(rock music playing)
(inaudible)
(cheering)
Earvin "Magic" Johnson (on phone): Are you fuckin' watching this?
- Yeah, I'm fuckin' watching. - Gary Bender (on TV): The Celtics have won
their 14th NBA World Championship,
and though Boston may be green,
the man synonymous with all those wins is Red.
I could not be more proud of these boys!
This is where hard work and determination
and teamwork come together!
Well, he couldn't do it without his phenom,
a champ in just his second year as a professional.
And though Easter may have come and gone,
for the Boston faithful in basketball,
they found their second coming.
♪ ♪
(cheering continues)
("My Favorite Mutiny" by The Coup playing)
♪ ♪
♪ There it is ♪
♪ Yeah, ah, uh ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Okay ♪
♪ Ah, check it out ♪
♪ Death to the pigs is my basic statement ♪
♪ I spit street stories 'til I taste the pavement ♪
♪Tryin' to stay out the pen where we face enslavement ♪
♪ Had a foolproof hustle 'til they traced the payments ♪
♪ I was grippin' my palm around some shitty rum ♪
♪ Tryin' to find psalm number 151 ♪
♪ To forget what I'm owed, as I clutch the commode ♪
♪ I read "Put down the bottle and come get the gun" ♪
♪ Let's get off the chain like Kunta Kinte with a MAC-10 ♪
♪ They want us gone like a dollar in a crack den ♪
♪ Steadily subtractin' seeds and stems ♪
♪ Mind cloudy through the wheeze and phlegm ♪
♪ Numbin' my brain off of that and the Jesus hymns ♪
♪ If we waiting for the time to fight, these is thems ♪
♪ Tellin' us to relax while they ease it in ♪
♪ We gettin' greased again ♪
♪ The truth I write is so cold ♪
♪ It'd freeze my pen ♪
♪ I'm Boots Riley it's a pleasure to meet you ♪
♪ Never let they punk ass ever defeat you ♪
♪ They got us on the corner wearin' pleather and see-thru ♪
♪ All y'all's gold mines, they wanna deplete you ♪
♪ I ain't just finna rap on the track, I finna clap on 'em back ♪
♪ And it's been stackin' to that ♪
♪ 500 years before Iceberg ever leaned back in the 'lac ♪
♪ Before they told Rosa "Black in the back" ♪
♪ Before the CIA told Ricky Ross to put crack in a sack ♪
♪ And Gil Scott traded rappin' for smack ♪
♪ This beat alone should get platinum plaques ♪
♪ I'd rather see a million of us ecstatic to scrap ♪
♪ 'Cause if we bappin' 'em back we automatically stack ♪
♪ vocalizing ♪
(turntable scratching)
(projector clicking, whirring)
("No Man's Land" by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band plays)
♪ ♪
♪ Headin' in or headin' out ♪
♪ Standin' on the shore ♪
♪ Pause a moment to reflect ♪
♪ Which trip cost you more ♪
♪ Between the ever restless crowds ♪
♪ And the silence of your room ♪
♪ Spend an hour in no man's land ♪
(song continues on radio)
♪ You'll be leavin' soon ♪
♪ Victims come and victims go ♪
Announcer (on radio): The Hoosiers have a lot to look forward to
in their '73-'74 campaign.
You're talking about a team that's already coming off
a 23-and-5 season
where they won a share of the Big 10 Conference,
tied with Michigan.
Larry Bird: Hey, Pop.
Whatchu doing in town? Ain't you got practice?
- Weekend off. - (Joe Bird laughs)
Well, hell.
Let's have a beer. (laughs)
No, thanks.
Suit yourself.
- How's your mama? You drop in? - Not yet.
I'll stop by later.
Well, if she sent you here, that means I'm late.
I already told the law man.
She ain't send me. I wanted to see you.
I don't know why you would.
- Y'all'd be better off without me. - Don't say that.
Well, it's the truth.
Only-est thing I ever did right in this world was you.
My big old college boy. (laughs)
I dropped out.
What'd you say?
Wasn't meant for me.
Don't feel right there. I-I ain't one of them.
Lord gave you a ticket somewhere's better
and you're too goddamn afraid to cash it in.
That ain't it! I was at IU, and...
here was all I thought about.
That's 'cause you're thinking small!
You wanna see your future here?
Well, you're looking at it.
I thought you were gonna change that.
I ain't going back.
(solemn music playing)
Well, you're your own man.
You can do what you want.
