Alex, get serious.
Alan Iverson and 20 points
could not help your team.
ALEX: You know, Julie, I think
we looked pretty good at that last game.
Yeah, too bad
the other team showed up.
You're the only team in history
that should be sued for malpractice.
So we've had
a bad streak.
Well, today
we'll turn it around.
Against the Warriors?
Yeah. Right.
They're undefeated.
Tyler will be scraping
you off the bottom of his sneakers.
So, hey, Julie, are we gonna
sh**t hoops after school?
Are you kidding?
I'm gonna
kick your butt.
Hasta luego.
So long.
BOY: Yo, Joker! T.J.!
SECOND BOY:
Stick, what's up, man?
ALEX: Hey!
What's up, guys?
THIRD BOY:
what's up, Ben?
Hey, Joker's got
the answer to our basketball problems.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
My dad's doing
some research on cloning.
If we get him to clone you,
you could pass it to yourself.
You know what?
That's hilarious.
[BELL RINGS]
BOY: Two Alexes?
That's not hilarious. That's frightening.
Of course, you might
need those two bodies
when Mrs. Klein catches you.
Mr. Schlotsky.
[BELL RINGS]
Oh! Oh!
Just give it to me.
Whoa!
When we celebrate Hanukkah,
We are really celebrating
the story of Judah and the Maccabees,
A story that began
over 2,000 years ago
during one of the Earth's
darkest hours.
The cruel king Antiochus
had conquered the world,
and decreed that
all people in every land
should pay tribute
to his pagan gods.
He sent merciless armies
to enforce his decree
And to slaughter
all who disobeyed.
Antiochus succeeded everywhere
except in one corner of the empire...
In a land called Israel.
[WIND BLOWING]
[PERSON SCREAMS IN DISTANCE]
TEACHER: Though the people
stubbornly resisted,
they were no match
for Antiochus' army,
and in the face
of certain doom,
the people of Israel
desperately needed a great leader.
[HORN BLOWING]
[PEOPLE CHEERING]
CROWD: Victory, victory,
big score now!
V-i-c-t-o-r-y!
Victory!
CROWD:
V-i-c-t-o-r-y!
Victory, victory, me oh my!
V-i-c-t-o-r-y!
[CHEERING]
Give it up now, Schlots.
Maybe I'll show you
some mercy.
In your dreams, Tyler.
[CHEERING]
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
-[COACH AND PLAYERS YELLING]
-[CROWD CHEERING]
That's it, Tyler!
sh**t! sh**t! sh**t!
Yes! That's it!
All right, now,
straighten them out!
[PLAYERS AND CROWD
CHEERING AND SHOUTING]
MAN:
Okay, let's keep it up!
-Coach Simowitz.
-Huh?
A little--a little coaching,
or some help, maybe?
Oh, of course.
Absolutely. Of course.
I can do that.
We are the Lions
The mighty, mighty Lions
Yes, Warriors! Whoo!
The mighty, mighty Lions
sh**t! sh**t!
sh**t! Yes!
Score!
Must be getting ugly.
Coach Larry has already
launched into his victory dance.
It started ugly.
It's approaching hideous.
Come on, Schlots!
[SHOUTING CONTINUES]
Pass the ball!
PLAYER: I'm open!
Pass it!
[SHOUTING CONTINUES]
-[WHISTLE BLOWS]
-Hey, Ref!
REFEREE: got a technical
foul, number 5 blue.
-PLAYER: it's not worth it.
-Watch your temper, T.J.
Watch the game, Ref!
He was charging.
Or haven't you read
the rule book yet?
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
That's it. You're out of here.
T.J.: Gee,
thanks for the favor.
PLAYER:
Don't sweat it, Teej.
Hey, Schlots...
How does it feel
to be on the worst team
In the entire history
of basketball?
Lay off him, Tyler.
It's just a game.
Sounds more like
a m*ssacre.
But if you think
this is bad,
Wait till you see what we're gonna
do to you in the tourney. Yeah!
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
[CROWD CHEERING]
PLAYER: Come on!
I'm getting a new hard
drive for Hanukkah.
That's enough to
download the entire library of congress.
T.J.'s the one
who's got it made.
Christmas and Hanukkah?
Half Jewish,
half Christian
Equals total
holiday score.
What about you, Stick?
You guys, man.
What?
Hanukkah should be
about the Maccabees
And the miracle of light
that followed their victory.
I'll take presents
over some old fairy tale.
The miracle of light,
my friend, is no fairy tale.
Okay, one day's worth of oil
just magically burning for eight?
I mean, come on, man,
these things just don't happen.
But that's why
they call it a miracle.
What about you, Schlots?
What are you asking for Hanukkah?
Besides the word "pass"
being removed from the English language.
Hey, I would pass
If the definition of
"pass" on this team
Wasn't turnover.
We stink.
The only way
we know how to score
is on the P.S.A.T.s.
In my sleep.
Now can we please
stop talking about the P.S.A.T.s?
Every year,
we get humiliated
in the liberty
tournament.
Well, this year,
the tourney is in our home gym.
And I don't want to
stink. For once, I want to win.
[LAUGHTER]
ALEX:
Losing is bad enough, Dad,
but the other guys
don't even care.
Do you know
we've lost 20 straight?
I'm not sure.
Can you hum a few bars?
Ba-dum-pah!
That joke is so old.
Hello, Doctor.
Not old.
Well seasoned.
What's old is losing.
We hold an all-time league
record for games lost.
I know it's tough,
but hey, it's not the end of the world.
Mom, the liberty
tournament
is the most important
even of my life.
It's huge.
Really? As huge as,
for instance, law? Medicine?
Education? Remember when
you wanted to be a superhero?
Or the time you tried
to make rocket fuel
So you could blow yourself
to the moon?
What?
I think what your mom's saying
is that as we get older,
-Our dreams can change.
-Well...
Basketball is my dream.
That results
in what, dear? The NBA?
Maybe.
How many players
are there in the NBA?
So with 125 million
adult males in this country,
that means your odds
of making it are about
One in 350,000.
[PAGER BEEPING]
Ugh. Gotta run
to the hospital.
Look, Alex...
I'm not trying
to dump on your dreams.
I'm just trying to help you
keep things in perspective.
We'll talk about that
rocket fuel thing later.
Hey...You all right?
[SIGHING]
Yeah, sure.
I mean, what does Mom
know about basketball?
Yeah. Nice.
You know, the NBA
takes players from all over the world,
so actually, your
chances are much worse.
Thanks. Now I'm really
cheered up.
Alex, she means well,
okay? But for your mother,
being a doctor is the
most exciting thing
a person could ever do
with her life.
As exciting as hitting
a three-pointer right at the buzzer?
Okay, how about
a little one-on-one?
For the last piece of
my double fudge cake?
Show me your moves, old man.
Well seasoned.
-Whoa!
-Oh!
[ALARM SOUNDING]
-[LAUGHS]
-I'd like to see you do that.
Rabbi Lewis...
He bum fakes...
Spins by Shaq...
Running rabbi,
he double clutches,
elevates
for the jump-up...
He shoots...
Scores!
Wah! Ah!
From downtown.
Hi, Alex...
Uh, come in,
come in, come in.
Uh, something
on your mind?
Besides the yarmulke?
Heh.
Well...
You said in class that when the people of
Israel were up against the ropes,
Judah Maccabee
led them to victory.
Oh, so you were
listening.
Our team needs
a Judah Maccabee.
Is that so?
Mr. Simowitz has never
played basketball.
I don't think he's ever
worn a pair of shorts.
