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3 stars out of 4Leaving the theater after seeing “GOAT,” my 9-year-old son said the only bad thing about it was knowing how it would end.

That’s the nature of feel-good sports underdog stories — animated or live action. We know the destination. The fun is in the journey.

And “GOAT” — the new film produced by NBA superstar Steph Curry — does a pretty good job of that. But unlike Curry, known for sinking long-range 3-point shots, “GOAT” is more of a mid-range jumper — solid if not spectacular.

The movie starts a bit slowly, but the world it builds is engaging. Done by Sony Pictures Animation — which has also produced the two “Spider-Verse” films and “KPop Demon Hunters” — the animation style is sharp and energetic. The roarball sequences play out like a video game, set in arenas with moving floors, lava, ice, even stalactites. It’s a distinctive and visually inventive backdrop.

The story itself is familiar: An undersized dreamer fights to make the big leagues, overcomes obstacles to get there and comes up big when it matters most.

Here, that dreamer is Will Harris, voiced by “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin, the underdog (undergoat?) in a sport dominated by larger animals. He dreams of being a star in roarball (think basketball on steroids) whose mantra is: “Smalls don’t ball.”

Which makes the odds of a goat making the league a long shot at best. But through a series of events only seen in the movies (a viral video, an owner with ulterior motives, etc.) Will manages to get a spot on the Thorns — the team for his hometown of Vineland.

The Thorns are led by black panther Jett Fillmore (voiced by Gabrielle Union) who is one of the sport’s best players but has never won a championship. Jett is considered a “GOAT” in her sport — an acronym for “greatest of all time” that the movie has some fun with.

She bristles at Will’s arrival, but in predictable fashion, the two help each other grow as teammates on the way to the inevitable climax.

As an aside, don’t discount the co-ed nature of the roarball teams or the fact that Jett is a female. The strong female characters — the team owner is also a woman as is another of Jett’s teammates, an ostrich voiced by Olivia Burke, appealed to my 8-year-old daughter. Read her mini review here

At times, the movie feels a bit long, but there’s enough for adults, especially sports fans, to enjoy. The referee is a zebra — naturally — voiced by Curry’s former teammate Andre Iguodala. And Curry himself voices Lenny Williamson, the giraffe member of the local Thorns teams.

There are nods to Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game,” a Dennis Rodman-esque komodo dragon named Modo (Nick Kroll), and a Major League-style ownership ploy. Cameos from WNBA stars Angel Reese and A’ja Wilson, as well as former NBA superstar Dwyane Wade, add to the fun.

The zany Modo provides much of the comic relief, including this gem: “If Modo was any more of a snack, he’d eat himself.”

The movie does a nice job of relaying not only NBA culture but the world of sports-obsessed fans who live and die by their team no matter if they always fall short (Atlanta Falcons, anyone?).

In this case — no spoiler here — the Thorns don’t come up short. And though the ending is predictable, the ride is entertaining.

Most importantly, both of my kids walked out smiling. That’s the only scoreboard that really matters.