that I can tell myself
that I gave everything to the game.
[Savannah] I would say his legacy is
someone who came into a situation
at a very young age
with a target on his back.
[woman] You will most certainly be
the most scrutinized rookie
in the history of the NBA.
Lots and lots of naysayers saying,
"There's no way this kid
is gonna do what you guys
are saying he's gonna do."
"No way, would never happen."
I'm LeBron James from Akron, Ohio,
from the inner city.
I'm not even supposed to be here.
And he's going above and beyond
every single expectation,
not only that he set for himself,
but what I think anyone had
the capacity to think of.
[reporter] LeBron James is
America's newest billionaire tonight.
Forbes reporting, at age 37,
LeBron is now the first active NBA player
with a net worth of one billion dollars.
What in The Matrix hell?
[Paul] The league, they're gonna miss him
when he's done playing
because he's just been
such a great representation
for the NBA holistically
since his arrival.
[reporter 2] NBA superstar LeBron James
and his foundation
are opening this school in Akron
for at-risk third and fourth graders
who struggle, both in school and at home.
[Bryce] Giving back to kids,
making a school for the kids in Ohio,
it shows, like, how much more you can be
than just a basketball player.
It's time to look in the mirror
and ask ourselves,
"What are we doing to create change?"
[LeBron] We will definitely not,
uh, shut up and dribble.
I mean too much to the youth.
I mean too much to so many kids
that feel like they don't have a way out,
and they need someone to help
lead them out of the situation they're in.
I think he's done an amazing job, and
it's a hell of a legacy.
[chuckles] It's a hell of a legacy.
Please welcome to the stage,
the GOAT, respectfully,
LeBron James.
[cheering]
[Zhuri] Even if he
stops playing basketball,
I think everyone will, like, remember him
of being, like, a good basketball player,
but me, Bryce, and Bronny
will all remember him as a great dad.
[Bronny] He is, like, a family's man.
Yeah, I just
I just think it's it's really good
that he has done so much more
than just play the game of basketball.
[LeBron] My basketball legacy,
people want to talk about me
as far as the basketball player,
that's up to those debates.
You're gonna have
these barbershop conversations,
these sports talk conversations.
Everybody say who was the best,
who wasn't the best. All that.
That's not for me
to debate or worry about.
My legacy is my kids.
My legacy is my family, my household.
That's my legacy for me.
That can never be disputed.
[Shelburne] I don't know what it'll be
like when LeBron is not there anymore.
And I think
that's good for the league, ultimately,
but also a little scary.
But you can see what's around the corner.
[energetic music playing]
It feels like
young players like Ant Edwards.
It feels like Jayson Tatum's time.
Who can walk into those shoes
and and carry the league
in front of the microphones, the cameras?
[pundit] I I think it's Jayson Tatum.
I certainly think it's Anthony Edwards.
[pundit 2] He forces you to think
about Jordan and Kobe.
[pundit 3] But if Anthony Edwards
sends Jokić home,
it's gonna be Ant-Man.
[reporter] This franchise hasn't been
at this stage in 20-plus years.
How much of this do you guys relish
introducing the Timberwolves
against the champions
in their building,
in this sort of environment?
Man, uh, I think Ant'll say the same.
I think we're we're just locked in
on what we doing.
- Twenty years ago.
- Yeah, we ain't, we
I wasn't
I probably wasn't born when they
Stood on the corner and shook my shit
Now I'm finna give y'all another hit ♪
[announcer speaking indistinctly]
[Shelburne] Anthony Edwards had
this great series against the Suns.
He became this great story of
the playoffs, but I was thinking like,
"That's a nice story this year."
"Too bad they have to play the Nuggets
in the 2nd round."
[Edwards] Let's fucking go. Yeah!
Let's go!
Yeah!
[upbeat music playing]
[Edwards] Going into round two
versus Denver was, um
it was a lot of emotions because
they sent me home the previous year.
[commentator] Edwards launches
No!
And Denver survives!
Then they won the championship.
They knew it was smoke from the beginning.
Keep playing hard. We got your back.