Can you hire us a real coach?
Uh, well, your mother
chairs our board of directors.
Have you discussed this
with her?
[SIGHS]
She's not much of a basketball fan.
Heh, heh, heh.
It's hopeless.
We're hopeless.
With the blessed one,
nothing is ever hopeless.
So you'll
get us a coach?
No.
-But you said--
-Judah.
Judah will
get us a coach?
You said your team needs
a Judah Maccabee.
Right. So, when is
this supposed to happen?
When or where is not
the question.
The question is, will you recognize
this Judah when you see him?
What do you think
the rabbi meant?
How should I know?
He meant that if you
don't want to flunk,
you should be studying
your biology.
Come on, Stick.
Maybe the rabbi meant,
when you're really up
against it, God gives you what you need.
You know, like
sending an angel to watch over you.
Right now, the Lions
need a coach,
not some lousy angel.
Think he can jam?
Whoa.
Wait.
Where you going?
Alex...
Mind if I rebound
for you?
What's he doing?
Being a Schlots.
You got serious game.
Where do you play?
Don't.
Okay, uh,
where did you play?
Must've been somewhere.
My name's
Alex Schlotsky.
My friends call me Schlots.
What's yours?
None of your business.
Give me the ball, kid.
Tell me your name,
I'll give you the ball.
All right. We'll have
a sh**t-out.
Anything but dunks, okay?
If I miss first,
I'll leave you alone,
But if you miss first,
you gotta tell me your name.
How about you don't
give me the ball,
And I stuff you
through that hoop sideways?
Well, that worked.
Except for the stuffing you
through the hoop
sideways part.
Hey, come on!
I'm only 14.
How hard can it be?
Well, guess you'll
never know his name.
Virginia. JM 165.
STICK: JM 165?
His license plate.
It's a specialty plate.
University of Virginia
Boosters.
So, we'll check men's
basketball rosters.
There he is.
Lamont Carr.
Point guard for
the Virginia Cavaliers.
So, how come you only
get Bs in school?
It's a matter
of passion, Mr. Stick.
Look at his stats, man.
You thinking
what I'm thinking?
Uh-huh. That
Lamont Carr is--
Is Judah Maccabee.
Yeah.
Wait. No. Man. What are
you talking about?
Lamont's nickname
was "the Hammer."
So was Judah Maccabee's.
It's for his
k*ller dunks.
-Judah could dunk?
-Lamont, idiot.
And think about
the license plate.
JM 165.
JM--Judah's initials.
And 165, the year
the Maccabees drove out the invaders
and reclaimed
the temple.
Well, you're forgetting
one little thing.
Judah's been dead
almost 2,000 years.
Well, Judah Maccabee
or not,
I think we might
have our angel.
Hey, guys,
hitting the books?
Hi, Mom.
I made you
some cookies.
[ALEX AND STICK STAMMER]
-We're--
-I can't--
After supper.
Got it. Men at work.
I'll just leave them
here, in case you change your mind.
Last time I tried to eat
one of your mom's cookies,
I chipped a tooth.
I heard that, Goldstein.
I got a violin lesson.
And I gotta study
for an algebra quiz, and so do you.
Look, it'll only
take half an hour.
Forget it.
Look, if you guys don't
want to see the ghost of Judah Maccabee,
Suit yourselves.
Ghost?
What are you
talking about?
Come with me and Stick
if you want to find out.
All right. That's enough.
You boys get any louder,
you'll raise the dead.
Alex and Stick
already have, Mrs. Klein.
They just saw
the ghost of Judah Maccabee.
I'm surprised Mr. Schlotsky
would recognize anybody
who wasn't
a basketball player.
Actually, he w-- Ohh!
It was just a figment
of our overactive imagination.
Brought on by too much
sugar and video games.
Right, Stick?
Of course.
Let's, uh, let's go.
No more sugar for you, big guy.
T.J.: There is
no way that is Judah Maccabee.
I mean, it doesn't
even look like him.
You know what Judah
Maccabee looks like?
Well, I'm pretty
sure he wasn't 6'5, African-American.
JOKER: Oh, I know.
Why don't we ask him?
Excuse me, tall guy,
you wouldn't happen to be
a Jewish military hero
who, uh, started Hanukkah
and has been dead
over 2,000 years?
Look, all that matters
is that when we needed a coach,
this really amazing
player shows up at our very park.
What are the odds?
I'm gonna go
talk to him, okay?
You guys start playing
and try to look...
Not terrible.
Hey, it's me again.
-Yo, Splot.
-Schlots.
That's my team
practicing over there.
T.J., Joker, Stick,
and Big Ben.
My sympathies.
You know, we haven't
won a game in two years.
Really? Only two years?
Well, we got this big
tournament coming up.
Less than a month.
You think you can
help us win?
Hey, man,
we're not that bad.
Okay, we're that bad, but
that's why we need you.
I mean, don't you
believe in helping the less fortunate?
Best help I can
give your team--
Find them
a different hobby.
Look, you don't
have to come to any of our games,
Just, you know,
coach us here.
Look, kid, even if
I wanted to, I just--
Don't have the time.
I say you do.
Pardon me?
I checked you out
on the web.
-You what?
-Your name's Lamont Carr.
You played for the
University of Virginia.
After playing
for the Cavaliers,
You went to
the Continental Basketball Association,
where you played
for five years.
Till you wrecked
your knee and had to have three surgeries.
Knee's better, okay?
And I'm here waiting for
a tryout with the Sixers.
Not baby-sit
a bunch of kids.
Look, we need a coach,
not a baby-sitter.
You're just waiting.
You got time to help us out.
You know, you're wasting
your time on basketball.
You should be a lawyer.
-So, you'll do it?
-No.
I'm a player.
Coach is for has-beens
and wannabes.
We can pay you.
How much?
Only 20?
And 20 more after.
You bought yourself
an hour, not a second more.
Tomorrow at 4:00.
Where's Dad?
He had to leave early.
He's showing the Bender condo.
-Again.
-So...
-You're cooking?
-Yeah.
I wanted to do
something special for you.
I know how much
you like waffles.
Is this because I did
something bad?
Kidding. You want
something from me?
Can't I just treat you
'cause you're my son,
And I love you?
[SIGHS] All right.
There's this program
at the hospital.
Students shadow doctors
around for a week,
see how they like
the profession.
If you're interested,
I can speak to one of my colleagues.
Ohh.
There.
[CLICKS TONGUE]
-[CLATTERS ON PLATE]
-Okay, here's the deal:
You promise
to think it over,
I'll let you cook
your own breakfast.
-Deal.
-Yummy.
He's not coming.
Since he's a ghost,
maybe he's already here,
And we just can't see him.
[HUMMING X-FILES THEME]
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
Hey, Lamont,
you made it.
-Yeah, Judah.
-Judah?
It's what we Jewish people
call our great athletes.
You know, in case
we ever have one.
Why you guys smiling?
Never seen guys smile
before they ran 17-55s.
What are 17-55s?
It's a set of 17 wind sprints
from sideline to sideline.
Unless everyone finishes
in 55 seconds,
you run another set.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
For this, we're paying?
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
Faster. Faster.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
A minute and 30?
Come on, guys,
run it again.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
What kind of practice
is this? Practice to have a heart attack?
Pick it up.
Pick it up. Pick it up.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
-[BLOWS WHISTLE]
-ALL: Ball!
That was terrible.
All right.
That's all
for today, guys.
What did we ever do
to make you hate us?
I'm not here
to like you.
