Pope of Basketball.

Summary

The chapter summarizes two NBA games involving the Raptors. In the first game, the Raptors defeated the Magic 145-112 in a high-scoring affair, with the Magic's coach Doug Rivers matching the Raptors' fast-paced offense despite lacking star players. The Magic had five players score in double digits, but their defense was lacking. In the second game, the Raptors' 23-game winning streak was snapped by the Lakers, who won 104-101. Kobe Bryant's return boosted the Lakers' outside shooting, and they were able to overcome the Raptors' defense. The Raptors struggled on the perimeter, with Carter holding his own against Kobe but Mai Di having a poor shooting night. The chapter also describes a conversation between Raptors player Fan Gan Di and Lakers player Yang Rui, where they avoid discussing basketball and instead focus on their personal lives, with Yang Rui acknowledging Fan Gan Di's pride and the differences in their teams' performances.

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