[commentator] So I think the Wolves are
in a different position this year.
I think they've got high confidence
heading into the series.
[man] Defense!
[cheering]
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, boo, boo
Bitch, you dead to me ♪
[Edwards] Hey!
And one! Let's fucking go!
[commentator] And this is what's made
Anthony Edwards so lethal.
[whistle toots]
- Oh yeah!
- [player] Be ready.
Keep your composure. Take your breath.
I'm saying
we're gonna have to play big minutes.
Plus, I need to be able
to guard Jokić for 45.
[Montgomery] If you're Ant Edwards,
and if you're the Timberwolves,
you're almost going in there
playing with house money.
Everybody's expecting
the Denver Nuggets to win.
All you gotta do is show up and do you.
I'm everywhere, Pope.
I'm everywhere.
[Edwards] People underestimate
talking shit. Like, that's a skill.
You gotta be confident to talk shit.
Then you gotta be able to back it up.
[commentator] Let me ask you a question.
Is this fair to say?
[chuckles]
At 22,
is Anthony Edwards
the best two-way player in our game,
meaning defense and offense?
[commentator 2] Good fake. Porter.
Got it from Jokić.
Knocked away by Edwards!
Let's go, White! Let's fucking go!
[commentator 2] Corner. Edwards is there.
Dances with Jackson.
I had the ball in the corner
I tried to go. He cut me off.
And then everybody like, "Yeah,"
like the fans,
so I post him up,
and I spin off of him.
Like, 'cause when he stood me up,
he was looking like, "Yeah."
And I'm like, "Bruh, relax."
I spinned off of him and laid it up.
I stared at him like, "Yeah. Now what?"
[commentator 3] To be so explosive,
to be the athlete he is,
he is so fundamentally sound as well.
Right now, he's starting
to impose his will on this game.
C'mon, baby.
[commentator 2] Gordon is on him.
Shot clock at seven. He'll dance.
Great cut over.
And the shot good!
What a play!
That's just my own ♪
[commentator 2]
Edwards will rocket downcourt.
Look at this! Right to the rack!
[commentator] Anthony Edwards,
his third career 40-point playoff game,
and nothing better than in Game 1
versus the defending champs.
And then Minnesota goes out
and wins the first two games in Denver.
[commentator 2] Timberwolves have gone up
two-nothing in this series on the road.
[pundit] Absolute emasculation.
[pundit 2] The Nuggets are
on the verge of getting swept.
The Minnesota Timberwolves
are gonna win the world championship.
They are going to win this series.
They have that guy.
[pundit 2]
This brother Ant-Man is special,
and by the way,
if they go to the NBA Finals,
or dare I say win the chip,
y'all do know he's going to be
the new face of the NBA, right?
[mysterious music playing]
[ball bouncing]
[Garnett] Jayson is a different type
of superstar to me because
I think naturally and organically
he grows into his space.
It's a little different in Boston when
you're one of the faces of the league,
and you are part of this new wave,
you know, the expectations are gonna
be there for you to be great.
The expectations are gonna be there
for you to win.
And you know what?
You want them expectations.
'Cause everybody don't get 'em.
And on some realer shit than that,
everybody don't get
a chance to actually win it.
[Tatum] Here we go. God is the greatest.
Let's protect home court.
We have fun. We guard their ass
all the way up the court.
[suspenseful music playing]
[commentator] Second round
of the playoffs,
and all eyes continue to be,
at least in this city, on Jayson Tatum.
It feels like
he's the guy that's gonna have to get
this team to the promised land.
[commentator 2] So much uncertainty
as to where even
Jayson Tatum there, just the great ability
to hang through that contact.
Stay high! Stay high! Stay high!
[commentator] Is this the group that can
finally hang banner 18 here?
It's Kornet, backdoor, it's Tatum!
Looks like the Cavs
are gonna wave the white flag.
It has been a night owned
by the Boston Celtics
as they make their statement
to begin this Eastern semi.
Ah.
Big win. Any chance
you win in a playoff game is big.