I'm here to make
a bad team into a better one.
The quickest way I know how to do
that is through conditioning.
Schlots.
Next time, you pay me
before practice.
See you tomorrow.
This is ridiculous.
I'll show you guys once
and for all this guy isn't Judah Maccabee.
Judah had four brothers
and a dad named Matthias, right?
My bad boys ready
to rumble?
Yeah, in a sec. First, though,
we have a couple of questions,
Like, what's your
dad's name?
Mr. Carr to you.
What's this about?
Well, if you're gonna
be our coach,
don't we have the right
to know something about you?
Okay. They called
him Skip.
Ha ha!
But his real name
was Matthew.
Close enough.
How many brothers
do you have?
Three. There was a fourth.
Policeman, D.C., But he
was k*lled 10 years ago.
Okay, then.
You know, I'm sorry
about your brother, man.
Here's an extra 10
if I never have
to hear 17-55 again.
Thanks for reminding me.
Yo! 17-55!
Come on. Do it.
No, no.
From end to end.
Hey, Schlots,
who's chasing you? We're over here.
Good one, Tyler.
See you in the tourney.
First round, anyway.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
Schlots, did I
tell you to stop?
-Let's get out of here.
-Come on.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
[HONKS HORN]
We can't afford
to keep paying him.
My parents are starting
to ask me questions.
Mine think I'm spending
it on junk food.
If only it were true.
Yeah, and what good
is it doing us?
Come on. At least
Ben can make it up and down the court.
Great.
Now he's lousy at both ends.
Why can't we just ask
our parents for the money?
No way. My mom can't
find out about this. Got it?
Then you come up
with the cash. Got it?
Dr. J, sorry, man.
Sometimes you gotta
take one for the team.
[CAR HORN HONKS]
MRS. SCHLOTSKY: Hey, Alex,
come down here, please.
Hey, great news.
You got a slot
in the hospital shadow program.
-What?
-Yeah.
Starting Monday,
after school,
you'll be following
Dr. Grimwald around.
Mom, I can't. I've got
basketball practice.
Well, this is a rare
opportunity, Alex.
They may not
do it next year.
Look, I'm sorry,
but I've gotta practice for the tourney.
And I've gotta get you
ready for life.
[SIGHS]
Thanks, Mom.
You're the greatest.
Your parents will freak.
They gave you this card
for your Bar Mitzvah.
What is the point
of selling it to pay for Lamont
when you're not even
gonna be there?
This way the other
guys can still practice.
Believe me, they need it
if we're gonna win that tournament.
I can't do it all
on my own.
Really? And when
did that change?
Julie, all you ever talk
about is basketball,
you come to all my games,
but you still don't
understand what the games mean to me.
You know what
I understand?
Getting to go on rounds
with a famous doctor, that I understand.
That's a great idea.
You take my place.
What would your mom say?
Just let me
handle that, okay?
Come on. With all
the suffering there is in the world,
it'd be wrong if you
didn't take my place.
Lamont was right.
You should've been a lawyer.
You got no compression.
Your rings, your valves are shot.
Gotta figure 300 to get
it back on the road.
done right.
When you decide,
give me a call.
Hey, Coach.
I got your money.
Sorry, Schlots,
deal's off.
What's wrong?
I just can't help you
anymore.
My van went bust on me.
I gotta come up with some serious cash.
We'll pay you double.
No. No, no, I can't
do that to you guys.
Come on.
You need the money,
And with less than
two weeks till the tourney,
we definitely need
the practice.
Here. I can give you
the rest later.
I appreciate this.
There's, uh, there's
just one more thing.
Why am I not
surprised?
Um, well, you know,
you love basketball.
I love basketball.
But the other guys are
starting to hate it.
And if you could
ease up a little--
I mean, not much.
We definitely still want, you know,
we want to win
the tourney,
but try and help them
love the game, too.
Hey, Lamont.
My dogs.
Okay, now that is it.
First you try to
k*ll us, now you're calling us names.
Chill. Chill.
Dogs is an expression like...
My brother, my man.
It's basketball talk for cool.
Oh.
So, should we
start running till we puke?
No. Today we sh**t.
sh**t?
sh**t.
He's not a ghost.
He's a God.
Oh, yeah.
Bingo.
Man, I hate this game!
You're thinking
too much.
You gotta get your head
out of the way of your body.
Try it again. This time,
don't think, just relax.
sh**t now.
I love this game!
All right, dogs,
that's all for today.
ALEX: So, uh,
how are we doing? Be honest.
Well, I would have to
say you guys have, um,
Potential.
Us?
A bunch of Jewish kids
like us have basketball potential?
Don't do that.
Don't put yourselves
in a box, ever.
Look, if we're gonna
do this thing,
You've gotta start
believing in yourselves.
-You said "We."
-What?
You said,
"If we're gonna do this thing."
ALEX: There's
no other way, T.J. If we don't get Lamont
the money to fix his van,
we lose him.
And if we lose Lamont,
we lose the tournament.
Yeah. We are gonna win.
Just get as many
coffee mugs as you can.
-[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]
-MRS. SCHLOTSKY: Alex? I'm home.
Oh, um, call the others
and, uh, remember,
don't sleep in.
-Hi.
-Hey.
So...
How'd it go?
Um, how did what go?
The hospital.
Oh. That. Um.
It went by so fast,
it was like I was hardly even there.
See? I knew you'd
like it if you gave it a try.
So, did you, like,
feel good karma?
Mojo, mom. Nobody
under 50 says karma.
Ah. Mojo.
Good night, Mom.
Book's upside-down, dear.
Hey, Stick, how much
money we got so far?
Still short.
If some people
would do less eating and more selling,
we'd be into some profit.
What?
JOKER: Who's next?
Best coffee in all Philly.
This is guaranteed to put
the hip in your hop,
the slip in your slide,
the boo in your boo-tay.
Except yours, Mrs. Klein.
I mean--
Not that your hop
isn't hip,
Or that there's
no boo in your--
Alex.
Mr. Schlotsky.
Mr. Schlotsky,
what is going on here?
Where?
Oh. Well--
That's a fundraiser.
For some unfortunate
kids searching for...
Better coordination
and a greater sense of self-esteem.
Right, guys?
Have a great day.
[BOYS MUTTERING]
Smile, guys.
JOKER: If she buys that,
I'll eat my yarmulke.
You're in a good mood.
Alex is finally
getting excited about becoming a doctor.
I feel like I've
done something good.
Maybe some of your good
karma will help me sell the Bender condo.
-Mojo.
-Say what?
Karma is so out, dear.
Mojo is in.
I'm impressed.
You have to stay on top
of these things if you want to be hip.
You know,
I can't seem to find the espresso machine.
Then I guess
you'll have nojo.
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[WHISPERING] very good.
Hello?
Oh, Mrs. Klein.
Yeah, Alex is on rounds
with Dr. Grimwald this morning.
Interesting.
Aw, come on,
move it or lose it.
I'm thinking lose it.
Dr. Schlotsky
would like to have a word with you.
-Am I in trouble?
-I certainly hope so.
ALEX: I was just doing
what you told me to.
RABBI LEWIS:
Odd. I don't recall suggesting
that you con Julie,
lie to your parents,
and hustle strangers
for money.
Well, maybe not exactly.
Huh?
Okay, maybe not at all.
I believe
we were talking about Judah Maccabee.
Yeah. And if we
wanted to win,
we would need a great
leader like Judah.
And then Lamont Carr
shows up at our very park.
It was like it was
meant to be.
Now Mom says we can't
be coached by some stranger anymore.
