Australia 196 for 6 (Smith 45, Shamsi 2-31, Steyn 2-31) beat South Africa 89 (du Plessis 24, Agar 5-24) by 108 runs

Ashton Agar claimed the 12th hat-trick in T20I cricket and the second for Australia after Brett Lee as South Africa were dismissed for their lowest score in the format to lose by their biggest margin in a thrashing at the Wanderers.

Agar finished with a career-best 5 for 24 to take Australia to an eighth straight T20I win, and to the top of the ICC's rankings. They extend a successful run that dates back to November 2019, and take the lead in the three-match series.

While South Africa's batting implosion will hog the headlines, their fielding should also come under scrutiny after a wayward performance, with too many short, wide deliveries against a rampant Australian line-up. Aaron Finch and Steve Smith galloped along at 10 runs an over in a second-wicket stand of 80 and even though South Africa pulled Australia back, 49 runs in the last five overs left them with a big total to chase.

The home batting line-up, which had a makeshift opener in Rassie van der Dussen, and an emergency replacement in Jon-Jon Smuts (who stood in for Heinrich Klaasen after he injured his hip in warm-ups) never got going. South Africa were 38 for 3 after the powerplay, 44 for 7 after Agar's hat-trick and only had three partnerships in double figures.

Agar, Agar, Agar

Faf du Plessis's inside-out loft over the side found Kane Richardson on the rope to end the most competent innings by a South African frontline batsman at the Wanderers and start a magical run for Australia's left-arm spinner. His next ball was pitched on middle and leg and beat Andile Phehlukwayo's flick and was given out by Allahudien Palekar. Phehukwayo reviewed but ball-tracking showed the delivery was straightening and hitting leg stump. That brought Dale Steyn to the crease, in the eighth over, to face the hat-trick ball.

He was greeted with a ball that was tossed up, went for the drive and outside edged to Aaron Finch, at slip. Agar took off in celebration and South Africa, on 44 for 7, had all but been defeated. Agar could have another hat-trick when he bowled debutant Pite van Biljon at the end of his third over and had Lungi Ngidi caught at long-on with the first ball of his fourth, but his second hat-trick ball of the night missed Tabraiz Shamsi's off stump by a whisker.

Steyn's alive…but so are the lights

Dale Steyn operated mostly behind the scenes in the England series but stormed his way back into the spotlight in the first few balls of this match. His opening delivery was a touch wide and David Warner creamed it through the covers to start with a boundary. That would not have impressed Steyn, who tightened up immediately and sent down a menacing second ball, a bouncer that fizzed up off a length, Warner top-edged and Shamsi collected at fine leg. Steyn celebrated in his customary fashion - the chainsaw - but in slow-motion, perhaps as a nod to his advancing age.

But he won't like the suggestion that his years had anything to do with his inability to repay the favour when fielding in the next over. Ngidi should have had Smith out for a duck when he cut a short, wide ball to third man, where Steyn was stationed. He got himself into position to take the catch but lost the ball in the floodlights at the last moment and it sailed over his right shoulder. When Steyn realised what had happened, he could only smile sheepishly in response. Steyn eventually made up for it in the penultimate over of the match when he made sure Ngidi did not finish wicketless and clung on to a high ball from Mitchell Marsh's bat at square leg.

Slowly does it for South Africa

The spin of Shamsi and Smuts - in addition to Andile Phehlukwayo's change-ups - pulled Australia back in the mid-section of their innings, when they kept big hits to a minimum. The boundary was only breached three times between the end of the sixth over and the end of the 14th, once when Matthew Wade should have been caught on the deep midwicket boundary by van Biljon. Shamsi conceded a slog sweep that went for six towards the end of his spell, where wides were his only weakness, while Smuts' two overs cost just 15 runs and he should have been used a little more. South Africa gave away 61 runs in those eight overs, at a rate of 7.62, which kept Australia under 200. In the end, it was still more than a hundred runs too many.

Starc's crucial breakthrough

With moisture in the air, it was inevitable that would be some swing but it wasn't until Mitchell Starc got hold of the ball that it was on display. His third delivery was directed straight at de Kock, who looked to play leg side, snuck past his attempt and pinged the top of middle stump. That meant South Africa's most in-form batsman of the summer was out, and the rest of the line-up had a mountain to climb.

Agar took the honours but it was Australia's fast bowlers who did the early damage and reduced South Africa to 38 for 3 in the powerplay, leaving them with no way back. After Starc's early strike, Pat Cummins was responsible for the other two wickets and had van der Dussen caught at third man and Smuts caught by Adam Zampa, running circles from short-fine leg. Australia scored 70 runs in their first six overs and South Africa's score, of just over half that, was never going to be competitive enough.

Fielding fumbles and Faf

Steyn's miss was comical, van Biljon's may be explained away by debut nerves but Shamsi's miss in the final over was inexcusable. Agar top-edged Rabada to short third man, de Kock looked to be going for it as Shamsi ran in which made the keeper think twice. At that point, Shamsi should have committed to the catch but he pulled out and the ball fell between him and de Kock.

It wasn't all bad, with du Plessis taking a stunner at backward point when Carey launched one into the night sky, but that was a rare bright moment in South Africa's effort, compared to a clinical Australian display.

Moises Henriques, the Australia allrounder, has signed for defending Vitality Blast champions Essex. Henriques, who recently captained Sydney Sixers to the Big Bash League title, will arrive in late May and be available for the rest of the tournament.

Essex have already re-signed Adam Zampa for this year's Blast, after a successful 2019 in which they also won a second County Championship in three seasons. Neither Zampa nor Mohammad Amir, the club's other overseas signing, were available on Finals Day when Essex lifted the T20 trophy for the first time.

Henriques, 33, has previously played in England for Glamorgan and Surrey, as well as four different IPL franchises.

"I've been following Moises' career for a while now and I think he's exactly what we need going into this year's Blast campaign," Essex's head coach, Anthony Mcgrath, said. "He's been excellent in the IPL and was instrumental for Sydney Sixers in their recent Big Bash success. His runs got them over the line on plenty of occasions and it's clear he's an excellent leader too, so I have no doubt he'll be a great fit in our dressing room."