Uh
We're playing well right now, so you know,
hopefully we keep it up.
[commentator] Game 2
of this best-of-seven series.
One of the interesting themes
for the Celtics early in these playoffs
has been they have not needed
bountiful scoring from Tatum.
[commentator 2] Do the Cavs have enough
offensive production to get a burst?
[commentator] Oh, there's a burst!
This is not totally dissimilar
to what happened in Game 2
of Boston's first-round series
against Miami,
where the Heat shot the lights out.
On the clock.
And that will do it.
And this series is tied
at one game apiece.
[Tatum] Cleveland is a big team.
They make the game tough.
In those tough moments,
you realize how hard it is to win.
The Cleveland series,
he wasn't playing to his best ability,
and I can kind of like sense it
when something is wrong.
So we're in the hotel.
You know, I came right in the room,
and I just went right at it, like, "Man."
"You know, you, you know,
need to get your head out your own ass."
"You need to find a way
to, you know, block out all the critics,
if they're even bothering you,
or what people saying."
"Like, you know it just takes one game.
It just takes one shot."
[commentator] Here comes Tatum.
The hesitation, the explosion,
and the flush!
The Celtics bounce back authoritatively
in Game 3.
[commentator 2] Once pressure hits,
it's about how you respond,
and the Boston Celtics
have responded in a very big way.
[commentator 3] The Boston Celtics
come to Cleveland.
They have taken command of the series,
and they can end things at home.
Appreciate it, bro.
- Let's do our job tonight.
- [man] Ten threes.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
[commentator 4]
Team's been through too much.
They know these nights are too important.
When you get a chance to close out a team,
you gotta close 'em out.
Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
[commentator 3] range shot.
Tatum finds the laces, and he buries it!
C'mon!
[commentator 3] The Boston Celtics
have punched their ticket
to the Eastern Conference Finals.
- Good seeing you. Way to play.
- [Tatum] Yes, sir.
- Go get that chip.
- [Tatum] I got you.
- Finish what you started. Get that chip.
- [Tatum] For sure. Love you, bro.
- [boy] You're my favorite.
- [Tatum] What's up, man?
- Appreciate that. Happy birthday!
- Thank you.
- How you feeling?
- Good.
- Good to see you. Good game.
- Appreciate it.
[Garnett] What his team needs from him,
he brings
in a consistent manner every night.
He's not trying to be KG,
not trying to be Bron.
He's being Jayson Tatum.
And I think that we should all respect
what he's putting down
and respect, you know, who he is.
[Tatum] Big win,
going back to the Conference Finals.
Third year in a row,
fifth year overall. Um
It's tough.
It's tough to get to this point.
[tense music playing]
[reporter] Coach, I imagine,
or it seems like most people thought,
you'd get Denver's best shot in Game 2,
and can't say you necessarily did.
So what's the expectation
that you'll get from them game three?
[Finch] Their best shot?
Yeah, we're gonna get a championship-level
performance from Denver tonight.
No doubt about it.
[reporter 2] No surprise,
Nikola Jokić wins the MVP award
for the third time in his career.
[Edwards] They they announced,
um, what happened.
They announced Jokić is the MVP,
and then somebody
on the fucking TV screen, on ESPN,
"Jokić, you gotta show why you the MVP."
And then he showed y'all.
Hey!
[commentator] Denver with numbers, Murray.
[commentator 2] The Nuggets blow out
the Timberwolves.
They hand them
their first loss in the playoffs.
[commentator 3]
The three-time MVP laces it!
And Minnesota is going to sustain
their first three-game losing streak
of the season.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Nuggets!
[Edwards] That motherfucker said
they won three games in a row.
[laughs]
I feel like they should've
waited a little bit, honestly.
Oh my God. [chuckles]
Y'all seen that shit.
We couldn't stop them boys
after that second game.
[commentator] The Nuggets
go up three games to two
and are one game away
from the Western Conference Finals.
One win away for Denver.
Everybody all over the place right now.
We done lost a couple games, so
But we'll be all right.
- That's part of the process.
- Yeah. We all right.