Well, I think your
mother has a point.
Yeah, but doesn't
the Torah say that
we should invite
the stranger in and love him as ourselves,
because we were
once strangers in the land of Egypt?
You're absolutely right.
That's thinking.
Yes.
And that's why I'm going
to invite Mr. Carr
to join you and your
family at my house for shabbas dinner.
[PRAYING IN HEBREW]
RABBI LEWIS: Go ahead.
No, eat, eat.
Sarah makes the best
gefilte fish.
Here. Try it
with the horseradish.
Horseradish? On fish?
Yeah.
Uh, salt and pepper,
please.
Outstanding, Mrs. Lewis.
Sarah, please.
We're not that formal.
Try my chopped
liver, Mr. Carr.
Lamont. And I think I will.
Here you go.
Now, if I could only
bother you for a glass of milk, I would--
Appreciate it.
Um, we don't eat
dairy after meat.
Right.
It's the whole kosher
thing. Never did understand that.
It's one of our
laws called chukkim.
For which,
in modern times, there's no explanation.
At least, not one
that could be understood by human logic.
I guess it's like
my mama used to say,
if you understood
everything God did, you'd be God.
I like that.
So, what was your major
at Virginia?
Exercise physiology.
Alex says you're
a natural coach.
I mean, the team
is on fire.
Yeah. Way better since
Lamont started coaching us.
Of course, they started
so bad,
they only had one direction
to go, which is up.
Whether or not Mr. Carr
is qualified to coach is not the issue.
Parents are concerned
that a total stranger
is tutoring
their children at a public playground.
I can show him around.
I'll introduce him to all the parents.
The point is, Alex,
school activities
should not take place
out on the street.
Your mother's right, Alex.
She's absolutely right.
And that's why
I propose
that you do your
coaching at the gym in the Yeshiva.
Um...
You do know
I'm not Jewish?
I had suspected that,
yes.
But I do remember the commercial
for Feldman's family grocer.
So come on over
Even if
you're not kosher
So come o--
Loved Feldman's.
Hated the commercial.
Still, it made
a good point, huh?
Perhaps you also don't
have to be Jewish
To teach
at a Hebrew school.
This is such a great
opportunity.
Did you know the NBA
was started by mostly Jewish teams?
Yes. Basketball
association of America.
We had the original Knicks...
The Philadelphia
Hebrew All-stars.
They were good.
That was a team.
The ball practically never
touched the ground.
It was pass, pass, pass--
-Marshall.
-It was like a ballet,
-with the pass, pass--
-Marshall.
I don't think that
we want to pressure Mr. Carr.
Oh, it's no pressure.
I'm not pressuring.
-Good.
-I'm not pressuring.
Don't to it, then.
I'm sorry to interrupt,
but I'm gonna have
to turn down your offer.
I'm not in Philly looking
for a coaching job.
I'm hoping to get
picked up by the Sixers.
A-ha. No, no,
there's a solution.
We keep this temporary,
on a day-to-day basis.
Certainly,
no one can have any objections to that.
MRS. SCHLOTSKY:
I can't believe you agree with the rabbi.
So Lamont moves practice
from the park to school. What's the harm?
The harm is Alex won't
concentrate on school.
His studies'll go
out the window.
He'll have great
ball-bouncing skills
and no chance
at a good university.
By the time he figures out what
he really wants to do with his life,
it'll be too late.
When did you know you
wanted to be a doctor?
When I was 10.
And your dream
came true.
Why don't you want
the same thing for Alex?
It's not the same thing,
Marshall.
Alex is never gonna be a professional
basketball player, and you know it.
No. I don't know it.
I suspect it,
but I don't know it.
I think we should
give the rabbi's plan a chance.
Hey.
Who's that?
I feel like a gefilte
fish out of water.
Relax, man. Everybody's
gonna love you here.
Students who bounce
a basketball in the hall
Get it confiscated,
Mr. Carr.
I expect no less
of you.
Yes, ma'am.
Everybody's gonna
love me, huh?
Oh, h*, h*. Bless you.
Bless you.
You da mensch.
The what?
Who was that?
That was Mr. Simowitz.
Thanks to you, he doesn't
have to coach us anymore.
Well, he looks
a little too happy.
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
There you go, T.J.
Swing it back. Bring it back out.
Bring it back out.
There you go.
There you go.
Set the pick. Go left.
Dish off, Schlots,
you're the rock.
Yeah.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
Schlots, you have
four other people on your team.
Why are you the only
one sh**ting?
Pass the ball.
Or do you know how to pass?
-Sorry, coach.
-Sorry?
Let's run it again.
Come on. Let's go.
-ALEX: All right, here we go.
-[WHISTLE BLOWS]
Come on, I want you
to swing the ball.
-[BLOWS WHISTLE]
-Inbound the ball. There you go.
There you go.
Run down, Stick. Now, go, go, go, go.
Set up the offense.
Set up the offense. There you go.
Pass. Pass it.
There you go.
There you go, T.J.
There you go.
Pass it in, pass it in.
Give it to Schlots.
There you go.
-Hold it up.
-Remarkable.
-There you go.
-Remarkable improvement.
Might not recognize
which sport they're playing.
Long way to go yet.
Ben, call for the ball.
Get more active.
All right, all right.
They still
don't believe.
You gotta believe
if you're gonna win.
-Drive left.
-I'm sorry?
The ancient Maccabees
were hopelessly outnumbered.
A massive enemy army
against them,
so they had to devise a strategy
to exploit the enemy's weakness.
So they retreated right
into the hills of Judea,
they carved tunnels
into the rock,
but they made all
the turns to the right.
So, when the enemy
came in after them...
The enemy had to attack
with their left hand, his weakness.
Leaving the homeboys
to defend with their right hand.
You'd make a good
rabbinical student.
And you'd make a good
assistant coach.
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
Hold the ball,
hold the ball. Listen up, guys.
We're going to talk
about a winning team called the Maccabees,
who turned their defense
into offense.
And we're going
to do the same thing.
It's called
a full-court press.
All right, my dogs.
That was a great shot.
You got to ask
yourself, Alex,
if you were a ghost,
where would you go at night?
[CAR HORN HONKING]
It's my mom.
Anyone need a ride?
Yeah. T.J.
T.J.?
-Thanks, bro.
-Alex, come on, man!
What's Alex doing?
What is he doing?
Being Schlots.
Hey, watch it!
Well, congratulations.
Now you know
I live in my van.
Uh, you don't have
any family or anything?
You know, Schlots,
sometimes people need their space.
Uh, people, maybe.
What about ghosts?
Ghosts?
Well, yeah.
Some of the guys on the team--
Not me--think
that you're the ghost of Judah Maccabee.
Why is that?
Um, same nickname,
Same number of brothers,
stuff like that.
Well, I've never heard
of a ghost with bad knees. Have you?
I never thought you were.
Uh...I'm going
to leave now.
Schlots...
Since you're already
down in the hood,
How about staying
for dinner?
So, what was
your average?
That's amazing!
That was only in C.B.A.
Those are
solid stats anywhere.
I mean, I would give
anything to do what you're doing.
What? Live
in a grungy van?
No, man. You know,
following your dreams.
Doing what you love.
You want to know
what I love?
That's Charmaine,
my high school sweetheart.
The little guy there,
that's Trey.
Already got
a great hook shot.
Where are they?
Back in Virginia.
-I bet you miss them.
-Every day.
Chase big dreams,
you got to make big sacrifices.
Hey, Alex, maybe you shouldn't tell
anybody about where I live.