♪ ♪
(ball thumps, echoes)
(projector clicking, whirring)
(hip-hop music playing)
Now, you ain't just throwing it up, though, right?
You gotta let it roll off your fingertips.
Easy as pie.
So easy, why you ain't do that against Houston?
Say what?
Yeah. That was one of the worst bricks
I've ever seen in my life.
And I've been around for a while.
- Hey, look now! - Kid 1: Lost a game,
- ended the whole damn season. - Kids: Mm-hmm.
- Shame, shame, shame. - Kid 2: Yeah.
- Larry Bird would've passed. - Sure would. Hard worker, too.
Kid 3: That's why his ass just won a championship
and you're here teaching kids.
Wish I was in Boston instead of bum-ass Lansing.
- Kid 4: Hm. - (can opening pops)
Kid 5: I wish I was Larry Bird.
(sips)
- Bet you do, too. - Mm-hmm.
Why did my parents waste their money on this camp?
- Yeah, you're a punk. - Larry Bird would've passed.
Larry Bird is the king!
(kids shouting insults)
Hey! Y'all show some damn respect!
- Michael Cooper: Earvin. - Huh?
Get 'em working on some... on some layups.
Yes, sir. Right on it! Come on, kids!
- Layups are important! - (blows whistle)
- Come on, let's go, pass me the ball! - Let's go!
- I'm open! - Half and half, half and half, right here.
- Pass it here! - Come on, let's go.
Michael: Yo, you alright, man?
Yeah. Yeah, all good.
Yo, Coop. Coop.
- Hm? - Last year,
so when they gave you a extension,
- you ain't ask or nothin'? - No. Surprised me.
I mean, it was, like, the craziest shit ever, right?
Imagine. One minute, I'm making this much,
and then the next minute, I'm making 10 times more?
For doing the same thing?!
I mean, I couldn't believe it!
And you know, I always thought they hated me.
Mr. West, Mr. Sharman, I thought they was gonna cut my ass,
to be honest. But nope. They must love me.
Man, I wanna be a Laker for life!
- (Magic laughs) - (catches ball)
Yeah. Congrats, Coop.
♪ ♪
What the fuck went wrong?
Well, it starts with the leader.
- That's you, no? - Paul Westhead: It is.
But the fact that you even have to ask me that question
sort of proves my point, doesn't it?
The pecking order is not clear.
And last year, I was undercut by management.
What I need to do the job that you have hired me for
is more authority.
You gave the bastard too much damn authority is what it is.
He shot down the David Thompson deal
just to prove his fuckin' point and shot us in the foot.
That nutty professor's liable to blow this whole team up.
- Ask anyone. - I'm asking you.
- Me? - Jerry Buss: Yeah.
Does Paul have their respect?
Paul's a brilliant guy.
They respect him.
So who the hell is the problem?
Your boy Magic.
Jerry Buss: You know, I am disappointed in that answer, Norman.
I read all that crap in the press
and I was hoping that they were twisting your words.
And frankly, I thought you were a bigger man than that.
(laughs) Dr. Buss, I was not the one to miss that shot, okay?
He had four motherfuckers wide open!
Me? Cap? Coop? Silk? Shit!
Chick Hearn might've been open, too.
But, no. His happy ass had to be the hero.
♪ ♪
Now, everybody else might be too scared to say it to your face.
The problem on this team
is Magic motherfuckin' Johnson.
You think Earvin got too big for his britches?
Bill Sharman: Magic reached out to us, through his representative.
He's asking for an extension beyond his current deal.
An extension?
We got him under contract for five years!
But he's asking for more. Security, long term.
Jerry West: Yeah, which begs the fuckin' question.
Why? Huh? What does he know that we don't?
Every doctor and his mother looked at that knee, Jerry.
Bill: Probably next season, he'll be back to form.
But if he isn't,
those five years you have on the books,
they're gonna feel like an eternity.
If he wants more money, and if you give it to him,
that sends a signal to all the other guys
that you value him over everybody else!
Bill: We appreciate your presence, Dr. Buss.
Let us take care of the urgent matters.
Get Kareem and the other guys locked in.
If there's something left in the coffers,
then you can make up your mind about Magic.
And what the hell am I supposed to do until then?
Just be patient.
♪ ♪
Shit, I'm gonna be late.
Don't tell me you're taking a night off.
Uh, Monopoly. It's a family thing.
Linda Zafrani: You know, I always figured your dad was more of a Twister guy.