- Ain't nothing we ain't been through.
- Yeah.
You get used to it.
- All right.
- Bounce back.
You gotta stay locked in,
stay focused,
keep controlling what you can control.
I think as long as you do that,
we'll be in a good place as a team.
Everything that you do,
the team's gonna follow.
Mm-hmm. Yup.
You know, so be that leader that,
you know, you've always wanted to be.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] Anthony Edwards
has played very well
in elimination games.
This is his fourth of his young career.
Win or go home. Do or die.
Literally.
[commentator] And now a steal!
This could be fun.
Edwards to the rack!
To Edwards, corner three.
It is good!
Fuck all them players.
They want to put Jamal Murray,
Justin Holiday on you?
Stop looking for everybody.
Go to the fucking post.
They not doubling you on the post.
Take your time. Don't rush nothing.
Naz, post.
[commentator] Twenty-five-point
Minnesota lead,
their largest of the night.
[crowd cheering]
Hey, this is what
I was talking about the other day.
We get a lead and get comfortable.
Keep your foot on the gas.
[commentator] A dominant, authoritative,
bounce-back win
from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Um, so the plan right now is
to, uh is to go out on Saturday.
But if you guys want to go tomorrow,
we can do that too.
But we obviously have to make
that decision tonight.
- [player] Tomorrow.
- [Finch] Tomorrow?
- Later.
- [Finch] Later in the day tomorrow?
You guys want, like,
a five or six o'clock flight?
- Five would be good.
- [Finch] Five o'clock tomorrow?
You guys cool with it? Mike?
Okay, so there it is. All right, listen.
We've been here before.
All right, all the pressure's on them,
going to their spot.
We gotta play loose and free
like we did tonight
with a big chip on our shoulder.
Don't listen to everybody
telling you how great you are, okay?
- [player] Here we go. Let's go.
- Hey.
This morning, we said,
"KAT, make the right play."
"Trust everybody, make the right play."
I wanna tell you.
You made the right play
every fucking time.
[applause]
- [player] "Family" on 3. One, two, three.
- [team] Family!
[emotional music playing]
[Shannon] I feel like
him being in the playoffs and a dad,
he's trying to balance it, but he knows
it requires a lot, a lot of traveling.
He likes the pressure
'cause he know he ain't gonna fold.
He don't fold under pressure.
Like, he loves the pressure.
He likes that little
put everybody on the edge.
He like you to think that, "Oh,"
and then he just show up. You be like,
"Why you couldn't
do that in the beginning?"
[laughs]
[commentator] Game 7.
Minnesota's first in 20 years.
[commentator 2] You're going against
the defending champs
at their home in a game seven.
That is a monster situation.
Me, I'm going to lean
towards the Denver Nuggets.
I think the Denver Nuggets
at home in a game seven,
I like their chances.
[Edwards] Going into Game 7,
it was pretty much,
like, um, everything on the line.
It's like, um, your life is on the line,
pretty much in the playoffs.
But you gotta be there to experience
that feeling. It's no better feeling.
It's like the playoffs in football.
You know what I mean?
Or like playoffs in baseball.
It's no better feeling.
[energetic music playing]
[commentator] Game sevens
are usually about
when the stars shine brightest,
when it matters the most.
And the Wolves are needing their star,
Anthony Edwards,
to have another
memorable performance tonight.
[Edwards] It it was all on the line.
All the work that you put in is showing.
You gotta make every shot.
You gotta shoot it
with the utmost confidence.
[man] Their bigs start off though
I think they're gonna crack our screens
like they did in Games 3, 4, and 5.
- Let's fucking go, man!
- [man 2] Yeah!
[man 3] Keep believing in us.
Lock in, man.
Let's get this dub. Let's go. Let's go.
- "Wolves" on three. One, two, three.
- [team] Wolves!
[man 4] Let's fucking go.
[commentator] This is
a very emotional time for this team.
[Edwards] I waited my whole life for this.
Now I gotta finish what I started.
[crowd cheering]
[Edwards] This gonna be
the greatest Game 7 of all time.