I know you're
cool with it, but...
Just not sure
about Mrs. Klein, you know?
Yeah. As long as you
don't tell the guys
about me
coming to check if you were a ghost.
Hey, I'm not doing
so good as Lamont Carr.
Maybe being this Judah guy
will give us all some luck.
Mr. Carr, I see
you've neglected
to fill out your
place of residence.
Yes, um...
I recently moved,
And the address
slipped my memory.
You know how
that can be.
I guess not.
Our insurance policy
requires that the school provide
our employees'
place of residence.
Of course. Um...
Seven...
Seven...
Six...
Six...
-Two...
-Two.
Seven...
Seven.
Jefferson.
Jefferson.
Thank you, Mr. Carr.
You're welcome.
Thanks, Tom.
[SINGING IN HEBREW]
Happy Hanukkah.
Give me a kiss.
Happy Hanukkah.
Uh, an encyclopedia CD.
This is just
what I wanted. Thanks.
You're welcome,
even though you are faking it.
Try this.
Wow! Dr. J.
How did you know
I sold it?
Julie snitched.
Happy Hanukkah,
honey.
MRS. KLEIN: Why would
coach Carr lie about his address?
I drove up and down
Jefferson today,
And 7627 does not exist.
-Yes. That is odd.
-No, no, no.
Odd is wearing socks
that don't match.
Odd is pistachio ice cream.
I like pistachio.
Falsifying an application
is a serious offense, rabbi.
Yes, yes. Well,
perhaps he has a good reason.
Please don't
straighten my desk.
I cannot take
any chances.
Not when the safety
of my students is at risk.
Yes, yes. Well,
perhaps we should keep an eye on him.
That's exactly
what I intend to do.
Oh, dear.
Brian, B-. Huh, huh.
Jacob, A-. Hmmm.
You could do better.
Ha-shem answers
prayer, Alex,
But sometimes,
the answer is...
Next time,
try studying.
C-. Come, come, come.
We have another
serious problem to discuss.
Principal Klein
plans to follow Coach Carr home
After basketball practice
tonight.
And should she discover--
I'm just making this up--
That he lives in a van...
I'm not sure I could overrule
her objections to him working here.
If he lived in a regular apartment,
that would be okay, right?
Would that be possible?
Cover my back
with coach.
Da, da, da, da, da...
C-.
Dad...
Alex...
What're you
doing home?
You're still having trouble
selling the Bender condo, right?
The last serious
offer I got,
I was riding
my pet dinosaur.
Well, I-I think I have
someone who wants it.
Um, but he doesn't
know it yet.
And I'm pretty sure
he can't afford it.
Great, great. That's exactly the kind
of client I dream about.
[CAR HORNS HONKING]
Alex, what's going on?
-What's this?
-The key to this door.
Count to five,
then unlock it and come in.
Hey, uh... But, I...
One... Two...
Quiet!
Three... Four...
Five.
Oh!
Can't afford it.
Well, you can stay
here for free until my dad sells it.
I don't take hand-outs.
Dad says
they sell better
If there's someone
living in them.
I can't even afford
the utilities.
I'll pay the first month. Excuse me?
I'll sell my Dr. J. Card.
-Again.
-I told you...
I don't take charity.
End of discussion.
It's not charity.
It's a trade.
You get an apartment.
I get a coach.
Hard to argue
with that.
It's hard to argue
with Schlots, period.
Okay, okay. Um...
What do you say
Alex keeps his card,
and instead, I finish the place up
and do some painting?
Mr. Carr,
we've got a partnership.
All right.
Yes!
Liberty tournament,
here we come.
Alex...
Marshall...
I got pizza!
C-.
It's becoming clear that Alex can't handle
both school and basketball.
Do you remember
what Rabbi Kaplan used to say?
Sometimes a blessed
one waits on us,
and sometimes
we would do well.
To wait on
the blessed one.
He also said
the blessed one.
Looks with favor
on those who act.
Dr. Schlotsky and I are prepared
to involve the board of directors
if we believe
academic standards are being sacrificed.
There's no need for that.
If things don't turn around soon,
I promise I'll intervene personally.
With your patience, Rabbi, our people
might still be wandering the desert.
Ha-shem works
in mysterious ways.
Not nearly so much
as a rabbi
scheming to win
some silly basketball tournament.
Sometimes, a little
silliness is good for the soul.
Here. Watch.
Bowl--the bowl.
Ready?
Woo, woo, woo.
-Ohh!
-Ahh.
Ah. I insist
that you try. You try.
I insist.
The bowl, the bowl.
All right.
Ahh!
Mrs. Klein!
Mrs. Klein!
Yes!
Oh. I have work to do.
Mmm.
Let's hold it down,
dogs, let's hold it down.
Now, whatever happened
before, is behind us. Understand?
Ben, what do dogs do?
Barf on the carpet.
Dogs bark, coach.
Thank you, T.J.
Dogs bark.
So, I'm asking my dogs
is this a new team?
-Ruff.
-Woof.
-Woof.
-Ruff.
Oh, stop, stop, stop.
That's pathetic.
Is this a team?
I want a bunch of bulldogs.
[BARKING LIKE DOGS]
All right. That's better.
Okay. Now...
Every dog on this team
does what's best for the team, right?
[BARKING LIKE DOGS]
And the team does what's right for
every dog. Let me hear it.
[BARKING LIKE DOGS]
So, the team is going to ask Schlots
to sit this one out, right?
Because he's failing history.
So, until he gets
his grades up,
the best thing the team
can do for him is do without him.
All right, guys, let's go.
Come on.
Come on, dogs,
let's go! Go!
Let's get it on.
All right. Here we go.
Let's go!
BOY: Defense, defense!
Come on, dogs, let's go!
Yes! Yo, defense!
I'm the only who's ever
cared about this team.
I found Lamont, and now
they're playing without me.
Gee, they're playing
great even though
You're not there
to hog the ball.
Imagine that.
Why do you even bother
to show up for my games?
You saying you don't
want me to come?
Not if you're just
going to hassle me.
Press! Press!
Julie, come on!
You know I didn't...
Mean it.
[MOANS]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Hey, Alex, you home?
Schlots!
Hey, Alex, we heard
Rabbi Lewis
say you could
take a do-over on the test.
Why are you guys here?
Because we're a team.
If one of us is in trouble,
we come running
to the rescue.
I'm just going
to fail again,
and all I can think about
is basketball. I can't concentrate.
I can't remember
names and dates and stuff.
Impossible! You know every player's stats
that we've based all season.
Well, I guess I just
think better with a ball in my hand.
Well, start dribbling.
What?
You dribble, we'll feed you
the names and the dates.
You know, like stats.
Third quarter,
Who's the most
villainous player?
Oh. King Antiochus.
Oh, go. Take it, Stick. Go.
When did the Maccabees
reclaim their temple?
You know,
win home court advantage?
B.C.E. 165.
All right, uh,
what time of year?
Tick, tick, tick...
Oh, uh, Kislev 25,
three years after
the fighting began.
[CHEERING]
Schlots!
Schlots!
Schlots!
Do you mind if I, uh...
Dribble?
You know, like,
an imaginary basketball?
Whatever it takes.
[BLOWS WHISTLE]
Hey, why aren't we
waiting for Schlots?
Not your problem.
Worry about your own game.
Haven't you noticed?
We don't have a game.
Without Alex, they
k*lled us yesterday.
What?
Circle up,
my doubting dogs.
It's time you get game.