You know, if I can just convince him
to approve more money for Martina,
I think we have a shot to fucking win it all.
- What? - Glad to know you're not all business.
(slight chuckle)
- (indistinct chatter) - (dice rattle)
Johnny Buss: Okay. Dreams are coming true.
♪ ♪
Sorry I'm late, guys! I ran into traffic on Sepulveda.
Can I set up the board...
Jean-bean! The choo-choo left the station.
Sorry, you're gonna have to sit this one out.
Remember Honey?
- Uh, yeah. Hi. - Honey Kaplan: Yeah?
You used to wear my high heels.
- I see you have your own now. - Uh, yeah. All grown up.
Yeah.
Yeah, Honey took your thimble, so...
Uh-- No-- Oh, shit.
No one said anything to me. I'm sorry.
Jerry Buss: Pull up a chair, sweetie. Come on!
See, I told you she wouldn't mind.
It's alright. You know, when we started,
- sometimes I'll go pony, won't I? Sometimes. - (laughter)
It's fine. It's fine. We told you to pick whatever you want.
- Yeah, pull up a chair, Jean-bean! - (rolls dice)
You know, Dad, I don't know how closely
you've been following the standings,
- but the Strings are doing really well. - Super!
Yeah, and Anna has the best first serve in the whole league.
- (dice rattle) - Oh, shit, I'm going to jail.
- Jerry Buss: Here we go! - But the thing is
we could get even better for the playoffs.
San Diego bit the dust, and so they're shopping
Martina Navratilova.
Anyways, I-I just need a little bit more money for her salary.
- And so, I was thinking-- - Jerry Buss: No, no. No, hon.
No business at the table. (laughs)
- Huh? - Since when?
Since it's my turn. Here, blow a little luck on those,
- will you, Honeypot? - (kisses, blows)
- (Jerry Buss laughs) - (dice rattle)
- Johnny: I'll go. Okay. - Here we go.
One, two, three, four, five.
Here we go. St. James.
My diamond in the rough. Alright, take that.
I know Martina from the circuit. I could give a call.
Jerry Buss: Maybe, yeah, I don't own all...
Ah! Okay, alright. Here we go.
Okay, I need a drink.
- Hon, will you grab me a Coke? - Honey Kaplan: Tab.
Jerry Buss: That's right. A Tab, please. Sorry.
This girl wants your old man around for a while.
- Honey: That's right. - Jimmy Buss: Oh, shit.
Fucking kidding me? I just got out of jail!
Jerry Buss: What'd you do now, Jim?
(chatter fades)
(projector clicking, whirring)
(panting)
(backboard rattles)
(grunts, heavy breaths)
Yo, uh, Lar?
Break already?
Gimme a sec to take a leak. We'll get it runnin'.
Nah, man. It's, uh, it's your pops.
Ah, shit. What'd he do now?
Oh, come on, Chet. Y'all can't lock him up for being broke.
Tell Mom he's good for it.
Hell, I'll even chip in and make it right.
Ain't that, son.
(solemn music playing)
(indistinct radio chatter)
♪ ♪
(projector clicking, whirring)
(upbeat music playing)
- Are you ready? Keep 'em shut! - (Honey laughs)
Wait! Wait!
- Open sesame. - (Honey gasps)
Oh! (laughs)
(gasps) My God...
- What is this? - What's it look like?
- Like you bought every flower in LA. (laughs) - I tried.
Why did you do this?
'Cause I'm falling for you, Honey.
Boys! You did a great job on this.
Go ahead and take the rest of the night off, alright?
Top-notch, boys.
Champagne? Caviar? Pick your poison.
(sighs)
I really like my life.
I worked really hard to get here.
I know.
If there's going to be a striptease,
I need to get my purse.
No, that won't be necessary. This one's on the house.
You know why?
- Honey: Mm-mm. - (record crackling)
(singing along to record) ♪ Our love is alive ♪
(laughs)
♪ And so we begin ♪
- It's our song, baby. - Mm...
♪ Foolishly laying our hearts on the table ♪
♪ Stumblin' in ♪
♪ Our love is a flame ♪
- (Honey sighs) - Come on.
♪ Burning within ♪
(both singing along) ♪ Now and then, firelight will catch us ♪
♪ Stumblin' in ♪
♪ Wherever you go ♪
♪ Whatever you do ♪
Don't hurt me, okay?
♪ These reckless thoughts of mine are following you ♪
♪ I'm falling for you... ♪
- I thought you said Buss was making time for you. - Magic (on phone): Yeah!
