Kareem Abdul- Fuck! Oh, fuck.
-Cap? -Come on!
-Easy. Jack, hurry it up.
Chick Fourth quarter of this rubber game five,
and the Lakers, who were looking spectacular
on the strength of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's
stellar performance, are now shell-shocked
and, friends, they're playing like it.
The 76ers staging a furious comeback here
since Kareem went down at the end of the third quarter,
taking their first lead of the second half.
They're controlling the pace, they're killing us inside.
Come on. Let's go. Let's go. I'm fine.
Tape it up! I'll play! Let's go!
Leave him alone!
-Tape it up! -Don't you touch that tape!
No, she's right. We need to get him across the street
-for an X-ray right now. -Give him a shot or something.
-He's carrying us out there. -Pat,
if that ankle is broken and he plays on it,
it's gonna end his career.
Hey, could we have a minute here, please?
-Pat We gotta do something. -Get the fuck out! Get out!
I'm proud of you.
You are more connected than you've ever been,
and that is a beautiful thing.
But you don't have to run your body to the ground
just for a game.
Hey. It's only basketball.
Not this time.
-I want this. -Say it louder.
I want it!
Six minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Lakers down by 11, and Kareem
is back on the court, playing with ferocity.
Let's go, Lakers!
It's good! And what a great sign that is
for the Lakers. Cheeks out ahead,
splits the defenders, but Kareem is running in on defense.
And Kareem with the block!
Taking it the other way.
Kareem is in the post, triple-teamed...
Oh my! You're gonna need a lot more Sixers
to stop the big man tonight.
-Slam dunk! -Aah!
-And just like that, the Lakers are back in it, folks. -Yes!
And Kareem's ankle may be hurting him but, oh Lord,
he is showing no sign of it tonight.
-Under a minute now,
Sixers watching this one slip-sliding away.
-Lakers win! Lakers win!
And now, they'll head back to Philadelphia
with a three-games-to-two lead.
And they are just one game away from glory.
Folks, you are looking at the children of destiny.
And just when things looked bleak,
the captain returns to save his team.
Earvin Bring it here, baby, bring it here!
-You a monster, Cap!
-One more!
Earvin, I'm going to need your help.
Oh, shit.
Abdul- Fuck, I'm really hurt.
Yeah, I got you.
("My Favorite Mutiny" by The Coup playing
Reporter The organization now saying
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is questionable
for Game six in Philadelphia.
Jerry Remember I was telling you a while ago about swans?
About how they do all the hard work
of paddling below the surface?
Well, it's funny. There's something else about them.
The one and only time in their entire lives they sing...
is right before they die.
Their swan song.
It's true. Up until then,
it's nothing but ugly squawks and honks, but then,
right at the very end...
they make something beautiful.
-Music.
-Frank Are you alright in there? -Yeah.
Oof! You look greener than goose shit.
Thanks, Frank.
Good to see you, too. Claire.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
What, you mean Kareem?
Well, him, too.
We're gonna close it out in Philly tomorrow. Watch.
Just please don't tell me I'm about to lose my shirt.
Or mine.
Uh, not this time.
Playoff revenues exceeded our projections,
and next-year season ticket sales are off the charts.
Jackpot!
Now, let's go pay those bastards off and breathe.
Great work, Claire.
We just need a signature.
Yep.
Claire Not yours.
Your treasurer.
Until you appoint someone new,
we can't make anything official with the bank.
Got it. Understood, ahem. Thank you, Claire. I'm gonna...
-get right on that. -Of course. Thank you.
So who you thinkin'?
Hey, Jean Bean. There you are. Get that door?
Got something I wanna pick your brain about.
Spent all night at Grandma's.
Sorting through her things.
I really appreciate you doing that.
You're a good girl.
Jeanie You know, I was thinking...
I don't need to go to Philadelphia with you.
I can just stay here in town and get Grandma's things
squared away before you come back.
Just so you don't have to worry about it.
I mean, it'd be a bummer to miss the game, but--
Would you do that?
I could not do that right now.
Sure. Yeah, of course.
-I mean, probably be game seven.
Well, not if we're lucky.
I tell you, Jeanie, it was so nice
seeing you with your brothers at the funeral.
Just having the whole family together like that was...
Here's the thing.
We have a seat that's opened up at the company,
and it was your grandma's seat.
Treasurer, and...
I need your help, Jeanie.
Of course, Dad.
I need you to take those two brothers of yours
around this office,
and see how they spark to it.