[PLAYING A DRIBBLING BEAT]
Now, a game starts
with trust.
When every dog
trusts himself enough to try--
Make a shot, snag a pass--
Pretty soon, you start
trusting each other.
You become a team.
And when five guys
are playing together as a team,
ooh, it's the most
beautiful thing.
Yeah! Because a team
is like a body.
You got the feet
doing one thing,
you got the arms
doing another.
Ha ha. But you guys,
everything is Alex.
"Alex, Alex. Coach,
where is Alex?"
It's like you got a head,
but no legs, no arms,
no knees, no elbows,
no nothing.
That's all about
to end today.
And it stops with you.
Come on, T.J.
How many technicals
you got?
I'm leading the league.
Then, you're taking yourself
out of the game.
So, every time
you get mad at the ref?
I want you to think
of the sweetest thing.
-Sweetest thing.
-Yeah.
Rebekah Bloomberg.
Ooh! Rebekah Bloomberg.
All right.
Ha ha.
So, every time
from now on,
when you want to,
you know, take the stripes off the ref,
I want you to think
of your sweet thing Rebekah Bloomberg.
That's right. Ha ha.
Here you go.
Stick man...
You're the arm.
I want you to think...
Hook...
Hook...
Hook...
Hook.
Whoo!
Joker, over here.
You the mouth.
Put it to work.
Trash talk your man.
Make him so rattled
that he can't even stand.
You're so slow,
they call you molasses.
You're so fat, you need
two pair of glasses.
Oh!
Ha ha ha.
Yes! Yes!
Hey, Coach,
what part am I?
Let's see... Oh!
-You the butt, baby.
-The butt?
You're the best
rebounding tool we've got.
I want you to think
wrecking ball. Think bulldozer.
Why can't
I just think Rebekah Bloomberg?
'Cause you the butt,
baby.
Come on. Knock me out
of the key. Hit it, hit it.
Oh!
All right!
-Whoo!
-Yo!
There you go!
Tuck it!
Yo! Sing me
the school song.
We are the Lions...
No, no, no.
That's the old song.
I want the new song.
The downtown version. It goes,
You are the Lions
We are the Lions
The mighty, mighty Lions
Mighty, mighty Lions
Everywhere you go
People want to know
Who we are
So, you tell them
We are the Lions
You are the Lions
The mighty, mighty Lions
Mighty, mighty Lions
Everywhere we go,
people want to know
Who you are
So, we tell them
We are the Lions
You are the Lions...
The envelope, please.
On the history test
that Mr. Schlotsky took this morning,
He received...
A B+.
Congratulations.
Go suit up.
Everybody.
We're cutting
practice short.
-I've got to meet a friend.
-BOY: Really? You have friends?
[CARR SHOUTING COMMANDS]
Oh! Very pretty.
Yeah!
All right, all right.
ALL: One, two, three, four...
Five, six, seven, eight.
O-oh!
Go, Lions!
All right. Bring it in,
men, bring it in.
Okay, okay. Yeah.
I say my dogs
are good to go.
But, um, it turns out,
you going to have to go on without me.
What?
Yeah. Last night,
I played a pick-up game with an NBA buddy.
He talked
to some people, and this morning,
The Sixers called.
Their back-up guard
went down,
and they want to sign me
to a 10-day contract.
What's up with
all the long faces?
Thought my dogs would
be happy for me.
We are,
but what about us?
Yeah. What about
all the stuff you said
About our team
being a whole body?
Listen, practice hard,
play hard,
study hard. Take pride
in who you are.
You'll be just fine.
Okay, guys,
great practice.
Hit the showers.
ALEX: We won't do fine.
The tournament's in two days.
I kept my word.
Deal was I would
coach you guys until the Sixers called,
and they called.
Look, I know coaching
a bunch of kids isn't the NBA...
Listen to yourself.
You want me to give up on my dreams
so you can have yours?
You were starting
to like coaching.
I've been watching you.
Stop being so
selfish, Schlots.
Think of somebody
besides yourself for once.
Why don't you start
thinking about someone besides yourself?
What about your family?
What about them?
My family needs
for me to get this contract.
They need me
to pay the bills.
Maybe they just need you.
Like we do.
I'm a hired hand here.
After the tournament,
then what?
I'm back on the streets.
Look, I owe you more
than I can say, Alex.
But this is my shot.
And I'm going to take it.
All Lamont needs
is a steady job.
I'm sorry. I can't recommend
that the academy hire a full-time coach.
Why not?
Lots of reasons.
Money, priorities...
And you think
basketball's a waste of time.
No. I think you're
wasting opportunities.
You have the talent
and the resources to do more, Alex.
To be whatever you want.
Well, basketball
is what I want.
Why can't you
accept that?
You really want
to be like Lamont?
A grown man
who abandoned his family
to chase after
some adolescent fantasy?
You don't know
anything about Lamont.
You know even less
about me.
RABBI LEWIS: The Maccabees fought back,
with the odds overwhelming.
The darkness that fell
over the land was a spiritual darkness.
And evil had penetrated
to the soul.
The temple
had been ransacked,
the everlasting lamp
extinguished.
Now, light from
the everlasting lamp
would give
the people comfort,
but there was only
enough sacred oil left
For a single day.
Judah must've thought,
"What's the use?
"Why light a lamp
for a single day,
"when so much more is needed
to give my people hope."
[BELL RINGING]
Shalom.
Good-bye.
-Bye.
-Bye.
Something on your mind,
Alex?
Besides the yarmulke?
If the Maccabees had
lost Judah,
they would've been
massacred, right?
Perhaps people need
a strong leader.
Our Judah's gone,
and so is any chance
of us winning that tournament.
Maybe not.
You mean Lamont
might stay?
I mean that perhaps
Judah's courage and leadership
isn't something we should
be searching for in others,
but in ourselves.
You're saying
I could be Judah?
Come on,
I'm just a kid.
When Judah was asked
by his companions,
"How can we,
few as we are,
"fight back against
so great a multitude?"
Judah's reply was,
"It's not the size of our army,
"It is the strength
of our faith."
ANNOUNCER:
Philadelphia Hebrew Academy
Welcomes 16 teams.
Their friends and family,
for the 30th annual
Liberty Tournament!
[CHEERING]
Yeah! Lions!
You know that's right.
Whoo!
Yeah!
All right. Two games
to the finals, dogs.
We worked hard
to get here, and we came here to win.
So, let's go out
there and show them our best, all right?
Let's go, team!
Come on!
Let's go, let's go,
let's go, let's go.
Go, guys!
Excuse me. Thank you.
Ah! Oh!
Hey!
All right, my dogs,
this is our home court.
Let me hear it!
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
Come on, have I got
a bunch of chihuahuas here?
I said let me hear it!
ALL: Hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo!
There we go.
All right. Remember
the Maccabees.
Defense is our offense.
And our defense starts
with a full court...
ALL: Press!
All right. Hands in.
"Lions" on three.
One, two, three...
ALL: Go, Lions!
-Break!
-Break!
Boys, let's go.
All right, let's go!
This is it!
All right.
Here we go, guys.
-MARSHALL: Rabbi.
-Oh, Marshall.
Okay.
BOY: All right, guys.
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
All right. Ready?
ALEX: Nice, Stick.
-Okay!
-[CHEERING]
Hey!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Good "D"!
[CROWD BOOING]
Break!
Defense, boys, defense.
BOY: Throw it here!
[BUZZER]
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
[BUZZER]
ALL: Go, Lions!
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
Yeah!
I love you,
Rebekah Bloomberg!
ALEX: Press!