The greatest Game 7 of all time.
[suspenseful music playing]
[commentator] Edwards.
Game 7, I hit my first shot of the game.
So, like, usually when I hit
my first shot of the game,
it's gonna be
a long night for the opponent.
And that just wasn't how it went.
It was a long night for me.
[commentator 2] Why are my palms
all sweaty, Jamal? Why?!
[Jamal] You know what Game 7 means, Reg.
[Edwards] Hey, they trapping, so get out.
Don't hold the screen. Get out.
[Edwards] Move, boy. Keep hooping.
They they trapping me,
but they're not coming to get you.
Hey, I'm gonna stay longer
on the pick-and-roll.
So just be aware.
[commentator] Murray got a screen.
Now he faces Towns in a fadeaway.
Jokić again.
- [whistle toots]
- [commentator] And fouled.
[commentator 2] Jokić is
absolutely destroying Minnesota.
[commentator] Jamal Murray with 24!
- Edwards trying to beat the buzzer!
- [buzzer sounds]
[commentator] Does not.
Halftime is here of Game 7.
Halftime. I'm like,
"Man, this is embarrassing." [laughs]
Like, I can't hit a shot.
We down 20.
This is Game 7.
Like, this is the start
of, like, my career.
Like, you know,
people are starting to watch me play.
This is the start,
and I'm looking like this.
[commentator] Welcome back to Game 7.
NBA Playoffs, second round.
Timberwolves just had their lowest-scoring
first half of the season.
Thirty-eight points.
Just run ahead a little bit.
We can throw it to you.
- That way
- They can't load up.
from different angles.
If you wait back,
then it's just you're attacking forward.
[commentator 2] Anthony Edwards
and Michael Conley both struggling.
[commentator] Edwards gets
that loose ball, racing.
Gobert on his wing.
- They can't get the transition.
- [commentator 2] A mirror?
[commentator] Caldwell-Pope, corner.
Murray, three.
Got it!
[commentator 2]
Five-point swing, right there.
Gotta stop trapping me, bro.
- Huh?
- Stop trapping me.
We got to, bro.
I took the challenge of guarding Jamal
because he had 28 going into halftime,
and, um, we needed to slow him down.
- [crowd chanting] Let's go, Nuggets!
- [commentator 2] Good pass.
[commentator] Fiercely into the paint
goes Murray. Knocked away inside, Gobert.
The weaving Edwards with his speed,
his guile, and he gets the two.
Edwards through traffic.
The three is in.
[tense music playing]
[commentator 2] Oh, there's
a steal by Edwards!
[commentator] Here he comes,
and there he goes!
[inaudible]
[Edwards] Who, Jamal?
- I'm on his ass.
- [Finch] Then a backside hammer action.
I'm on his ass.
[crowd chanting] Defense!
Defense!
Defense!
Defense!
[crowd cheering]
Fucking go!
[buzzer sounds]
Here we go!
[commentator] Minnesota closes the quarter
on a 28-to-9 run.
- [Edwards] Let's go!
- [man] Yes, sir!
[Edwards] I finally made a shot
at the end of the third.
You know,
we just kept playing, kept playing
and then we end up just taking the lead
and taking control of the game.
- I finna get in my bag.
- It's all legs.
- I'm about to get in my bag.
- They're gonna be tight.
Think I might get in my bag.
[commentator] Edwards has it.
Quickly doubled.
Reid on top, into Murray, through traffic.
Leans, dives, scores!
Naz Reid!
[commentator 2] That's why this game
is special, because it's never over.
[Edwards] C'mon, baby!
- I'm just talking to you.
- But I'm talking to him.
- [Edwards] You saying I'm listening.
- I don't see you getting hit.
- [Edwards] Okay.
- That's why I go out of bounds.
- [Edwards] Cool.
- I'm not saying you don't get fouled.
[Edwards] We love that. Yes, sir.
- We like that. Appreciate it.
- [ref]you get fouled.
[commentator] Minnesota's biggest lead
is seven.
It's stolen by Conley!
He pickpockets Murray.