You know, and then tell me
who you think would be the better pick.
'Cause, you know, what's the point of having a family business
if we don't get some family in here, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah, right.
They just get so weird around me and competitive...
Sports Host In a decision that should delight fans across the nation,
the NBA today has selected Larry Bird
of the Boston Celtics Rookie of the Year,
beating out the year's other rookie sensation, Magic Johnson,
-who currently finds him--
-Rule number one, fucker.
If you're thinking you ain't up to it, you ain't.
Ooh... Big tube.
Bet I look good on that.
Won't be on there tomorrow.
Be me up there, winning me a ring.
Don't matter none.
Ain't against me, nobody gives a shit.
Says who?
I'm in your head, ain't I?
Ah...
-I get your ass next year. -Nope.
If you actually believed that, I wouldn't be here.
-Nice try, though. -Man, fuck off.
Larry Make me.
Except you can't, can you?
'Cause I'm better than you.
Better player.
Better man.
-I know that's right. -Got that right.
-You a asshole. -At least I'm real.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm? Fuck you.
Fuck you. Fuck all y'all.
I ain't believing none of this shit!
You just fucking with my mom, playing tricks and shit!
I'ma go out there and win me a ring! And you ain't!
None of y'all gonna be nowhere close!
Announcer With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar questionable
for game six in Philadelphia,
the rookie sensation Magic Johnson may find...
There's the motherfucker we take out first.
...considerably under-manned...
Put that shit down!
And put on some motherfucking pants!
Ain't y'all junkies been paying attention?
The hit is on pause.
Kareem is out for game six.
That mean the Lakers gonna need theyself a big man.
I got my agent reaching out to Westhead and them right now.
So, clean this place up,
and get your asses the fuck outta here.
I got to get my shit packed.
You seen my snake?
Spencer Here we go! Here we go! That's them.
Turn that shit off. Turn it off.
...not to mention minus Jabbar--
-This is Spencer. -Agent Hiya, Spence! Listen.
I, uh, I got bad news.
I talked to the Lakers, and, uh...
They're not interested.
And you, and you talked to him yourself?
-Westhead? -Yeah, it was him. You know,
he says-- he says you're not the right fit right now.
-I hear. -But listen, I'm gonna keep on pushing him,
and, uh, you just sit tight there, okay?
We good.
So, you-you back on the team or what?
The hit is on.
We'll ice those motherfuckers when they're back from Philly.
Oh, hell yeah!
You're here for Paul Westhead, right?
-Yes. -Okay. That's me.
-Go get 'em. Okay? -I will.
Thanks.
I'm proud of you!
-I know you are.
Jack Mc That makes one of us.
Glad I caught you before the big trip.
Jack...
What are-- what are you doing here?
I brought you something.
Don't worry, it won't bite.
My notes on Philly.
I schemed for this. A starting five without Kareem.
In case it came up.
Jack...
I hate how all this happened.
I mean, all of it.
Look, I want you to know I-I'm leaving next year,
no matter what happens.
Time for me to do my own thing, right?
This is your thing.
You started this.
Then finish it.
Besides, I don't need you out there competing with me
for a coaching job.
Got some place in mind?
Wherever I can come back and kick your ass.
-I can't wait. -McGood luck!
Coach.
Let's go.
Host 1 What's there even to talk about?
Without Kareem in the lineup,
the Lakers are going to lose this game in Philadelphia.
-This series is going seven. -HostGone-zo! Bye-bye!
Host The only question in my mind is
does Magic Johnson have what it takes
-to even make it a contest? -HostYes, yes!
This is what I've been saying! On the money.
-There's no chance--
-What's up, Cheryl? -Hi.
-Where the big fella? -He wants to talk to you.
Have your driver follow me to the parking lot.
-I'll keep the hounds away. You two can have a chat. -Aight.
What's up, Cap? Feeling like John Shaft,
you all up in here like a spooky movie people.
Yeah, figured it was best to lay low
with all those buzzards circling.
You good to go then?
I'm out, Buck.
Well, you heal up then.
-We still may be needing you game seven-- -Buck.
I'm out.
And you're the only one who knows.
For now.
Damn.
Look, Buck...
before this season,
I thought I was done with ball.
Biding my time, cashing my paycheck.
Then, this kid comes along.
Smiley motherfucker. Whitest teeth you ever saw.
All grins and high-up fives, and hugs.
First time he gave me one, made my nuts draw up
-tighter than a cat inside a mouse hole.
Thought you was gonna punch me out.
I wanted to.