Used to be we talked for hours.
Now, he acting like I wanna borrow money.
Cookie Kelly (on phone): Well, maybe take that hint.
That's Lansing thinkin'.
Earvin, if they haven't committed to you,
why are you so committed to them?
Same reason I'm talkin' to you. (laughs)
Excuse me?
Magic: You got yourself a new man. Kinda.
So, I just gotta put in a little extra work.
Doin' the same thing over here.
Get both of y'all remember how much you love me.
Well, I hope you and Buss
live happily ever after, but I gotta go.
Virgil's taking me to Cameo.
Yeah...
Bye.
- (dial tone) - (scoffs)
Announcer (on TV): And in sports across the country today,
the city of Boston was awash in Celtic Green.
The team's celebrating its 13th championship victory
on the back of hero Larry Bird,
who was spectacular in the series against Houston.
The same team, of course,
that eliminated our hometown Lakers
in the first round.
(crowd cheering)
Yes. Kupchak is the best man on the market.
Yeah, well, there you go. Hey, what the fuck,
throw in your first born while you're at it.
- Buss has given me authority... - Jerry West: He costs too much.
- ...on personnel. - Well, there you have it, huh?
That's right. What the fuck are we doin' here?
- Bill: Jerry, just calm down. - Just pulling our little dicks--
- Jerry! - No, no, no, Bill! I get it! I get it!
Little prince here, he's made up his mind.
I mean, shit. Come on.
Pat! Pat! What are you doin'?
Come on in here. Come on, take a look at this.
Do me a fuckin' favor
and please talk some fuckin' sense into your boy here!
Didn't know there was a meeting.
Sorry. It, uh, it skipped my mind, Pat.
Jerry West: Right there! Huh?
- You're going with Kupchak? - Jerry West (laughing): Oh!
You don't want him either, do you?
No, of course fuckin' not. You know the type.
Hell, you were the fuckin' type.
Big, pasty Tonka truck, playin' like a fuckin' hockey goon.
I mean, no offense, Pat. Okay?
So, please, Bill, just do me a fuckin' favor.
Let me send Elgin down there, put him through his paces
and find out if this big body we're buyin' ain't a lemon.
- Yeah. - Oh, my gosh. Jerry,
I need you to read the files.
I already sent my own guy to check him out.
Jerry West: Your what?
Mike Thibault. He's an old friend of mine.
He has a terrific eye, so I sent him down
to scout the Bullets-Boston playoff series.
And guess what he said? Kupchak is right as rain, so...
That reminds me. Bill,
uh, I'm going to bring on Mike as my new assistant coach.
My second assistant. Don't worry, Pat.
Okay, it's a new thing the league is doing. Uh, multiple assistants.
You guys, uh, you'll catch up. It's, uh,
take some of the load off. Alright, gentlemen.
Uh, enjoy your pastries. Breakfast.
Keep me updated.
What a time to be alive.
Bill: I'm gonna go talk to Buss.
Jerry West: Yeah...
Paul.
Th-This has nothing to do with you, Pat.
It's about y-your friend there, Jerry.
Look, he really put us on the back foot last year.
That Thompson thing. I can't let it happen again,
so I need somebody loyal.
- Somebody I can trust to do my scouting. - What, you st--
You stopped trusting me?
- (indistinct chatter) - (office phones ringing)
If you did, then say so. Do me a favor.
We're good, Pat.
(office phones ringing)
("Got That Feeling" by Harry Krapsho playing)
- Player 1: Go, go, go, go, go! - Player 2: Come on, now.
(chattering, cheering)
♪ I've got that lovin' feeling ♪
♪ I've got to turn loose ♪
♪ I've got that lovin' feeling ♪
(chatter continues)
♪ 'Cause I ain't got nobody ♪
♪ Who I can turn on to ♪
♪ 'And I ain't got nobody ♪
♪ To give my lovin' to ♪
♪ I've got that feelin' ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I've got that feeling, yeah ♪
Oh!
♪ I'm going out tonight ♪
♪ Gonna put my good clothes on ♪
♪ Yeah, then I'm going downtown ♪
♪ To see what's going on ♪
♪ I'm gonna check out the ladies ♪
♪ And see if I can get anyone ♪
- What you so happy about? - Oh, shit.
Nigga, you looking like Earl the Pearl out there, man.
Yeah! This motherfucker wasn't even playing.