Capped in all three formats, Henriques last played for Australia in 2017. He scored 267 runs at a strike rate of 148.33 in the 2019-20 Big Bash and marshalled the Sixers to success, having also played a full part in their 2011-12 title win.

Henriques said: "I'm delighted to be joining Essex Eagles for the Vitality Blast. The opportunity to join the reigning Champions and the challenge of defending the title is something I'm really excited about."

South Africa were already in trouble at 42 for 4 chasing 197 when Ashton Agar came on to bowl the eighth over. What followed was almost a dream sequence for Agar, who was twice on a hat-trick and finished with the best T20I figures by an Australian man. Here is how our ball-by-ball commentator saw it...

7.4 Agar to du Plessis, OUT, goes inside out, slugged over the off side... straight to the boundary rider! Du Plessis won't be making any more of a statement today! Agar with a loopy, wide delivery and he couldn't get the timing, plinked off the toe and it almost didn't carry to Richardson on the rope F du Plessis c Richardson b Agar 24 (34m 22b 3x4 0x6) SR: 109.09

Andile Phehlukwayo out, with SA looking to save some face

7.5 Agar to Phehlukwayo, OUT, given lbw first ball! May have been a touch leg side and Phehlukwayo reviews, but the replays quickly show that the ball pitched in line and was straightening bang on leg stump! This innings is quickly going belly up for South Africa!
AL Phehlukwayo lbw b Agar 0 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Agar is on a hat-trick, Dale Steyn the man to face up

7.6 Agar to Steyn, OUT, GOTTIM!! Edged to slip! Tossed one up and Steyn, in no mood for backing down, had a big old yahoo, squirting a thick edge to Finch, who held it well! Agar goes bombing off, what a moment for him, and South Africa are on their knees in the Bullring!
DW Steyn c Finch b Agar 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Becomes just the second Australian on this list

Still another 20-odd needed for SA to avoid their lowest T20I score... Lungi Ngidi is out at No.10

11.6 Agar to van Biljon, OUT, pegs back leg stump! That's a bingo for Agar, who has career-best figures! Dirty ole slog across the line from van Biljon, the ball gripping just enough as it skidded on underneath the bat. South Africa eight down and hurting
PJ van Biljon b Agar 16 (26m 15b 2x4 0x6) SR: 106.66

13.1 Agar to Ngidi, OUT, that's five! Plopped into the hands of long-on! Agar can barely believe it, he's king of the 'ring tonight. Misbegotten shot from Ngidi, straight to the man set back L Ngidi c Warner b Agar 1 (5m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 20.00

...and he's on a hat-trick again! Tabraiz Shamsi to face

13.2 Agar to Shamsi, no run, so close to hitting off stump! Spinning through as Shamsi tried to cut and missed, nearly Agar's second 'trick of the game!

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Colorado head-coaching job, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Bieniemy's decision, as first reported by 9News in Denver, follows that of Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who also has dropped out of the search, sources told ESPN's Chris Low on Thursday.

Bieniemy starred at running back for Colorado from 1987 to 1990 and finished his career as the school's career rushing leader (3,940 yards). He had two assistant coaching stints with the Buffaloes following his NFL playing career.

He has spent the past seven years with the Chiefs. Bieniemy drew interest from several NFL teams for head-coaching vacancies this offseason, but all went in different directions.

Colorado is looking to fill the vacancy after Mel Tucker left to take the Michigan State head-coaching job earlier this month.

Bret Bielema, the former Arkansas and Wisconsin coach, also has interviewed with Colorado officials for the job and is a prime candidate along with Air Force coach Troy Calhoun.

Darrin Chiaverini has been serving as interim head coach.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Mark Schlabach contributed to this report.

The NHL-leading Boston Bruins freed up salary cap space Friday by trading veteran forward David Backes and a first-round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks for forward Ondrej Kase.

Anaheim also acquired 20-year-old prospect Axel Andersson, a defenseman, in the deal completed three days before the NHL's trade deadline.

Kase, 24, drew interest leading up to the trade deadline as a cheaper option for those who couldn't land a big name like the New York Rangers' Chris Kreider. A productive two-way winger when healthy, Kase has another year left on his contract at a manageable $2.6 million, but health has been an issue.

He scored 20 goals in his second season in 2017-18, but a variety of injuries limited Kase to 30 games last season, when he scored 11 goals and had 20 points. He has rebounded this season with seven goals and 16 assists in 49 games.

The Ducks are in rebuilding mode, sitting seventh in the Pacific Division after missing the playoffs last season for the first time in six years.

The Bruins benefit by trading the 35-year-old Backes, who has spent the past month playing in the minors. He is in the fourth year of a five-year, $30 million contract and had just one goal and two assists in 16 games with the Bruins before being demoted to AHL Providence last month.

The Bruins will retain 25% of Backes' salary.

Backes, who was injured in a scary collision with the Ottawa Senators' Scott Sabourin in November and missed almost a month, had just 39 goals and 94 points in 217 games with Boston.

Overall, the 14-year NHL veteran has 245 goals with 309 assists in 944 NHL games, spending the first 10 years of his career with the St. Louis Blues and the past four in Boston. A two-time U.S. Olympian, he was an All-Star in 2011 and was the runner-up in Selke Award voting the next season.

Andersson was playing for Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season and had two goals and 20 assists.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A vote on the proposed collective bargaining agreement will go to the full membership of the NFL Players Association, even if player reps vote not to recommend approval, sources told ESPN's Dan Graziano on Friday.

A simple majority would be required to approve it. Anyone who paid NFLPA dues during the 2019-20 league year is eligible to vote, which is an estimated 2,100 players.

The NFLPA's executive council voted 6-5 not to recommend the proposal, as first reported by the NFL Network and confirmed by ESPN. But sources said the originally scheduled conference call with the player reps was proceeding as scheduled at 1 p.m. ET on Friday and that it remained possible that a body of 32 players still could vote to recommend the deal to the full membership.