Remember what you told me
when I said we still got 81 to go?
You keep on winning games, I'm gonna give you 81 more hugs.
You owe me one more.
Maybe we screwed up cuttin' Haywood.
Ask me, he put a mojo on the team 'cause we gave him the boot.
Fuck Wood, man.
Had his head been on,
he'd be there to back me up,
instead of y'all fucking
bitch-ass motherfuckers.
Shit, Wood's juju probably comin' for me next.
You the big man now, buddy. Why don't you go ahead
and sit down in the big man's seat?
Jim Hell no. When Cap find out,
most likely from your snitchin' ass,
my ass end up gettin' karate-chopped to fuckin' death.
-Fuck you. -Fuck me?
The team seems to be in good spirits.
-Heard it was a dicey practice. -Any truth to the rumors
of bringing back Haywood for the remainder of the series?
Is Kareem gonna be able to come back for game seven?
-And what if he doesn't? -Paul Guys,
we're gonna take this one game at a time.
Yeah. Who said we need a game seven?
-Have a drink, relax.
-We'll talk after the flight. Yep. -How is Nixon's finger?
-Love you guys. Love you. -Thanks.
Flight ...drinks service will begin shortly.
Well, I guess, uh,
if we lose, at least we did that on our own, huh?
Won't give Jack any credit.
-Ain't over yet. -Aight, all you peoples, listen up!
-Someone take that thing away from him.
You sound like a dying bird. Nigga, why you so happy?
-Shit, is big man coming back? -You lookin' at the big man right here.
-Hey, fellas. -What?
We closing out in Philly.
-Me at center. -Center?
Listen, I played center back in high school.
Maybe I ain't as big as Jones or Chocolate Thunder,
but I ain't no pipsqueak.
And can't neither one of them keep up with me
speed-wise neither.
Ooh, I'll be spinnin' in the post,
drivin' and kickin' to Norm
or Silk for the jay.
-For real? -Get the fuck outta here.
Let them try and match up with that.
Yo, I ain't trying to fuck up the party,
but what six-nine guard supposed to do against two seven-footers?
Exactly.
Send they ass home to mama.
Come on, Coach! What you say?
We don't have time to practice it.
They won't neither, Coach.
They're gonna pound us in the paint all night.
Or we can, uh, race 'em off the court.
-No way. -Look, I-I wish we had a better option, too,
-but if we go seven and Kareem's not back-- -"The gloomy shade of death."
-That means we're fucked then.
Okay.
Okay?
Okay.
-Okay!
Hey, hey, fellas. I know 33 ain't with us,
but you got 32.
Now y'all have no fear.
Magic motherfuckin' Johnson be here.
-There's a time...
Players When you find...
Yeah, there you go!
What's that?
It's what Jack would do.
Well, fuck.
Right this way over here.
Over here? These seats blow.
You know what? This is a mind game.
They're trying to get under our skin.
Just don't let 'em razzle you.
-Go get yourself some beers. -Jimmy Thank you.
Johnny - You sure? I can pay. -David - Dr. Buss!
-Man of the moment! -David. Oh yeah.
Listen, I'm sorry to hear about Kareem.
It's alright. I like proving the doubters wrong.
Commissioner not here yet or...
-Uh, stuck in traffic. -Ah.
Tell the man the truth.
You'll see him in LA on Sunday,
-giving that shiny trophy to the Sixers. -Red!
I'm touched! You showed up as a fan?
I'm just here for my award.
Exec of the Year.
Bill here's Coach of the Year.
Hell, with Bird, we got the Triple Crown.
Wow! Isn't that something?
You guys have won everything that doesn't count!
For now.
You boys enjoy your popcorn.
Yeah. Enjoy your plaque!
I'll see you, David.
-Got you a beer, Dad. -Thank you, Jim.
And don't sweat him, alright? He's jealous.
He's a loser. It's not even the right sport.
-Triple Crown... -Yeah. He's miserable.
-Good to see you guys! -Yeah, you, too.
-You wanna sit in the middle? -Nah, nah. This is good.
Brent Musburger Well, here we are.
Game six of the 1980 NBA World Championship,
moments away, the formidable Philadelphia 76ers--
-Narrator And lo! The Israelites
have reached the Promised Land.
Behold that land
with thine eyes. But, Moses...
Come on, let's change the channel. It's time.
-I can't, babe. -Yes, you can.
You got them there.
And they need your vibes right now.
...formidable Philadelphia 76ers
versus the nimble Los Angeles Lakers.