I don't wanna hear that, man.
- We gotta get back to work. - Yeah, aight.
- How about y'all work on your game instead? - Yeah, he talkin' to you!
- (chattering) - Gimme some competition.
Well, I can get you competition.
- (chatter continues) - (Larry sighs)
- Told you I ain't interested. - You said that last week.
This is this one.
(engine cranking)
- Shit. - Hey. Maybe that's a sign from God
- that you should come to Indiana State. - (Larry scoffs)
- Against the law to be following a man. - It should be against the law
to squander all that talent in the backwoods.
You know, I'm parked right up there, if you want a lift.
- Larry: Fuck you. - (laughs)
If it gets you to sign, I might consider it.
Unless you're just afraid you lost your touch.
Can't hang with the big boys.
I mean, not a lot of people around these parts
gets them a second chance.
Most mess up the first.
That's it, for the rest of their life.
And the way time works, that special thing runs off
to a more grateful suitor.
They look up one day, and it's gone.
Now I don't know about you, but that would scare me straight to hell.
Larry, no one gets to be as great as you are at this thing
unless they love it.
Why are you acting like you don't?
Just one practice.
(shoes squeaking)
Nice work, gentlemen.
(door opens)
Give me the fuckin' ball.
Before I do, just understand
we don't do profanity at Indiana State.
Gimme the ball.
Bill Hodges: You want some shorts? Sneakers, maybe?
Good like this. Don't lose count.
Well, you heard the man! Give him the ball!
("Hello There" by Cheap Trick playing)
(ding)
♪ Hello there, ladies and gentlemen ♪
♪ Hello there, ladies and gents ♪
♪ Are you ready to rock? ♪
That's six.
♪ Hello there, ladies and gentlemen ♪
♪ Hello there, ladies and gents ♪
♪ Are you ready to rock? ♪
Thirteen, Coach.
♪ Would you like to do a number with me? ♪
♪ Would you like to do ♪
Twenty-four.
♪ Would you like to do a number with me? ♪
♪ Hello there, ladies and gentlemen ♪
♪ Hello there, ladies and gents ♪
- Thirty. - Hoo!
♪ Are you ready to rock? ♪
Thirty-three!
♪ Hello there, ladies and gents ♪
♪ Are you ready to rock? ♪
Shoot, sorry. I lost count.
- Forty-one. - Oh.
♪ Would you like to do a number with me? ♪
Forty-three.
I thought you said there'd be some competition.
Hope it gets better than this, Coach.
Jeanie Buss: Uh, okay! Well,
you can tell Martina that we're just thrilled.
Uh, my father's all aboard. Mm-hmm.
Okay. Thanks.
You traded my fucking girlfriend!
They, uh, needed a trade for compensation.
- It's not personal, Johnny. - Johnny: How is that not personal? Oh!
I know how! 'Cause you don't give a shit about me!
Okay, first of all, Dad made the trade.
And second of all, I told you not to get involved with her.
She's an athlete and this is a business.
No, I was in love, Jeanie.
You're just jealous that I have a life outside of this shit.
Outside of hoping that Daddy just pats me on the head
like a Pekingese for doing good.
Well, guess what? It's never gonna happen!
♪ ♪
You could bring him home a hundred trophies.
You're never gonna be his favorite son.
Five years in this league is long enough.
Any more than that is a lifetime.
Jerry Buss: It's ballsy, I'll say that.
- Takes moxie. - (scoffs) Let me guess.
That's what he likes about it.
I wish more kids I knew had that kind of spirit.
And I know you think I'm nuts for even considering it,
but join the club.
Don't we pay Bill and Jerry to make these basketball decisions?
This is not about basketball.
It's about people.
You know, I told Earvin we're in this together,
and now, he's just asking me to prove
that I'm not just another rich old bastard blowing smoke.
Jerry, he's asking you for more money.
Money has nothing to do with it, Claire.
It's about passion. It's commitment.
So I won't be paying him with money?
Because right now, we don't have any.
We were counting on a playoff run,
and now, we're four million in the red.
So you can make Magic a lifetime Laker.
Just know, there is a good chance he'll still be here
after you go belly-up.
Mike Thibault: My source says
DC is prepared to match any offer for Kupchak up to 750.
Th-That's almost as much as Kareem.
Yeah, people pay a pretty penny for the Great White Hope.
But look, West isn't wrong.
Alright? If it's too rich for Buss,
- there's other guys out there-- - Come on!