Sources told Graziano that there has been a discussion among union leaders and union lawyers on this point for several days, and they settled on having a full vote regardless of the recommendation of player reps.

On Thursday, owners approved the CBA, with more than the required three-fourths of the owners voting to ratify.

According to an NFLPA memo released Thursday, here are some of the proposal's key terms that player reps and the union's executive council will weigh when they meet:

• The elimination of any game suspensions strictly for positive marijuana tests.

• A reduction in the number of players subjected to testing for marijuana.

• "Gambling definitions" that ensure players receive a portion of gambling revenue brought in by the league.

• Alterations to training camp, including the "introduction to a 5-day acclimation period," a limit of 16 days in pads and a limit of four joint practices in a three-preseason-games scenario.

Sources also told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the proposal includes a game-day roster increase from 46 players to 48, with overall rosters going from 53 to 55.

Teams would also be allowed to bring back three players from injured reserve each season, sources said, and practice squads would grow from 10 players last season to 12 in 2020 and 14 in 2022.

One of the NFL's best players, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, took to social media Thursday night to voice his disapproval with the proposal.

Sources previously told ESPN that the proposed CBA would allow the league to expand the regular season from 16 games to 17 at some point in the next four years (although no sooner than 2021) in exchange for financial and other concessions the players have sought in negotiations. One concession is that the preseason would be shortened, sources said.

In addition, sources said that starting in 2020, the playoff field would be expanded to seven teams from each conference, and only one team from each conference would receive a first-round bye as opposed to the two that currently do.

The league's desire to expand the regular season has been met with harsh opposition from many players, who view an expanded season as an unnecessary increase in the risk to players' health and safety. But union leaders have touted to players the benefits of the proposed new deal, which includes a higher percentage of league revenue going to players, improvements in the drug policy and discipline policy, higher minimum salaries, higher per-team spending floors and relaxed offseason work rules -- which were noted in the above-mentioned NFLPA memo.

There are a handful of unforgettable moments that are seared forever into the minds of boxing fans.

There is a discombobulated Mike Tyson on all fours grasping for his mouthpiece and trying to shove it back in before he is counted out in his monumental upset loss to Buster Douglas.

There is Sugar Ray Leonard pouring it on and finishing Thomas Hearns, who is draped along the ropes in the 14th round of their magnificent first fight.

There is 45-year-old George Foreman landing the shortest right hand you've ever seen to knock out Michael Moorer in the 10th round to regain the heavyweight championship almost 20 years to the day after he lost it to Muhammad Ali.

And then there's heavyweight world titlist Deontay Wilder flattening lineal champion Tyson Fury with a massive right hand-left hook combination early in the 12th round, leaving Fury motionless on the canvas, seemingly knocked into another dimension -- until, amazingly, he beats the count and finishes the fight.

It was Dec. 1, 2018, and a worldwide audience had already seen an excellent fight. Fury had outboxed Wilder for long stretches, but Wilder, the sport's most devastating puncher -- and perhaps the best puncher of all time -- knocked Fury down in the ninth round. Then he seemingly knocked Fury out in the final round before Fury miraculously rose from the mat. Once the bell rang at the end of the 12th, judges ruled it a controversial split draw: 114-112 for Fury, 115-111 Wilder and 113-113.

Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs), 34, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs), 31, of England, who have each won two fights since their previous encounter, will meet again Saturday (ESPN+ PPV, 9 p.m. ET) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in what is easily the biggest fight of the 2020 schedule so far.

Told to ESPN by those involved, this is the story of the moment that made this fight possible: the unforgettable 12th round of Wilder-Fury I.

Editor's note: Responses have been edited for clarity.

Jay Deas, Wilder's co-trainer and cutman: I think it was one of those historic rounds. It was one of those -- Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield I, Round 10; Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti I, Round 9. It was an ebb-and-flow kind of a thing on a heavyweight scale. It had that remarkable moment where the impossible somehow became possible, for Fury to get up when no one thought that that was possible, including me.

Going into the 12th round, each side had a different view of how the fight was going.

Deas: I thought Deontay got off to a lead in the fight. Fury had closed the gap. Deontay scored the knockdown in the ninth to take us a little bit ahead. Fury came back in 10th and 11th. Going into the 12th, I said to Deontay in the corner, "It's a close fight. Can you give me a big finish?"

Shelly Finkel, Wilder's co-manager: Going into the 12th round, I thought it was close, with an edge to Fury, and I felt the knockdown in the 12th made it a draw, and that it was fair.

Jack Reiss, the referee: I thought it was an extremely close fight, and I didn't know who was winning. I knew it was close.

Wilder: We didn't feel we were behind at all. We did feel it was close, either my way or tied. So we were just getting set for a big finish like I always do.

Ben Davison, Fury's former trainer: I told Fury, "You're winning the fight." I told him, "Don't take no silly risks," and going into the 12th, I said, "You're moving your head a little bit too much. I want you to just nullify him, basically. Nullify him this round, see the round out, and you've completed it." There was no way he wasn't winning the fight. Just stay on your feet, and you've won the fight. And he comes out, and he started boxing. Landed a good one-two. But I was always very wary, and I've always been wary of Wilder when he's on the back foot. He springs into his attacks very well, very fast. And Tyson started pushing the fight toward Wilder, and throughout the fight I'd actually said to Tyson, "Look, don't let him lure you in. I know you can see it." And then Tyson got lured in.

Thirty-five seconds into the round, Fury landed a right hand in the center of the ring, and Wilder responded. He missed with a jab but then landed a dynamite two-punch combination: a massive right hand to the side of the head followed by a clean left hook on Fury's chin that floored him. Fury was motionless. Wilder made a throat slash gesture and shimmied his shoulders while Fury was flat on his back with his right knee bent in the air.

Fury: I remember going out for Round 12, going to put on a show in Round 12. I had a mission to knock him out, and I just got caught by a big punch and got knocked down.

Wilder: The combination in the 12th round, that was maybe 90% of my power.