Live from Spectrum Arena, Philadelphia.
Sparks are in the air tonight for game six.
The Lakers undermanned but with a chance to take it all tonight,
and, folks, we now know Coach Westhead
has decided to go small tonight.
Without their big man, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
Magic Johnson listed as the starting center.
He can't hope to match up physically with the size
and strength of Darryl Dawkins and Caldwell Jones.
-Jerry. -Oh shit. Fuck, fuck, Bill!
Fucking runnin' up on me like that for!
Yeah.
-Oh. Now, we're talkin'. -Mm-hmm.
They sound pretty worked up!
-Just another game, right? -Right.
We got a plan, gentlemen.
They may be bigger, but we've got the speed.
That means we're pushing that ball
every chance we get.
This is our game. We got here as a team.
We're gonna finish as a team. Team on three.
-One, two, three! Team! -Team!
Here comes the tip...
What you smiling for, Young Blood?
Just can't believe I'm about to take a ring from Dr. J.
What's up, fool?
Hey, take it easy on me in that paint!
I got the tip.
-What's he doing? -Magic wants-- He wants the tip.
Chones, let him in.
Rook, what the fuck you thinkin'?
I be feelin', baby, I be feelin'.
And look at this. Magic Johnson
is stepping into the center circle.
The 20-year-old rookie
is not just hoping to fill the captain's shoes, Keith.
He's actually gonna jump center for it.
Fuck's he doing? What the fuck is he doing?!
No! J-Jones has got five fuckin' inches on him!
Our kid's got bigger balls.
I can't fuckin' watch this! I can't. I can't. I can't.
Fuckin' walk, just fuckin' take a hike.
-Hey, hey, hey!
-Musburger Well, here we are.
Game six of the 1980 NBA World...
Can't nothing jump like a monkey.
You'll wipe that smile off next year.
Shut the fuck up.
-The ball is in center court...
He's there.
I ain't.
Alright...
Hey, what's he like in person?
-Earleatha, right? -Mm-hmm.
-Yeah, I heard you went to MSU.
I mean, you must know Magic, right?
No. Can't say I do.
All I'm sayin', the boy ain't hard enough to play the center!
-Simple as that! -But he played center in high school.
Mr. Tell you right now, you wouldn't know hard
if you the only dick
in a hotel room full of pussy!
Man, we in for a treat, y'all!
Game's starting!
Musburger Do not adjust your TV.
This is actually happening.
-Junior's stepping up. -Doing too much,
-that's what he's doing. -What the heck do you know?
Watch your mouth, Earl,
or else you're gonna have to watch your butt at halftime.
-Ooh! -Tell him, Mama!
You heard the woman. Now, look!
Settle down.
Let's go, Magic! Let's go!
Jones wins the tip.
Dawkins secures it. Tapped away by Magic.
Jim Chones back to Magic on the break.
Long pass down the court.
Hits Wilkes in stride, lays it up and in.
And just like that, these Lakers take the lead.
...back the other way.
Long baseball pass to Hollins for the open jumper.
And flat. It's no good.
Nixon with the rebound.
Quick pass around the horn.
Magic on the block, pounding with the big man.
Floats up a skyhook, and it's good!
Abdul- That's my skyhook! I taught him that!
Move over, Houdini.
I see you, Buck! I taught him that! Let's go!
Oh, man.
The doctor makes his move.
Oh, that's no good. And Chones with the rebound to Norm.
-- Let's go! -- Back to Magic,
with a snazzy dribble! Hits Wilkes...
Slam dunk!
Lakers out to an eight-point lead.
Cheeks to Erving for the jumper.
Good! Johnson answers quickly
with an offhand layup of his own.
And, friends, this Philly crowd is getting restless.
They're itching in their seats.
And that's the Doctor with the cure.
And here comes the slug-fest.
I think I, uh, might go check on the commissioner.
Jay? Call New York,
get O'Brien on a helicopter.
And make sure they've got a stage
in case we're giving out a trophy.
Uh, is-is there a trophy?
I need a quarter. You got a quarter?
Erving under the backboard at the baseline.
-- Shit. -- Unbelievable!
And a scintillating start for the Lakers in that first quarter,
but the Sixers are hanging tough.
This is gonna be a doozy of a contest, friends.
Just fuckin' take it.
Fucking walk in there. Keep fucking walking...
Motherfucker...
This just... fuckin' sucks.
Fuck.
-What is it? What happened? What happened? -Philly tied it up.