- Kupchak. Kupchak is our guy. - Oh, then you're in luck.
Dr. Buss just gave me the green light.
He's ready to go up to 800,000.
Okay. There we go. Look, this guy listens to me after all.
Well, he listens to Dean Smith.
Buss called him. He vouched for the kid's character.
Says Kupchak's as fine a Tar Heel as he's ever coached
and worth the money.
Right. Well, I've been saying the same thing, Bill.
And now, you got your man. All we need now is a sweetener
to compensate DC.
I figured Chones, but Riley almost bit my head off.
- You talked to Pat about this? - Bill: I ran into him.
What? You two didn't talk about this?
- We talked about it. - Bill: You did?
Yes.
But then, Mike and I dug in a little deeper.
I'm prepared to cut him loose.
Okay. Fair enough.
Jim Chones: This is some fucking bullshit!
Bill: Well, that's what gives you value,
and that's why we had to trade you to DC.
Jim: Oh, so I'm a product now, huh?
- Bill: It's the truth. - Jim: That's fucked up, Bill!
Bill: Well, it's the way it is. It's business.
Jim: I got a family here! Fucking bullshit, man!
- Bill: Jim, just c-calm down... - Jim: It's fucking Westhead, ain't it?
- I know it! Where's he at? - Bill: Calm down-- Alright?
Jim: Where's that motherfucker?
- Fucking bullshit, Bill! It's bullshit, man! - No, it's not. It's business.
- Calm down, Jim. - It's Westhead, ain't it?
- Pat Riley: Hey. - That motherfucker!
- It's business, alright? - Where's he at?!
Where's that motherfucker at?!
- What's up, Jim? - You ain't heard?
Heard what?
Oh, you ain't told him either, huh?
- Well, that means you next. - Next what?
- What the fuck's going on? - DC's what's next!
- Pat: What? - How the fuck you gonna trade me with no heads-up?!
- Pat: What, you traded him? - Jim: I got triplets
and a goddamn house I just bought!
What the fuck am I supposed to tell my wife when I get home?
- Man, I didn't know. - For that fucking white boy
Coach got his dick all hard for?
Fucking Westhead, man! That motherfucker, man!
- I can't believe you... - Hey, Jim, Jim--
- No, don't touch me! - Pat: Jim.
- Open the fucking door! - Pat: Jim. Hey.
I know you in this motherfucker hiding like a bitch!
That's why no one don't like you or respect your ass!
- Get the fuck off me! - Cool it. Relax.
How the fuck you gonna pretend to be my friend, huh?!
- I didn't know. - Fuck you! Fuck you,
and this backstabbing-ass organization!
You motherfuckers!
Got a English teacher coaching a fuckin' NBA team.
What the fuck is wrong with y'all?
(exhales)
- Pat: Fuck, come on. - (banging on door)
You gonna open the door,
or do I have to call the fire department? Come on.
(door unlocks, opens)
- What the fuck, Paul? Chones? - (shuts door)
- The last time I checked, you valued my opinion. - Paul: No.
I follow your opinions without questioning my own.
And that's gonna stop right now.
- Th-That's gonna stop. - Jesus fucking Christ.
Do you want me gone?
Just say the word. Just say the fucking word! I'll go!
- Just don't take it out on Jim or anybody else! - I don't want you gone!
But I do want you to respect the pecking order!
What pecking order? What the fuck are you talking about?
Personal relationships with players?
Side talks with Bill?
These are things that an assistant
ought to seek permission for
before overstepping their bounds.
The issue is not you, Pat.
The issue is perception.
And if people are coming to you
as a voice of authority,
that undermines my own.
Who the fuck stood by you, man,
when you didn't know your fuckin' head from your hole?
Who stood by you? Who respected you?
Always!
From the get-go!
Even when you didn't deserve it!
Pat, I value you and your position here
as my lieutenant, and...
um, you know, as long as you carry yourself
in such a way that everybody understands
that that's what you are, um,
then I really think we can still thrive.
Fuck you.
(door opens)
(projector clicking, whirring)
Larry: Thirsty?
I got Bud...
and Bud.
I'll take a Bud. Thanks.
So, uh...
you got me in kind of a rough spot here. I...
I spent my pick on you last year,
been waiting patiently for a commitment.
You don't sign on before draft day,
you go back into the pool. I'm shit outta luck.
- Yep. - (opens beer)
That ain't a commitment.
You knew what you were risking when you picked me. (sighs)
Told you I was gonna stay at State.