[BUZZER]
[BUZZER]
BOY: Come on.
Get it, get it!
ALEX:
Come on, guys! Yes! Nice, nice!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Uh!
[BUZZER]
-MAN: Time expired!
-I saw that!
Alex will sh**t
two free throws!
JOKER: All right, Al.
You can do this.
STICK:
Come on, Schlots.
Hey, Schlots!
[WHISPERING]
Shh! Be quiet! Shh!
Yeah!
BOY: Do it!
[SCATTERED CHEERS]
-CHEERLEADERS: We got spirit. Yes, we do.
-Come on.
We got spirit.
How about you?
[CHEERING]
Yes!
We did it! We did it!
-We did it!
-Yeah!
We're going
to the finals!
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
[TELEPHONE RINGING
IN BACKGROUND]
Alex.
-[RING]
-[SIGHS]
Mom, I'm proud of you
being a doctor.
Thank you.
How'd you do?
[SIGHS]
We won.
We're in the finals.
Congratulations.
Why don't you trust me?
What makes
you think I don't?
You can't accept me
being anything but a doctor.
Honey, I just want
what's best for you.
Look, being a doctor
is what's best for you,
-Maybe not for me.
-Alex--
Look, I'm not
an idiot, okay?
I know the chances
of me playing professional ball are long--
Maybe even impossible--
But I still want you
to be proud of me.
I am.
At your Bar Mitzvah,
you took a step toward
becoming a man.
But it was also
a step for me--
A step toward...
Letting go.
And that can be
as hard as growing up.
So help me
to understand.
What...What does
basketball mean to you?
Okay, it's like this...
When I've got
the ball in my hand...
And I'm heading
down the court...
Everything around me
just disappears.
Nothing else exists except
for me and the ball.
It's like my whole
entire life
is just wrapped up
in the one moment,
one pure moment in time
when it seems
like the ball
just flies off my hands
and swishes
into the net.
WOMAN ON TV: Severe
thunderstorms are expected
To blanket
the Philadelphia area
tomorrow afternoon
and evening.
Gusts up to 40 miles
an hour are expected.
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
Hey, sweetie.
How you doing?
My knees are k*lling me.
[SIGHS]
The younger guys
are out-jumping me,
but, you know, I still
have some moves.
Yeah.
Look, um...
The reason
I'm calling is...
I've been doing
some hard thinking.
And I've got an idea.
[THUNDER]
[THUNDER]
[CHATTER]
[RAPPING]
Dreidel, dreidel
Dreidel, dreidel
MAN: Do over, do over.
Yeah!
MAN 2: Here we go!
Yeah. Hats.
Eugene, Eugene!
I have some hats.
Pass them out,
pass them out quickly.
Oh, yes.
The Maccabees, huh?
Larry, Larry,
I want you to wear one of our hats.
Here, Rabbi.
Take one of these.
In case you get
too far behind,
you can surrender.
Huh?
Oh, thank you very much.
Wear our hat. I'm sure
you'll look good in it.
-Oh, here they come!
-Whoo! Whoo!
Now, playing basketball
is my favorite sport
It don't matter if it's a
pickup game or on the court
We gonna always
bring it to ya, huh
With our first string
One-on-one, three-on-three
Or you can bring
your whole team
Get ready for the pain
in your aching feet
And the sound of the crowd
when you earn defeat
Well, nobody had your back
Not even the guys
on your team
Your cheerleaders
gonna be screamin'
But they screamin' for me
'Cause I'm the one
comin' down
With the full court miracle
And the ones with the game
'cause then you're blessed
You don't hear me, though
Remember one thing
that we all know is true
Miracles can, do, and
will come happen for you
Whoo
dreidel, dreidel
Dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay,
I made it out of clay
Dreidel, dreidel
Dreidel, dreidel
A dreidel I'm-a play
A dreidel I'm-a play
Dreidel, dreidel
Dreidel, dreidel
Yes, I surely did,
oh, yes, I surely did
Dreidel, dreidel
Dreidel, dreidel
It drops and then I win
It drops and then I win
Dreidel, dreidel
-Dreidel, dreidel
-Full court miracle
All right, huddle up!
Huddle up!
MAN: Way to go, Lions!
Way to go, Lions!
Hoo hoo hoo
hoo hoo!
[YELLING]
Good. Hmm!
[CROWD CHEERING]
I am so proud of
all of you guys. All of you.
Hey, thank you,
Coach Simowitz.
Or Mister...
Okay. Carry on.
Carry on.
Okay, thank you.
All right.
Are my dogs ready?
ALL: Hoo hoo hoo
hoo hoo hoo hoo!
ALEX: This is
our doghouse now.
ALL: Hoo hoo hoo
hoo hoo hoo hoo!
ALEX: We're taking
off the leash.
We're going man to man,
with a full court...
ALL: Press!
All right. Hands in.
"Lions" on three.
ALL: One, two, three!
Go, Lions!
ALL: Warriors!
Warriors, go!
[CHEERLEADERS CHANTING]
So you made it
to the finals.
What a surprise.
First of many, Tyler.
ALEX: Go, go!
Yes!
All right! Nice!
-Whoa!
-Yes!
Oh, yeah!
-Ha ha!
-BOY: Defense!
Julie?
Thanks. You know what?
We can finish
this up tomorrow.
I'll give you a ride
to the game.
I think we should
all give Alex another chance.
Don't you?
Starting with me.
Come. I'll drop you
off at the school.
Aren't you going
to watch Alex play?
There's something
I have to take care of first.
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
ALEX: All right,
this is it!
Stick 'em,
Stick 'em!
-On the ball!
-Go!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
That's okay.
Box out, box out!
Go! Go!
Come on!
Come on!
Okay, go!
Yeah.
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Oh, hi!
Mrs. Klein.
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Rebound!
Yeah!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Defense! Come on!
Nice!
Put it up, Stick.
Yeah!
Oh, yeah!
Yes!
Yay! Yes! Yes!
CROWD: Defense!
Defense!
[THUNDER]
[THUNDER]
[CHATTER]
MAN: What's your name?
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
BOY: Thanks.
GIRL: Would you
sign this, please?
Excuse me.
I'm looking
for a Lamont Carr.
Lamont? Good guy.
We just played him.
You check inside?
How tall are you?
What would you say to someone
who was 14 years old,
and wants
to be in the NBA?
I'd say sign
that boy up.
He's a big dreamer.
Can I get an autograph
for my son?
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Motion 5!
Motion 5!
All right!
Let's go, let's go!
Way to play!
[THUNDER]
[ELECTRICAL SURGE]
Let it go, Teej!
LARRY: Come on, boys!
Bring it back up!
We've only got--
-ALEX: What?
-[THUNDER]
BOY: What's going on
with the lights?
ALEX: Guys.
[YELLING]
Eugene?
[THUNDER]
Mr. Carr.
What happened?
I don't know.
It won't start.
I have to get
to the airport.
It's got juice.
I had this thing
totally rebuilt.
It doesn't
make sense.
[THUNDER]
Maybe it does.
Try it again.
Why? Nothing's changed.
Just try it, please.
[THUNDER]
[ENGINE STARTS]
[HOOD CLOSES]
I don't get it.
[ELECTRICAL SURGE]
[THUNDER]
I think I'm beginning to.
[THUNDER]
I, uh...I called
the electrical company
and because
of the storm,
we won't have power
till morning.
So that means
we either--
We end the game now.
Right? Your team wins.
-Yes!
-No.
Or--or we start
the emergency generator
and we play until
the fuel runs out.