No! Fuck! God-fuckin'-dammit!
I knew it! Fuck, I knew it!
Goddammit!
Under a minute to go here in the half. A dead heat.
Lakers 60, Sixers 58.
Collins out ahead of the Lakers with a clear path at the basket.
And just like that, the teams stay knotted up.
You get to sit down! And you suck! And you suck!
-Come here! Come on! -I'll fuck you up!
Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down.
Norm from the corner. No good.
And it looks right now like these Lakers
have come back down to earth.
The crowd is right back in it.
Last seconds of the quarter, Magic with the steal.
-Magic from the half-court at the buzzer.
In and out! And that may be
the only place he's missed the mark tonight.
But the lead he has built has slipped away.
And you can feel a frustration creeping in for these Lakers.
...right out the gate, but the Sixers absorb the onslaught
and come out tied at the half.
Bill Well, you have to ask yourself,
was that Magic and the Lakers' best shot?
They're doing great.
-Don't listen to that.
Dr. J is here to prove
that his reign is nowhere near over.
But Magic's rookie performance does not disappoint.
And, oh look, there's the rookie owner of the Lakers
taking in his team with his two sons.
Both chips off the old block, I'm sure. I'll--
If you're looking for the game, you're in the wrong arena.
Why aren't you in Philly?
Uh, someone had to clean out my grandmother's things, so...
It's just a lot for my dad.
Your brothers didn't volunteer?
No. They'd just, uh, steal the silverware.
My grandma was so smart.
So tough.
But I think she gave the best of it away.
But I don't want to be like her.
I want to be like you.
You never will.
You're going to be him.
We have the feed up on satellite if you want.
Maude made chili.
-Lon - Uh, excuse me? -- What is it?
Uh, I'm supposed to give this to, uh, Magic.
Yeah, what is it?
It's the vote totals for Rookie of the Year.
He asked me to get them.
He wanted to know how much he lost by.
Alright, alright. I'll tell him myself.
Alright, gentlemen, listen up.
One more message from the Bard.
"If we are marked to die,
"we are enough
"to do our country loss.
"And if to live...
"oh, if to live,
"the fewer men, the greater share of honor.
"For he who hath
"no stomach to this fight, let him depart!
"We would not die in that man's company
"that fears his fellowship to die with us!
"We few...
"We happy few...
We band of brothers..."
Let's kill those fuckers!
Alright, here we are,
beginning of round two, all knotted up.
And who is going to make this game their own?
We've seen marvels out of Magic so far,
but if the Lakers want to beat this veteran Sixers squad,
he is going to have to find a new offensive gear.
Hey, it's EJ the DJ. Watch this!
Chones with the inbound pass to Magic.
Magic behind the back.
Beautiful spin move. Long pass down to Norm.
Nixon with a lovely layup.
And the Lakers draw first blood out of the half.
-- Yeah, y'all! -- Magic back in the paint now,
bodying up Erving, giving the Doctor
a taste of his own medicine.
Nixon to Magic.
Slam dunk!
Coming to you live and direct!
Magic battling for a rebound,
taking it back the other way. Fools the Doctor!
Hits Norm in the corner. Back to Magic.
And Magic, eyes in the back of his head tonight.
Back to Norm, driving, lays it up and in.
and, oh my! Time out, Sixers.
You've seen Magic at point guard,
you've seen Magic at forward, you've seen Magic at center.
Pretty soon, you might see Magic play a position
that nobody's even invented yet, Keith.
Magic down the middle, bounce pass to Jamaal.
Here's Magic, behind his back to Chones.
Spies a wide-open Holland. Swish!
Magic puts 'em in the popcorn machine.
On the block, pounding with the big man.
And giving it right back and more--
Magic says, give me that ball!
Put up, back it in, by who else?
Magic Johnson. Boy, I tell you, this kid is everywhere, folks.
Lakers up 10 in the quarter,
and the game all on the back
of an astonishing performance by Magic Johnson.
-They are one quarter away from a ring. -Oh, fuck! Yes!
But can he keep this up for 12 more minutes
without running out of steam?
Don't! No-- Don't say a fuckin' word, Bill!
Don't! You know better! Don't say another fuckin' word!
-I'm gonna take a fucking... -The other way!
-I'm gonna take a walk! -Yeah, you do that.
It's working, Bill!
And at the end of three, it's Lakers 93...
Baby, they're gonna win it!
Do you want something from the kitchen?
I'm having champagne.
Not only without their big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
but also without power forward Spencer Haywood,
who was shouldering a lot of the weight down there in the post for this team.