Finish what I started.
You told me you were gonna win.
- (crowd cheering) - (buzzer blares)
Team game.
Never took you as the type to make excuses.
Ultimatums, on the other hand.
Here I am, offering the biggest rookie deal in sports,
and that shyster you got on your payroll
comes back to me with a list of bonuses?
Fifty large if you make all-rookie?
He tell you what I told him?
Fuck himself.
That was meant for you.
Bob told me what else you said.
"Bird's a corner man.
That's all he is."
That's right.
Least important of the three major positions.
Center, fast guard,
then corner man.
No one's ever built a franchise based on a corner man.
Then why the fuck you standing in my living room?
(laughs)
Look, Larry.
I'm gonna give you three good reasons why,
come draft day, you're gonna be wearing Celtic Green.
Hope one ain't Boston. Big city ain't for me.
(laughs) Oh, and LA is?
Boston is working-class people.
People at the bottom who ain't got what to root for.
People who do hard work with pride.
If that ain't you, just say so.
I'll head back to civilization,
stop wasting both of our precious time.
♪ ♪
But if it is...
if you're the kinda guy with a fire in your belly...
who don't love winning so much as you hate to lose...
then you're a Celtic.
What's reason two?
(slight chuckle)
No one's ever built a franchise squad
around a corner man. But if I did...
I'd need the greatest who ever lived.
Wanna hear the third?
I'm listening.
If you go back into the draft this year,
it's you and Johnson.
The guy who kicked your ass.
You don't think these other owners saw that game?
You're still willing to bet they pick you first?
♪ ♪
Thanks for the Bud.
Mr. Auerbach.
Still pick me first?
Every day and twice on Sunday.
Because you're a goddamn Celtic.
(projector clicking, whirring)
(birds chirping)
Setsuo: Dr. Buss?
Mr. Magic is waiting.
Thank you, Setsuo.
(clicking, whirring)
(soft music playing)
You ever wonder how they sell a billion of these things?
I figured it was the clown.
If no what it is, I can take it.
The contract? What I'm asking for?
I mean, that is why we sitting here, ain't it?
- Yeah, I suppose it is. - Look.
I know it ain't right asking for more
while I still got time on what you already given me,
but I see what happens to dudes in this league.
One minute, love 'em.
Next minute, ship 'em someplace else.
Or even (laughs) kick 'em right out the front door.
I don't want that happening to me.
I love the Lakers. Wanna be here my whole career.
Then again, I don't wanna be a place
that don't feel the same way.
Well, lucky for both of us,
I feel the same way you do.
- But you're saying no. - No. If I say no, you'll hear me.
You know me. I don't pussyfoot around.
What I'm saying is if I do decide to do this,
I need to know that you're gonna hold up your end of the bargain.
Well, I'm always gonna play to win.
I'm not talking about playing.
I'm talking about leadership.
You go waving this contract in everybody's face,
that causes a problem that I don't wanna deal with.
What, so, what? We keep it secret?
We could tell the press
it's just an extension of your current situation.
It's a multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract. Period.
And then, the league keeps the details sealed.
And what exactly is them details?
Well, I was thinking 25 years.
(laughs)
Can't nobody play that long.
For 25 million.
Earvin. This is not about you finishing out
your playing years in purple and gold.
This is a lifetime commitment.
I told you you were my family.
And I meant it.
It's pretty hard not to believe you right about now.
But there's the thing. This is a team.
If I elevate you above everybody else,
there could be blowback.
I can deal with them.
Just like you dealt with Norm last year?
Well-- But, that was some other shit.
And it's a problem.
(funk music playing)
Cookie (on phone): Twenty-five years?
Magic (on phone): That's what he said.
And 25 million...
- dollars! - That's a lot of money, Earvin.
Magic: Enough for us to live on.
On the biggest hill there is, right on the ocean!
- Cookie: Us? - Come on, Cook. We gon' be together.
You can keep playing this little game about your boy.
His name is Virgil.
Okay, let's say I make the biggest mistake of my life,
leave him, and come back to you.
Let's say it! Now we talkin'!
Cookie: It's not happening in LA.
- That's where I'm at, though. - Cookie: That's my point!
It's too much going on out there.
Fast women, fake people, I--
I'm a Lansing girl.
Hold up. Uh--
So you saying I gotta leave here to be with you?
It's not happening anyway,
so why are we discussing this?
But if we was, you telling me I gotta be, what,
a-a Piston? A Pacer? A plumber?