How much time
is that?
-Eugene!
-Huh?
How much time?
I teach algebra.
Here.
-Not too long. Look.
-What?
The fuel's almost out now.
-Ha ha ha!
-Ow!
LARRY: Let me get
something straight.
No matter who's ahead--
No matter
if there's still time left on the clock--
Yeah.
When the generator's stops,
the game stops.
-Yeah. Yeah.
-Hey, hey. We get it.
Just establishing
the rules, son.
Yeah.
Warriors! Let's go!
BOY: We're playing.
All right?
SECOND BOY:
Come on. Let's go.
One more quarter.
Let's go, guys.
BOY: Eighteen points behind
and hardly any fuel.
We definitely
need a miracle.
-Whoo!
-Yes! Yes!
Do you hear me?
All right, boys.
Get in there.
Get in there!
All right!
Come on, boys!
Come on, everybody!
Let's go!
-Let's go, Lions!
-Yes!
ALL: Let's go, Lions!
[RUMBLING]
Mr. Simowitz?
You take it from here!
Did I mention that
I teach algebra?
[CHEERING]
Go. Let's go.
Fifteen minutes?
The fuel will run out way before then.
We better work fast then.
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
All right, team!
Come on, guys!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Get it! Get it!
[CHEERING]
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Yes! Did you see that?
Yeah!
BOY: Stay on him!
Yeah!
Bring him around,
bring him around.
Go, Joker! Go! Go!
-Yes!
-Yes!
Yes!
All right. Stay on him,
stay on him.
Ball! Ball!
All right! Go, go, go!
-Go! It's on you!
-Yes!
No! No!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Go, go, go!
Stay on him! Hands up!
Go! Yes! Okay!
Pass it
right here.
Time-out! Time-out!
-ALEX: Time-out!
-BOY: Time, Alex.
SIMOWITZ:
Good, good, quick.
Lions, here.
Huddle, huddle. Quickly, quickly.
Huddle. Over here.
Quickly.
Uh--uh, I've got
the answer--
The whole fuel
flow generator thing.
I figured out exactly
how long it'll keep running.
-You did?
-Yes.
It was simple calculus,
you see.
I measured
the rate of flow
and then the voltage
in the tube.
Oh, the octane rating
and the R.P.M.s. Genius.
Can you show me?
Later. Mr. Simowitz,
how long do we have?
SIMOWITZ: Oh. Yes.
Well, the generator will run out of fuel
in exactly-- Oy--
Two minutes and 45 seconds.
Well, 44 seconds.
Well, 43 now, because
it keeps on every--
-Let's go. Come on.
-[WHISTLE BLOWS]
ALEX: Okay. Let's go,
let's go, let's go! Hustle!
Time.
The time.
BOY: Defense!
Time-out!
[WHISTLE BLOWS]
Tyler, what
are you doing?
Okay. Come here, guys.
[POPPING]
We had 'em.
We were coming so hard.
We had 'em.
I don't get it. Why'd
they call a time-out?
We just had a time-out.
They're stalling. They want
the generator to run out of fuel.
They're ahead, they win.
BOY: Can they do that?
SECOND BOY: That's not fair.
We were catching them.
Can they do that?
They can't do that!
BOY: They just did, man.
Got five minutes left
on the game clock.
Lions. One minute.
One. One minute.
One minute of fuel.
[SCATTERED YELLING
FROM CROWD]
[ALEX SIGHS]
So much for the miracle.
I got to...
That's all? Hmm?
[THUNDER]
What's up with my dogs?
Schlots.
Hey, guys.
All right.
What's the long faces for?
They beat us.
Pardon me?
They took a time-out,
they ran down the clock,
and they beat us.
I see five minutes
left on that clock.
Yeah. Well, there's less than a minute
of fuel left in the generator.
Says who?
Who cares?
The fuel runs out,
The game's over.
We lose.
Oh. Oh, I see.
I see. So, I guess
that whole story
about the Maccabees
was made up then, huh?
How about that part
about the light
in the temple that
was burning for eight days?
I guess that was
just made up, too.
Come on, okay, we're a little
too old for fairy tales.
We're done.
Twenty seconds! 19...
Are you done?
BOY: Yeah!
[LAUGHTER]
TYLER: Give it up,
Schlots.
In your dreams, Tyler.
Ten seconds.
Nine, eight...
WARRIORS: Seven, six,
five, four, three...
Two...
One.
[ENGINE CUTTING OFF]
[THUNDER]
Yeah!
We win it!
Whoo-hoo!
[THUNDER]
Yes! Ha ha!
BOY: Yes! Ha ha!
Whoo-hoo!
Yeah!
[CROWD CHEERING]
Let's go, dogs!
Get out there!
Come on!
Go!
This is our time!
Right now!
Aah!
[YELLING]
Ohh!
LAMONT: There you go!
There you go!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
ALEX: Okay! All right!
Hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
BOY: Defense! Defense!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
[CHEERING]
ALEX: All right, guys.
This is it.
Quick. T.J.! T.J.!
[CHEERING]
[ELECTRICAL SURGES]
Shake some booty!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
-All right.
-MAN: Hustle! Hustle!
LAMONT: Go down! Go down!
Set it up!
Come on!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
That's all right.
Don't worry about it.
MAN: Hustle! Hustle!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
-Yes!
-All right!
[WHIRRING]
[YELLING]
BOY: Come on! Come on!
Yeah!
You can do it!
MARSHALL: Come on, Alex!
LAMONT: Come down.
[SURGING]
-[BASKETBALL BOUNCING]
-ALEX: All right!
[SURGING]
Seconds left, boys! Come on!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
Watch the clock!
Alex, watch the clock!
COACH: You got 'em!
-Knock them down!
-Come on, Alex.
Come on, Alex.
MAN: sh**t!
Come on. We have
no time left.
[YELLING]
sh**t!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
No!
Yeah!
BOY: Nice shot!
[OVERLAPPING YELLING]
We just won!
[LAUGHING]
Yes! Yes! Yes!
[CHEERING]
We're the champions!
We're the champions!
[CHEERING]
Congratulations.
I made it! You won!
MAN: Hoo hoo hoo hoo!
BOY: Yes! Ha ha!
Hoo hoo hoo hoo
hoo hoo hoo!
Yeah!
[THUNDER]
Look, baby,
number one.
Yay!
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]
Aw, you were fantastic!
-Thank you, doctor.
-You're welcome.
My van stalled on the way
to the airport.
Your mom agreed
to meet the plane
So I can bail
you sorry dogs out.
The plane? Whose plane?
BOY: Daddy!
Thanks, Mom.
CYNTHIA:
You are welcome.
But you know what,
I still say education is important.
I still see a doctor
in your future.
Aw. Maybe it's
a Doctor J.
MARSHALL: All right!
CYNTHIA: Of course,
that's only if I can convince Rabbi Lewis
to hire Lamont as
a full-time coach.
You'd do that?
We got to keep
this mojo thing going, right?
Well, what about the Sixers?
Well, sometimes
you got to listen to your new dreams,
bad knees,
and my little boy who needs his dad.
[SINGING IN HEBREW]
RABBI LEWIS:
And so each year,
when the days grow short
and night
threatens to overwhelm,
we light the menorah
to remember the courage
of the Maccabees--
But even more,
to celebrate the light
that miraculously
burned for eight days--
The light that continues
to deliver us from darkness,
to illuminate our dreams,
to turn strangers
into friends
and to shine
as a beacon of hope
to all the world.
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Full-Court Miracle (2003)
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