The Lakers are just 12 minutes
and one quarter of basketball away from the Promised Land,
their first championship in eight years.
-One, two, three... -Team!
Lakers 10 ahead with what could become
a comfortable lead if they keep the pressure on.
Sixers gotta come out swinging, and they do, folks.
Erving with a fast cut to the rim,
reminding everyone why he's the Doctor.
And where was Magic on that play?
Erving asking for the ball again,
this time in the corner.
D up! D up!
Who peels Magic off like a banana!
And just like that, the Sixers cut this lead in half.
And Magic Johnson is looking winded, friends,
like the Doctor may have found a cure for him.
Sixers have no quit in them, I'll tell you that right now.
Come on, keep a foot on their throats.
Don't let these guys back in it.
Oh! And Erving with a clean pick
leaving Magic in the dust.
And if you're Paul Westhead,
this is exactly what you were afraid of.
He's been out there in high gear for every minute of this game.
And even at the ripe old age of 20, that will take a toll.
Nixon trying to muster up some offense
for the struggling Lakers. Misses badly.
Jones with the rebound.
You're alright! Get back!
Cheeks running the break.
-To Erving... Good!
And the Sixers have cut this deficit to one.
I'll tell ya, these Lakers are starting
to look like a car without an engine.
Just over three minutes and 30 seconds to go in this game.
Lakers clinging to a three-point advantage,
Magic Johnson has been carrying the team,
but now he's looking like it, friends, walking this ball
up the court just to get some air.
And he walks right into a trap!
Dawkins, Hollins, Cheeks surrounding him.
Magic throws the ball away...
-Goddammit! -right into the hands of Julius Erving!
And just like that, the Sixers trail by only one point.
-God, they're-- -The crowd is going wild
and now, they can taste it.
Magic Johnson looking tired,
looking absolutely exhausted out there, and frustrated.
-Let's just hope not beaten. Time out, Lakers!
Did you call that time out?
No. He did.
Time out, Lakers.
-Sorry, I know. -No, no, no, no, no.
Fuck that, fuck that. We got this.
Ain't got nothing left. I'm spent, Norm.
You ain't alone, Buck, okay?
Hey. Fucking look at me.
You've been doin' everything out here,
but we got you.
I got you.
Let's go and win this fucking game.
-Okay? Yeah? Alright. -Yeah.
Let's go. Let's take it home.
Magic has played every minute here tonight,
and he looks out of gas.
We've been wondering all year
when this kid was gonna hit the wall. This may be it.
It's looking more and more like it's gonna take
-a lot more than magic. -You can say that--
And I'll tell ya,
these guys look like they've been in a war,
the two of them. This whole team is exhausted.
Nixon... He's got stones for legs,
and Nixon bringing him over back to the bench,
and he is tired, I'll tell you.
Magic has had an amazing night,
spectacular performance,
but when push comes to shoves
in these high-pressure situations,
you want experience driving the team
when there's a championship at stake.
You cannot hear yourself think in this arena.
I bet they can hear this crowd way back in LA.
I'll tell ya, if Kareem can't come back
for that game seven,
this could be the Lakers' last best chance.
Breathe! Breathe! I know that we are tired!
But this is what we trained for!
McKinney miles, gentlemen!
Okay? Two minutes!
Two minutes to glory!
We are gonna win this thing!
We're gonna win it! Okay? You believe that! Believe it!
We finish this together right now!
Hands in!
Champs on three! One, two, three...
Champs!
Come on!
Come on, let's do it!
Sixty-three to three.
What?
The rookie vote.
Bird won.
-Sixty-three to three.
Ball!
Magic pushing against Erving.
Cooper cutting to the basket.
Magic with the alley-oop.
Ooh!
What the--
God fucking arrest him! That wasn't a f--
That's Michael Cooper down on the floor,
and this does not look good, I tell you.
-There's Jack Curran going out. -I won't fuckin' calm down!
Not good. Boy, I'll tell you, he is really hurt.
He may be out cold. Team's gathered around,
and this could not come,
boy, this could not come at a worse time.
Coop, Coop!
Fuck, man.
-Jack Curran Mike? Mike?
Hey, Mike? Mike?
-Do you know where you are?
Home...
Pasadena?
Shit, Philly. Yeah.
Nah, Coop. You right at home.
Now, go in your living room and sink a free throw.
-Yeah? -Okay.
-Cool? -Okay.