- [Edwards] Corner!
- [commentator] He gets it off to Reid!
Corner, Edwards. Aims, shoots.
- Score! Time-out!
- Let's fucking go! Let's fucking go!
Let's fucking go!
Let's fucking go! Where you was at?
Where you at? Where you at? Huh?
Let's fucking go! Fucking pass! Let's go!
[Edwards] Us coming back
on Denver in Game 7
was probably the most incredible thing
I've ever been a part of
within sports in my life, honestly.
[Edwards] Strap!
["Werewolves of London" playing]
Ah-hoo ♪
Werewolves of London ♪
[commentator 2] Minnesota gave Denver
a taste of their own medicine.
[Edwards] I'm on that shit!
I'm on that shit! I'm on that shit!
Let's fucking go!
Let's go! Let's go!
Eight more, c'mon! Eight more, baby!
My dawg, you already know what it is!
Right from the fucking top!
That's how you come to fucking play!
[Barkley] Well, Ant, CB, man.
Congratulations, man.
Uh, it's an honor to watch you play.
Okay, I have not been
to Minnesota in probably 20 years.
Bring ya ass.
Hey. Hey, can you send me
a list of good restaurants?
We're gonna be there for, like, five days.
I want you to send me a list, okay?
Yeah. Yeah, I'mma find your number
through somebody. I'mma send 'em to you.
[Barkley] I appreciate it, my brother.
Congratulations. I'll see you Wednesday.
Appreciate it, baby.
[reporter] Ant, early thoughts
on playing the Mavs?
It's gonna be fun, man, you know.
My my matchup gonna be Kyrie,
so that's gonna be fun.
We're gonna see what I
what I can do versus him.
[reporter] Appreciate your time. Go, Dogs.
Yes, sir.
Feel good as a motherfucker, boy.
[cheering]
[boy] Yeah!
[Edwards] C'mon, man.
[woman] Whoo!
[cheering]
- Yeah!
- [man] Let's go! Let's go!
[Finch] Hey, listen up.
It was an unbelievable performance.
That's who we've been all year.
We turned it around in the second half.
Our defense was there all night.
We turned 'em out. We wore 'em out, man.
Their tongues were on the ground.
Great, great effort.
Everybody did an unbelievable job,
all right? Here we go.
- C'mon, let's go.
- [cheering]
We know what's to come, fellas.
We got a ways to go.
- Here we go.
- Stay locked in, boys.
- "Family" on three. One, two, three.
- Family!
[overlapping chatter]
[man 2] Ant?
Ant, how good does this feel, man?
Man, this feels great.
I think it feels better
because we was down, like, 20,
and we came back
and won on the champion's floor.
This is wonderful, but we got more to do.
Hey.
[man] Why don't you tell them
Just beat it, just beat it! ♪
- [man 2] My boy got the mic though.
- [man] Tell them, "Just beat it!"
- [man 3] They asking you for handcuffs.
- [laughing]
- Hey, I had I had Jamal in handcuffs!
- [man] Exactly!
[grunts]
My bridge fucked up, man.
[light applause]
Round three!
[reporter] What are your early thoughts
on facing Dallas in the next round?
[player] Honestly, I think this, for us,
we just so happy about this moment.
- We can't think about the next moment.
- [Edwards] I'm thinking about it.
Usually in NBA history,
it says you have to lose,
and lose big, before you win.
- What is it about this team that says
- We lost last year.
[reporter 2] Yeah, but that's different.
You have to lose at a bigger stage.
- Usually, teams usually lose
- It's the playoffs. We lost last year.
- We lost the last two years, shit.
- Goddamn!
- How much more?
- How much you want us to lose?
Been losing for 20 years! [laughs]
[upbeat music playing]
[pundit] Anthony Edwards
has not seen anything like Kyrie.
Listen, man. The Minnesota Timberwolves,
what they did in that Denver series
was impeccable,
and they're gonna need all of it
because Kyrie can beat you.
Fuck, I ain't talking about Kyrie.
Fuck Kyrie.
[dramatic music playing]