♪ ♪
I'm out here where everybody wanna be,
making all the money in the world,
and now I gotta give all that up for you?
I'm not asking you to give up anything.
We're not together, Earvin.
Magic: And way it sound, we ain't gonna be!
I'm marrying the Lakers and anybody wanna be with me
gotta be married to 'em, too.
You know what? You and Virgil have a good night.
(quiet TV chatter)
- ("Fly Me To The Moon" by Frank Sinatra playing) - Norman!
- Ha, ha! Dr. Buss! - Get in here!
- Yeah! - I hope you brought your appetite!
- Yep. Yep. I did. - I stole Setsuo here from Sammy Davis Jr.
- He puts on quite the spread. - Is that right? Well, hey, pulling out all the stops.
Hey, man, I'm just happy that we get to do something finally,
- you and me. - Yeah, we don't do it enough.
That's why I wanted you to come over, have a little brunch,
- clear the air. - Ah, man...
Oh, Magic's here, too, by the way.
Hey, you lookin' fly!
You looking fly as hell with that jacket, man.
Hey, check out the spread!
Get you some deviled eggs. They good as a mug.
- (laughs) Woo! - (nervous laugh)
Jerry Buss: Make yourself at home.
Get him a plate here. There you go.
Magic: Here, take a little fork.
Jerry Buss: Alright. Well! Guys,
you know we all wish last year had turned out different,
but it's no use crying over spilled dreams, right?
What I'm trying to do is figure out
what went wrong and how we get back to winning.
(crunch, chewing)
Why you asking me? (nervous laugh)
Well, we all read the papers, Norm.
I mean, come on. You know how the press be. Twisting shit.
Yeah. Yeah, that they do,
but they don't make up quotes, Norm.
So, let's just call it like it is.
If you think Magic is stealing too much attention,
you gotta say that, you know?
Better out than in.
(sighs) You know, Dr. Buss, I just play basketball.
You're damn right you do, and you do it well.
But this is a question of chemistry.
You know what I'm saying?
- (Magic chewing) - I just want people to be happy.
Norm, I just want you to be happy.
And if you two can't be happy on the same team,
well, that's something we can deal with.
Because truly,
I could trade you to any team in this league.
Any team would be happy to have you. You're that good.
(sighs) I ain't asking to go nowhere, Dr Buss.
No?
- No. - Jerry Buss: Because if we're being honest,
I cannot have another losing season.
I just can't.
So, if you got something on your chest,
now's the time to say it.
(chewing)
We are all ears.
(crunch, chewing)
(laughs) It's all good.
- Yeah? - Norm Nixon: Yeah.
I love LA
and I-I love playing for the Lakers.
And Buck?
♪ ♪
(sighs)
We good.
Earvin? What do you think?
(sucks teeth)
I think Norman...
should stop eating my melon.
(Magic and Jerry Buss laughing)
Magic: I had to mess with him a little bit.
Jerry Buss: Alright. Well, we're one big happy family again.
- Magic: Yeah! - Jerry Buss: That was easy.
- Magic: Eat up! Come on. - Jerry Buss: Let's eat something now, huh?
Only one way to get through this,
and that's by telling each other the truth.
("Who'll Buy My Memories" by Willie Nelson playing)
♪ A past that's sprinkled with the blues ♪
♪ A few old dreams ♪
♪ That I can't use ♪
♪ Who'll buy my memories ♪
♪ Of things that used to be? ♪
♪ There were the smiles ♪
♪ Before the tears ♪
♪ And with a smile ♪
♪ Some better years ♪
♪ Who'll buy my memories ♪
♪ Of things that used to be? ♪
(Larry sighs)
♪ When I remember ♪
♪ How things were ♪
♪ My memories ♪
♪ All lead to her ♪
♪ I'd like to start ♪
♪ My life anew ♪
♪ But memories ♪
♪ Just make me blue ♪
(projector clicking, whirring)
♪ A cottage small ♪
♪ Just built for two ♪
♪ A garden wall ♪
♪ With violets blue ♪
♪ Who'll buy my memories ♪
♪ Of things that used to be? ♪
♪ When I remember ♪
♪ How things were ♪
♪ My memories ♪
♪ All lead to her ♪
♪ I'd like to start ♪
♪ My life anew ♪
♪ But memories ♪
♪ Just make me blue ♪
♪ A cottage small ♪
♪ Just built for two ♪
♪ A garden wall... ♪