If he's unable to shoot this foul shot,
the Sixers can pick anyone
from the Lakers' bench to shoot,
including our own hands of stone Mark Landsberger.
There you go, Coop, there you go!
Watch your toes!
-Let's go! -Come on, Coop.
Sink it!
Michael Cooper with the shot of his life,
and he drops it. If he can make the second shot,
they're gonna put up by three.
Coop. There you go.
Let's get this next one. Let's go.
One more! One more!
Come on, Coop.
And the Lakers are looking for a little cushion here.
-He's got it. Lakers up three. -Yes!
Still a one-possession game, - 26 left.
But the Lakers can't go celebrating too soon, Keith.
Now, they've got to get a stop right here.
Back on D!
Jones looking for an open man.
Norm. Norm!
Finds him with a long in-bounds pass
to a wide-open Dawkins at center court.
-- Norm! Intercepted by Norm Nixon!
Go! Go! Go!
Moves it quickly up ahead to Magic!
Driving to the basket...
Magic muscles in.
Erving rushing in to meet him at the rim...
Slam dunk!
Yes! Yes!
Yeah!
-Yes! -Slam dunk!
Right over Julius Erving!
That might be the dagger, and the Lakers know
they've got this thing won.
The bench, the entire bench is up screaming.
Hey, Paul! Paul Westhead! Give me five.
There's 39 seconds left, Chick.
Oh shi--
Oh! Thank you, Jesus!
Gimme five! Atta baby!
And this game is in the refrigerator, friends.
The door is closed.
The lights are out, the eggs are cooling,
the butter's getting hard.
And the Jell-O is jiggling!
Young Left corner!
Right block! A, B!
Earvin Johnson Sr.: Junior! Keep your head up!
Look straight ahead.
Don't show him where you wanna go.
Young Woo! Last few seconds
of the fourth quarter
to see which team wins.
Fades left! Goes right at the fake--
And it's official! The Lakers win
the 1980 NBA World Championship.
That makes Magic Johnson, a mere 20 years of age,
the youngest champion of all time,
and, boy, does this kid deserve
to be enjoying every minute of it.
There's always other nights!
Enjoy this one.
Dr. Buss?
We need to beat the rush down to the stage.
Come on. It's time for your moment in the sun.
One second, Dave.
Jessie Don't be a sore winner, Gerald.
You promised me a smile.
It's not fair.
You're talking to yourself, Gerald.
Man Alright, if you can get Kareem all set,
-we'll be calling you back in a minute. -Yes. He will be ready.
-Baby, they're gonna call you in a minute
for the broadcast because you just won the MVP Award.
I'm so proud of you.
Just a magical, magical night,
led by a 20-year-old rookie
who was playing basketball in high school
-just two short years ago. -I can't believe it.
Without question now, without any question at all,
the greatest game ever played in the NBA.
Winning a world championship, on the road,
in one of the most hostile arenas in all of sports.
-Yeah! -Fuck, yeah!
Congratulations, Norm.
-Thank you! -Congratulations.
Earvin! Got a minute?
Congratulations, Earvin.
-Mr. Stern! -Listen, uh,
we have a little problem.
What, you gonna take it back?
Not that. I promise.
"SPORT Magazine," you know the publication.
They sponsor our series MVP.
And see, the writers voted
to award it to Kareem.
That's great! He deserve it!
-We ain't here weren't for him. -Of course.
Except he isn't here.
Wait, they can't get him on the phone?
Well, we could,
but remember what we talked about at dinner?
I think you proved it to the world tonight.
The man of the moment is you.
So, you want me to accept it for Kareem?
I want you to accept it.
Darth Vader wins Rookie of the Year,
but you're the last man standing.
With a trophy of his own. In every living room.
Hell of a story, don't you think?
-Maybe next year, he strikes back.
Maybe you defend the title.
Tune in and find out.
But I'm gonna need an answer.
That whole combination going
with you and Magic. It's fantastic.
-Thank you, Mr. Sharman. -Okay, Coop.
Really proud of you guys.
Alright? Do it again next year.
-Of course. Of course.
Excuse me a minute.
Psst.
Get your ass in there.
No, this one ain't mine, Bill.
It would have been if we lost, though, wouldn't it?
-What about the next one? -Huh?
What about the next one?
Oh... What about it?
Fellow knows me pretty well
thinks that the front office
might be my sweet spot.
What?
Monday.
Bright and early after the parade.
We start next season.
Larry O' Well done, gentlemen! Jerry--
-There he is!
Hey!