Davison: Wilder couldn't have chosen a better point in the fight to land that shot, when Tyson was fatigued. Tyson still got up and managed to do what he did. That obviously goes beyond the conditioning involved -- but also mental strength.

Deas: Deontay always had an uncanny ability to deliver big, especially when asked. I expected that it would be that kind of a round and that he could make something dramatic happen. When he landed the right hand, I saw Fury start to teeter, start to fall. I knew it was a great shot. I knew Fury had gotten a little bit squared up, but I knew it was a great shot. Then the left hook came out of nowhere. It almost righted the ship. He was going over to the right, and then all of a sudden the left hook leveled him off, and he landed basically flat on his back.

Davison: Wilder is phenomenally heavy-handed. It's his right hand that puts people over, but I think his left hand is still extremely, extremely heavy-handed.

Wilder: I was more impressed than anything, just to see for a second looking over his body and seeing his eyes going to the back of his head, the veins pulsing out of his neck and the way his body was lying on the canvas. It was very impressive. Even more impressive was because Fury said after the fight that his lights just went out, and he didn't even know how he got on the ground or how he got up. To go through all of that or not even know that you're doing it, it's like a zombie or something. But it was entertaining and made the hype for the rematch that much greater because the first fight was controversial.

Finkel: I thought Deontay knocked him out. I got up, and I went to go up the steps because I thought it was over, but Fury got up, and the ref let it continue.

Fury: I wasn't hurt. I didn't feel anything.

Davison: I thought that the fight was over. Usually when a fighter goes down and they're going to get back up, there's some part of their body that's still moving, whether their hands are moving, their feet are moving, they lift their head up. He was just still.

Wilder: I blew a kiss at my wife, too, so, yes, I definitely thought it was over, for sure, just from what I saw with those split seconds of the head hitting in the canvas, which is a dangerous thing. That's scary. That's a scary moment for a person, and that's why boxing is so dangerous, man.

Deas: I'm not the kind to celebrate or anything because I take nothing for granted in this sport, so my immediate reaction was to point Deontay toward the neutral corner. Even though I thought the fight was over, I wanted to make sure that if it wasn't, we weren't wasting time that we needed, that we'd given Fury extra time. I was pointing Deontay to a neutral corner, and I kept looking back and forth, looking at Deontay, looking at Fury, looking at Deontay, looking at Fury.

Reiss got down on one knee as he counted over Fury's face. At six, Fury rolled over to all fours, and at nine, he was on his feet with 2:11 left in the fight. Reiss pointed to Fury and asked him, "Can you continue? You want to go?" Fury put his arms on Reiss' shoulders. Reiss brushed them away, and following California State Athletic Commission protocol, he pointed to his right and said, "Walk over there, and come back to me." Fury jogged a couple of steps, Reiss wiped off his gloves, and the fight resumed.

Davison: I vividly remember Jack in the locker room [during fighter instructions before the fight] saying, "If you get knocked down, I'll ask you to walk to your left or walk to your right. I'll be checking to make sure that you are OK and that your balance is OK because anybody can just stumble forward." That was what he said, and that's what he did.

Reiss: One of the things I tell these guys in the dressing room before the fight is if you get knocked down -- and I tell everyone the same thing -- and you get up, I am going to ask you, "Are you OK?" I want you to look at me, shake your head up and down, and say yes because then the commission sees his head moving up and down and that he is responding to me. Ninety percent of the guys that get knocked down like that, they get knocked out in the next sequence. So I wanted to make sure people knew I wasn't throwing a lamb to the lions. [Fury] looked great jogging to the side. It was a bonus. I knew for sure he could intelligently defend himself.

Fury: It was like being turned off like a light switch. I didn't feel any pain. There was no feeling. It was just on and off. That was it.

Reiss: When I saw the two punches he got hit with, the right and then the left, I saw that they were thunderous punches, very hard punches, and I said to myself, "Wow, that's a hard knockdown." With my training and my instinct, I realized there wasn't a lot of damage prior to that in the fight. They got hit with a lot of shots, but there were no really hard, devastating knockdowns or head-snapping blows, and I was always taught to count a champion out. Before I waved it off, I wanted to see what I had. I got Wilder to the neutral corner, which he did on his own. I didn't have to do very much. Grabbed the count from the timekeeper. One of the things I noticed is that Fury's right leg was up. To me, that was on his own power, so he wasn't out. I don't know if he was annoyed or taking a rest, but to me if he was unconscious, that leg would have been flopped down. He was holding it up.

Deas: After about the count of five, I remember thinking, how has it not been waved off yet? The guy hasn't moved. Wave it off -- it's over. Then, I think, a split second before it was going to be waved off, he stirs and comes to life. That was like, "Oh, wow, you've got to be kidding me. I cannot believe that he's going to get up."

Fury: I rose from the canvas like a Phoenix from the ashes and got back into it. He hit me with arguably the two best punches he has ever thrown in his career, and it didn't do any good. I just got back up.

Reiss: I didn't think he was out because of his leg, but I expected him to be in bad shape from those punches. I expected his eyes to be closed, but when I got close enough to him, I saw that his eyes were actually open. More importantly than that, as I got down on a knee next to him, he didn't move his head, but his eyes shifted to me. He saw me coming. He looked at me. So I knew he was awake. It makes a big difference. If his eyes were closed, I was waving it off.

Davison: I didn't actually think he was hurt. I just thought he was out. I thought he was out instantly. I thought, "He's out. That's it." And then I actually got into an argument with the commission because I was trying to have a look once he started to get up. Once I started to see Tyson rise, I was trying to assess him. I know Jack Reiss is an experienced referee, but do I need to step in here? I need to assess my fighter. I know that Wilder is a formidable finisher, and the commission started pulling me back. So I got in an argument to say, "Look, I need to have a look at my fighter. Nobody knows him better than me." By this point, by the time I turned back around, Tyson's back on his feet, and Jack Reiss said to him to go to one side, and Tyson just sort of jogged over, and I'm thinking "What the F is going on here?"

Wilder: Honestly, it was a slow count. I think the ref was exaggerating a little bit. Holding eight ... nine. It's seconds. One. Two. Three. It's a second. Not two seconds for each number.

