Summer Ball

Danny wants to run after Rasheed to apologize, but Coach Powers already begins criticizing Danny, making him feel worse. Danny re-attempts the same shot, landing it perfectly. Then, Danny faces his greatest challenge yet: telling his father he tried to fake an injury. As he confesses, Danny recalls the injury that ended his dad’s professional basketball career. Subsequent injuries cause his father’s chronic pain, heightening Danny’s guilt. His father responds in disbelief and anger, telling his son, “‘You never fake an injury in sports. Never. […] You quit before you do that’” (158). In many ways, Danny feels like he’s betrayed his father. The two part on poor terms; Danny notices his father “[d]idn’t say he loved him. Didn’t wait for Danny to say that to him” (159).

Next, Danny calls Tess, knowing she will be able to help. She makes Danny promise to focus on the positive things he did over the course of the day—more playing time and a better relationship with Rasheed—rather than dwell on the missed shot and the fight with his father. In a scrimmage with the Lakers, Danny decides to take Tess’s advice. Facing Lamar’s team, the Celtics pull ahead, and Danny sees a quarter of action on the court.