-Fucking helicopter, it's a death trap. -I know! I know!
-What are you gonna do? -Alright, Hot Rod.
Thank you very much.
I'm here with the commissioner of the NBA,
Larry O'Brien. Very happy owner of the Lakers,
a couple of players. Larry,
why don't you present the trophy to Jerry Buss?
Well, I'm happy to do it.
We just finished the greatest season in NBA history,
and I think the greatest series in NBA history.
It is my great honor to present this world trophy
to the owner of the new world champion
Los Angeles Lakers.
He's a rookie himself,
Dr. Jerry Buss!
There you go. That's yours!
That's permanent! You keep that!
Well, you've been an NBA owner all of one year,
already you're a champion, must be on top of the world.
-Hoo! Yeah. Uh...
I tell you, I have never had a group of men
like this team do so much...
uh...
minute by minute, week by week,
month by month. Uh...
-We played, what, 108 games?
And these guys gave everything they had.
Well, this is the end result,
so thank you, guys! Thank you!
Well, where do you go from here?
Now, I guess we do it all over again!
O' Hey! That's what I'm talking about!
Go ahead! Everyone who said we couldn't do it,
you can go ...
And there you have it.
Colorful owner Jerry Buss and his champion Lakers...
Baby, they're gonna call soon. Okay? Don't worry.
Moments from now, we will be bringing to you
the presentation of this year's "SPORT Magazine" Finals MVP.
And, of course, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
was this year's scoring leader. But, tonight,
tonight was all about the rookie sensation.
And so, we take you to our own Bill Russell
to present the award to Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
-Congratulations, Earvin. -Thanks, Mr. Stern.
Thanks, Bill.
And, you know...
we couldn't have done none of this without Kareem.
-He the man on his team. -I'm sure he's watching.
Well, he couldn't be here,
so I knew I had to take over,
get the job done.
But,
you know, I'm glad of that.
'Cause I love to win.
And I guess I proved a few things to them doubters.
-Magic is a winner. -There's some
great players who have never won a championship.
How many more do you want?
Oh, about 20.
-You okay?
Well, I'll tell you what. It beats the booby prize.
At least you made the cut.
-Those fucking jokers forgot my name. -Next year.
We make this our own.
Next year.
Quiet in here.
'Cause it's unbelievable.
Well, you must be used to it by now.
-All this winning. -Yeah.
I just don't want it to end.
Me neither.
Hm.
Abdul- Spence! You here?
-Spence!
-Haywood - Don't move, motherfucker. -Abdul-- Jesus...
It's just me, Spence.
I've been calling.
I came to say congratulations.
-We won. -Fuck you.
I ain't win shit. You won.
You motherfuckers kicked me to the curb,
and you got the nerve to come in here,
talking about congratulations?
-I'm here now. -Why?
Because I don't wanna read about it in a newspaper that
-they found you in an alley. -It ain't gonna be in no alley,
But it is gonna be by my terms.
-You'd be killing the wrong man, Spence. -Nigga, you don't know me.
I know Spencer Haywood.
Yeah? Spencer Haywood ain't shit!
-I don't believe that. -Like hell, nigga.
You know exactly what I am.
You figured out my trick!
That's why my Black ass ain't drinking bubbly right now
with the rest of the team.
'Cause you know I ain't shit.
Nigga, you know I ain't shit,
and I ain't gonna never be shit!
Just the same!
Just like I always been!
-Always! -I know someone told you that.
That's what I am.
-No. -Look at me.
Look at her.
Is your daughter beautiful?
Look at your daughter.
-Is she beautiful? Is your daughter beautiful? -I can't.
-That ain't me. -It is.
Half of that beauty comes from you.
It's yours.
A beautiful Black man.
My beautiful brother.
It's too late.
-It's not. -I can't.
I can't. I can't. I can't live like this anymore.
I fucked up.
-You're a champion.
Norman Whoo, cowboy Cap!
-Hey, Cap. -We're good.
Congratulations.
City's out there throwing you a party.
Oh, that's their party.
Is this the paperwork?
This is the old paperwork,
and this is the new.
Just needs a signature.
How's that look to you?
Like we need to talk about a raise.
Looking forward to it, Claire.
Me, too.
You remember what I was saying about swan songs?
Well...
I went through about 80 million bucks this season.
But I got a few grand left in the bank...
fresh line of credit...
and the best team in basketball.
So, swan songs?
This ain't mine.
Watch me paddle, motherfuckers.
Got something for ya!
Whoo!
Yeah!