Finkel: Jack is a very good referee, but I felt he made a mistake, not just the count. Fury admitted after he didn't know he got up, didn't know where he was. It was obvious he was concussed, but Jack didn't stop it. And after Fury is up and Jack says do this, do that, 12-14 seconds, for sure. I've never protested, but knowing everything I know, I think he made a misjudgment. But it made the rematch fight bigger.

Reiss: It was the greatest decision I've ever made in boxing. My count was perfect. As I was saying nine, he was rising. And there was no part of his body other than the soles of his feet touching the ground as I was saying nine. He was up. That's it. I've checked it 100 times -- real time with my stopwatch on my phone. It was nine seconds.

Davison: In terms of Wilder's team, I've got a helluva lot of respect for Wilder and his team. I think they're great people, but obviously, what they're arguing over is minimal splits of a second. The actual rule is a 10-second count by the referee's count. It's not a 10-second count. So Tyson doesn't get knocked down as a fighter and starts counting to 10 in his head. He's following the referee's count, and obviously, by the referee's count he's on his feet. Whether it was a split second under, a split second over, we would have had to have respected it if it were the other way around.

Fury: God brought me back and rose me up and let me fight again.

Davison: One thing that Tyson will always, always say is, "You have to nail me to the canvas to beat me." Throughout that training camp, Tyson's best asset is that he was realistic. He'd often say to sparring partners, "Look, if I do get knocked down, I'll wait, get to the eight count, and then I'll stand up. I'll take my time. I'll get back up. But trust me, when I get back up: He'll be in for hell." And he was always very realistic in the fact that that could happen. I'm a firm believer in that by constantly saying that, he subconsciously put into his own head that belief, so that while he's on the ground, it's subconscious for him to say, "Wait till eight. I will be getting up. There's no doubt in my mind that I will get up. If I've got the strength in my body to get up, I'm getting up." And I do believe it was a mix of that and very good conditioning. We trained nonstop for 14 months to get him prepared pretty much every day. And also I do believe that it was an act of God as well.

Reiss: I thought Fury was trying to implore me to not stop this fight, that he was fine when he put his hands on my shoulders. But I didn't want it to appear that he was leaning on me, and that's another reason I made him walk. If, God forbid, I let him go, there's a 6-foot-7, 225-pound tornado about to come bearing down on him. If he gets knocked out or hurt, people will say, "Jack Reiss is an a--hole, Jack Reiss should have stopped the fight, boxing is unsafe." So my job is to convince the doctors and the commission and the crowd that what I am doing is correct, that he is in full control of his body and able to intelligently defend himself.

Deas: Once he got up and Jack started giving him the directions to go left, go right, which we know that's the rule in California -- it's actually a good rule, but it does give you more time to recover. By that point, he was responding. I didn't think he was going to wave the fight off unless Fury stumbled or something like that. At that point, I thought, "OK, we need to go and finish the job."

Fury: Reiss was looking at me like, "Are you OK? Like, you just took massive punches." I said, "Jack, I'm OK." I put both hands on his shoulders to let him know I'm OK. I looked straight in his eyes and said, "I'm OK." Nice and clear so he would let the fight continue. One thing I've always been taught in boxing is if you go down, you have to make sure the referee knows you're OK to continue because at the end of the day, that's the referee's job: to take the safety of both fighters into account.

When the fight resumed, Wilder went into all-out attack mode in an effort to finish Fury, cornering him and landing several heavy shots. But Fury survived and roared back, even stunning Wilder with a right hand. Fury seemed to have cleared the cobwebs from the knockdown, as he was bouncing on his toes and even put his hands behind his back and taunted Wilder with 80 seconds left. As the 10-second warning sounded, Fury was bouncing up and down, and Wilder missed with a big right hand and a left hook at the final bell. They each raised their arms, believing they had won. Fury climbed the ring post, Wilder hugged Deas, and Wilder and Fury eventually had a long embrace before the scores were read.

Davison: I know that Wilder's a formidable finisher, so I'm assessing Tyson and trying to take every little detail in that I can in that last round. I remember a massive left hook landing, and I thought, "Oh, do I need to take action here?"

Deas: Deontay hit him with some shots and backed him up to the ropes and threw an overhand right, and it missed by mere centimeters. It wasn't that Fury dodged it. It was just that Deontay was just a hair -- and I mean a hair -- short on the punch. If it had landed, Fury would have fallen right on his face, and it would have been over.

Fury: The referee was nowhere near stopping the fight. I wasn't hurt. I wasn't hurt at all. Even when he caught me, after he knocked me down, I wasn't shook up. I wasn't even hurt. It was like I was bulletproof. The shots were ricocheting off me.

Davison: I remember shouting out to Tyson and saying, "Grab hold of him. Whatever the ref's doing, it doesn't matter. Do not let him go!"

Deas: Deontay missed the shot, and Fury grabbed him, and when he grabbed him, I thought, "Man, there went our moment. We were on the verge of finishing this thing, but now he's found a way to get through this moment." I was so hopeful. I thought a real significant moment was that moment right there.

Wilder: I didn't know how much time was on the clock. We were just giving them a show. I'm finishing strong, as I was instructed.

Reiss: Any time there's a hard knockdown, where I believe a guy has taken a good shot, when they get up, I change my distance. I stay very close to the action so I can jump in because the percentages are the guy is going to get knocked out. So if you watch it again, you'll see that instead of being 5, 6 feet away, I was right on top of the action.

I wasn't thinking about stopping it. Fury was in full control of his body. He was blocking shots. When a fighter is in trouble, he can do a bunch of things. He can run, hold, take a knee, fight back, bob and weave. The best thing a guy can do for me is run to get the buzz out of his head. If a guy doesn't have his legs, I want him to hold. Tyson moved and held. That told me he was totally conscious of what was going on and trying to survive. Guess what? Twenty or 30 seconds later, Wilder was out of gas from punching him.

Deas: Once Fury did the thing with his hands behind his back, I thought that was completely a mind thing, trying to convince Deontay he was back when I didn't think he was back. I thought we still had a chance for a knockout, but every moment that goes by, Fury is getting a little more clear-headed, in particular when he started firing back. When he's kind of punching between Deontay's punches and somehow is regaining his senses to the point where he's problem-solving, which is the thing you look for with somebody in that situation. I'm thinking I know we got a 10-8 here. I know we got a 10-8 in the ninth. I thought we won the early rounds. I felt really good about it. I thought this was more cementing a victory than salvaging a draw.

Fury: I remember hitting him with some good shots in Round 12. I had him shook up, and that's it. The bell sounded, and I immediately ran around the ring celebrating because me and probably the rest of the world thought I won the fight. I acted like a professional after the fight. It was what it was. Deontay Wilder didn't do anything wrong. He'd done everything he needed to do, and that's it.

Wilder: We were just telling each other "great fight," telling each other we love each other. He was telling me thank you. He was thanking me for the opportunity and different things like that. It was all love.

Davison: That 12th round alone has inspired millions of people across the world in terms of Tyson telling his story [about taking time off to address his mental health] and saying if you get knocked down, you've always got to get back up and keep fighting. It's OK saying that, but it's another thing showing it, and then there's showing it at an elite level, like he did in the 12th round.

Deas: There's no question Tyson Fury is a tremendous fighter and has tremendous resolve and heart to be able to get up from that shot -- not just get up but to be able to get up and somehow work his way back into the round. He's everything we thought that he was. He's a real, real great fighter. That's something we knew anyway, but he showed it. He proved that he's one of the two best heavyweights in the world today. I think you just have to give Fury the credit and say he did something remarkable, and he's a remarkable fighter.

Reiss: Amazing. The only word I can say. Fury truly has an unbelievable heart. He displayed the human spirit that everyone comes to see boxing for -- someone taking a licking and keeps on ticking and refuses to quit. Getting off the mat like that was a really significant moment in boxing history.

Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker had his knee drained and received a Synvisc injection to help with swelling and soreness, coach Brad Stevens said Friday.

Stevens said it is not likely to be a long-term issue.

"He had another scan," Stevens told reporters. "Knee looks good structurally. But he's going to be managing it and dealing with it, as he has all year."

Walker had already been ruled out for Friday night's game against the Timberwolves in Minnesota.

In his first season with the Celtics, Walker is averaging 21.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

In the Celtics' final game before the All-Star break, he played 46 minutes in a double-overtime win over the LA Clippers. He played 29 minutes on Team LeBron in the All-Star Game.

One-third of the NBA season to go, and 10 things to think about:

1. The new NBA All-Star Game

With Sunday's All-Star Game tied at 146, Kyle Lowry ran a pick-and-roll with Giannis Antetokounmpo, drawing a switch of Chris Paul onto the MVP. As Antetokounmpo burrowed into position for an entry pass at the foul line, James Harden shot up from the left corner to rescue Paul from the Antetokounmpo matchup. They executed that switch before Lowry even picked up his dribble.

It was real basketball -- calculated and predatory, the kind real teams play in real games. That it involved the best players made it even more delicious. How do run-of-the-mill actions flow when every player -- even the dudes chilling in the corners -- is freaking awesome? Who handles the ball? Who gets targeted as the weakest defensive link?

Lowry took multiple charges! LeBron James and Antetokounmpo enveloped each other. Team Giannis ran much of its late-game offense through Joel Embiid, and wow was that juicy: When it had to manufacture points against five elite defenders, the team decided -- organically, in the moment -- that a post-up behemoth (and not, you know, Giannis) represented its best hope.

Paul and Lowry -- backups Sunday -- finishing the game said something about what their coaches and peers value amid the highest possible competition: toughness, sacrifice, smarts. You don't have to reserve any brain space worrying about Paul and Lowry making mistakes.

The Elam Ending, and the absence of a ticking clock, created the atmosphere of a race someone had to win.

The quirks added intrigue. Ahead and three points from the target score, Team LeBron scrapped its offense to hunt 3s. Would that backfire? LeBron clanked a triple from two steps inside midcourt. Every living being -- plants, animals, humans -- knew Harden would hurl a step-back on Team LeBron's next possession; Lowry knew, too, and drew a charge.

LeBron finally accepted an uncontested dunk to get to within a point of victory. Was that the right move? It appeared so when Anthony Davis won the game on a free throw.

Elam skeptics worried too many games would end on foul shots. The process leading to Davis' free throw -- the strategic uncertainties, the feeling you were watching something new and maybe awesome -- imbued the free throw with excitement. Imagine if he had missed both?

Some commentators were disappointed the game finished on a non-shooting foul. In some cases that might leave a sour taste, though it's not a big or unsolvable problem. This wasn't such a case. Lowry dragged Davis down as LeBron's entry pass was in midair. Without that foul, Davis catches and scores in one motion. Lowry's hack was about as close to in-the-act as a non-shooting foul can get.

It won't be like this every time. Blowouts are boring no matter how you end the game. The novelty will wear off.

But I thought the Elam Ending was worth trying at lower levels when I first wrote about it three years ago. League officials told me then the idea was too "aggressive" for the G League, and they still don't seem interested in adopting it there beyond maybe someday using it at the G League showcase. Why? What exactly do they have to lose?

League officials argue it is dangerous to differentiate the G League too much from the NBA. That is not persuasive. The NBA has already introduced several key rules-based differences between the leagues. Crunch time under the Elam Ending is still basketball. G Leaguers are not going to forget how a clock works.

Having every quarter Sunday count as a standalone game for charity was a hit, too. If the first two had been close, the last few minutes of each would have been as competitive as the end of the third.

2. All-Star Chris Paul

Paul's perfectionism and obsessive competitiveness can make him a killjoy. I mean, he tattled on Jordan Bell for entering a game with his jersey untucked. A Paul team in the bonus is borderline unwatchable, unless you love rip-through moves.

That ruthlessness augments the Point God character -- the maniacal genius in winter chasing every edge. That image of an aging, implacable Paul outwitting opponents has started to obscure how dynamic Prime CP3 was in the most visceral senses: a blur who could explode to the rim and absolutely humiliate people.

Paul summons that spirit in All-Star games. The league's ultimate curmudgeon becomes a showman again, without dialing back his drive to win. He clowns people with pitter-pat dribble moves. He hunts fancy assists; lob him the ball, and Paul will search in midair (mind you!) for a second lob -- the rare double-lob. (He might also just dunk, as he did in one of Sunday's best moments.)

I love this Paul -- love being reminded of the monster athlete undergirding the classic pick-and-roll maestro.

3. Dennis Smith Jr. is lost

Smith was a worthy reclamation project when New York acquired him as one of the centerpieces -- and that's how they conceived of Smith then -- in The Trade That Shall Not Be Named.

Smith has lost touch with his game in New York. It's as if he contracted whatever Markelle Fultz had, only it spread to Smith's spatial awareness. I cannot recall a nominal point guard bonking transition chances so often, in every possible way: missing teammates running the wing; dribbling ahead of the action; failing to anticipate open trailers; forgetting defenders exist behind and around him.

Someone should have alerted Smith to Troy Brown Jr.'s presence, but Smith's dribble is high and oblivious.

Smith bounds along a path there that doesn't pry open any passing lane. He doesn't appear aware of Kevin Knox II trailing.

Things haven't been any better in the half court, minus the occasional glimpse of lob chemistry with Mitchell Robinson. Smith is shooting 29% on 3s and 36% on 2s, and sports the league's third-highest turnover rate.

Related: Who is New York's starting point guard next season? The Knicks are going nowhere until they have a reasonable answer. And, no, Frank Ntilikina has not looked ready for that role.

4. Landry Shamet, growing a midrange game

Shamet's shot distribution hasn't changed much, but the eye test over the past month reveals a player growing more confident exploring the midrange.

This, from just before the All-Star break, is a handy backend option on one set intended to spring Kawhi Leonard:

Shamet has even run a few smooth pick-and-rolls, and pulled long 2s against drop-back defenses:

Life gets harder in the playoffs for long-range specialists. Defenses dial in on cute off-ball actions that work in the regular season. The long 2 isn't a sexy shot, but it is a playoff shot.

Shamet is shooting 72% in the restricted area, up from 55% last season. The sample sizes are tiny, but Shamet is finishing with more oomph; last month in New Orleans, he drew Jaxson Hayes on a switch, roasted Hayes baseline, and whipped out a nifty up-and-under.

Shamet rounding out his game gives the Clippers more flexibility around the three set-in-stone members of their crunch-time five: Leonard, Paul George, and Montrezl Harrell. (If the Clippers draw the Rockets, I could see LA playing stretches without a center -- matching Houston's super-small alignment. With Marcus Morris Sr. aboard, the Clippers are equipped to beat Houston at its own game.)

Shamet is rangier and more reliable on defense than Lou Williams and the newly acquired Reggie Jackson, and he doesn't need the ball. He's a much more dangerous shooter than Patrick Beverley.

Doc Rivers' crunch-time lineups will feature at most two of those four guards, and often just one. Depending on time, score, and other variables, Shamet might be the right answer here and there. He has won a place in that conversation.

5. Reggie Jackson's defense

One of the big debates within the league is whether the Clippers need a traditional floor general to help their offense coalesce. Jackson in theory replicates Williams' ballhandling while providing more defense than Williams or Shamet -- and perhaps more reliable long-range shooting than Beverley.

The real Jackson -- at least the one who lived through four-plus seasons of Detroit Pistons purgatory -- is a different story. Jackson regressed on defense in Detroit. He had trouble avoiding screens on and off the ball:

Dynamic guards didn't even need a screen to burn him:

Perhaps better health and joining a contender will invigorate Jackson. The Jackson of recent vintage is a slight upgrade on defense over Williams, but not nearly enough to justify stealing real playing time from him -- let alone taking the ball from George or Leonard. Shamet has been better than Jackson on defense, and is in a different universe as a spot-up threat. Jackson is roughly equivalent to Beverley in that regard, but Beverley is obviously the far superior defender.

Jackson is a buzzy name by buyout standards, but barring some unexpected improvement, it's hard to see him playing a real role.

6. Trae Young, begging for fouls

I like Trae Young fine. I put him on my All-Star roster even though he plays zero defense and his team is terrible. The idea that Young passes only to record assists -- not totally off-base, but a bit overblown -- has seeped into NBA discourse to the point that he is on the verge of being criminally underrated as a passer. His shooting bends defenses; the Hawks have been a legitimately good offensive team with Young on the floor -- no easy feat given injuries, inexperience, and John Collins' suspension. Young eviscerated Miami Thursday with a 50-spot.

Just stop dry-heaving in search of 3-shot fouls, please.

You know whom I miss even more in the face of such blasphemy? Klay Thompson. One of the half-dozen greatest shooters ever flat refuses to chase fouls, even when he pump-fakes defenders out of their shoes and his coaches beg him to lean into contact. Thompson is a man of honor. The basketball gods shall reward him upon his return.

7. Crashin' Torrey Craig

Craig does all the dirty work. He can defend four positions, and works like hell on the glass -- on both ends of the floor.

Half-ass it with some flat-footed faux box-out, and Craig will zip around you for offensive rebounds:

He is liable to fly in from beyond the arc if he sees a crease. Craig snags many more offensive rebounds than expected based on his positioning when shots go up, per Second Spectrum data.

Craig has filled in as a starter in 15 of Denver's past 16 games, and the Nuggets are 11-5 in that stretch. He started Denver's final 11 playoff games last season, and his defense on Damian Lillard was a key factor in the Nuggets stretching their second-round series against Portland to seven games.

Craig hit 17-of-36 (47%) from deep in those playoffs, way above his career mark of 32%. Shooting holds Craig back. Opponents ignore him to muck up Denver's spacing; its offense is worse with Craig on the floor.

But the postseason is a small sample size. A few more makes than usual, and Craig becomes a net plus. He looms as a potentially important role player against the biggest and strongest wings in the West: Leonard, George, LeBron, maybe Harden. The Gary Harris-Will Barton duo is undersized against that type. Harris has struggled horribly on offense.

The Nuggets have sometimes used Jerami Grant on Leonard and James, even if it requires playing Grant, Paul Millsap, and Nikola Jokic together. Denver could also try Michael Porter Jr.; he's shooting 43% from deep, and is big enough to jostle with physical wings -- or opposing power forwards if Michael Malone prefers Millsap or Grant guarding LeBron/Kawhi types.

Porter has logged only 556 career minutes. Will Malone trust Porter's defense in the playoffs?

He trusts Craig, perhaps more than he should given Craig's limitations as a shooter. But Craig has earned that trust, and he might get his chance at some key postseason moments.

8. Brooklyn's one-pass possessions

Only three teams -- the Clippers, Rockets, and Blazers -- attempt more shots than Brooklyn after no passes or one pass, and the Nets have the league's worst effective field goal percentage on such shots, per Second Spectrum.

The Rockets and Blazers have a track record of playing this way. The Clippers acquired one of the league's best one-on-one players in Leonard. Brooklyn exchanged one ball-dominant point guard (D'Angelo Russell) for another (Kyrie Irving, now out for the season) and fell from eighth to 26th in passes per game. (The Nets ranked third two seasons ago.)

Passing does not on its own cause good offense; failing to pass does not cause bad offense. But Brooklyn's year-over-year passing stats suggest Kenny Atkinson does not want to play this way. Something isn't clicking. The Nets rank 22nd in points per possession.

The broad numbers suggest you can't blame Irving. Brooklyn scored 112.7 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, and 104.7 otherwise. Their passing frequency barely ticks up without him. Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert pound the ball, too.

Irving, Dinwiddie, and LeVert will end this season having logged only 67 minutes together over 15 games. Even if you understand all the context, that number is stunning.

They don't seem to amplify one another. It was rare for all three to play well in the same game. Dinwiddie and LeVert are below-average 3-point shooters for their careers; they might not draw enough attention to let Irving do his thing in open space.

I also wonder if the cumulation of possessions like this creates some unquantifiable drag:

That is purposeful by Irving's standards. He loves to dance with the ball. He leads the league in drawing "ooooohs" from the crowd with magical dribble moves, and then missing. We need a name for that. It is a very specific thing that elicits a specific crowd noise: higher-pitched anticipatory "ooooohs," followed by a resigned collective groan.

Maybe it was hard for the other Nets to snap into a rhythm when Irving hit the bench.

Lillard gets zero flak for no-pass possessions. He is regarded as one of the best leaders in sports. He is one of the best leaders in sports. We never hear about locker-room dysfunction in Portland.

Lillard also shoots way more 3s and free throws than Irving. Those marginal advantages add up to a lot over one full game.

The Nets were 8-12 with Irving, and are 17-17 without him, and it will be fascinating to monitor their record the rest of this season. They have (predictably) been stingier on defense without him, though as Kevin Pelton pointed out Thursday, some of that could be the luck of opponents missing open shots with Irving on the bench. Still: The sample size of Irving's teams functioning well in his absence is growing to the point where it cannot be dismissed as empty hot-take ammunition.

Next season, with Kevin Durant back, will be a defining career moment for Irving as he slides into the weird role -- the one he should play, provided he can strike the right balance -- of star point guard who is also the distant No. 2 option.

In the meantime, the Nets face tough questions about which players fit around the Irving/Durant duo.

9. The rest of Brook Lopez's game

One of the subtle things that makes Antetokounmpo such a unique weapon -- and the Bucks a nightmare matchup: It is really hard to go small against Milwaukee. Conceding size against Antetokounmpo is a no-go. More opponents go the other way, and slide centers onto him.

That leaves smaller guys on Lopez, and Mike Budenholzer deserves credit in those circumstances for remembering what once made Lopez an All-Star. He lets the big fella mash. Milwaukee has scored 1.14 points per possession anytime Lopez shoots from the post, or passes to a teammate who fires -- 10th among 111 guys who have recorded at least 25 post-ups, per Second Spectrum.

Budenholzer also allows Lopez to stretch his off-the-bounce game; Lopez is nimbler than you think attacking closeouts and picking out cutters:

He doesn't need to beat wings off the dribble. He just sort of snowplows them until help swarms. That extra attention opens up offensive rebounding chances:

Last season, the Bucks scored 1.23 points per possession on any shot stemming directly from a Lopez drive -- the best mark in the entire stinking league among players who piled up at least 200 drives, per Second Spectrum. He's near the top again.

Lopez has hit just 29.6% from deep, but that hasn't really sapped his overall effectiveness -- a tribute to his two-way skill.

10. Two cool uniforms

Red is usually the side dish in Philly, so it's nice to see it take center stage:

That red is muted and almost soothing against the white and blue. The shadowing of the numbers is subtle, avoiding the cartoonish, blocky look that more garish shadowing can bring. The Wilt-era "PHILA" and cascading stars are always welcome.

The Pelicans always nail their Mardi Gras duds. They have used bolder base colors, but I might prefer this quieter version. The white lets the triple stripe sing. Four gorgeous touches: the indisputably cool "NOLA" wordmark; off-center numbers; the classic fleur-de-lis logo -- pelican head in the middle! -- on the belt buckle; and the faux medallion meant to mimic a Mardi Gras krewe ducal.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Cleveland Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with a mild strain of his right hip flexor after feeling discomfort while doing squats in the weight room during spring training.

The team said Friday that Carrasco was considered day-to-day after an MRI revealed the strain.

Manager Terry Francona said Carrasco felt something in his upper leg when squatting on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old pitcher made an inspiring comeback last season after being diagnosed with leukemia. He revealed that in June and returned as a reliever in September after treatment.

Carrasco had said earlier in camp that his health was good and that he was excited about the upcoming season, when he is expected to move back into the rotation.

The Indians, who traded two-time AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber this winter, were already down one starter this spring with right-hander Mike Clevinger recovering from knee surgery and out until mid-April.