On this occasion, it required five points by center Jusuf Nurkic in the final 58 seconds -- including the go-ahead free throw with 0.8 on the clock -- and sweating out Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic's attempt from the half-court logo.

Doncic's high-arcing 38-footer fell short, and the Suns escaped the American Airlines Center with a 114-113 victory on Friday night.

The Suns improved to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in games that are within five points in the final five minutes. The Suns extended their winning streak to seven games, the last three of which Phoenix's foe has had the ball on the final possession with the chance to tie or take the lead.

"A win is a win, man," said Nurkic, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds, including a go-ahead putback dunk with 31 seconds remaining and another offensive board before drawing the foul to send him to the line for the winner. "I don't really care if it's [by] one point or 35. As long as you keep winning, that's great, because that's the best way to learn. Not through the losses. But also, it's good for fans, too. They're betting, all this stuff, so good luck with them figuring out how we're going to do it."

Phoenix is tied for first place in the Western Conference with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the two teams have taken drastically different routes to their 8-1 records. According to ESPN Research, the Suns have the second-lowest point differential of any team in NBA history that has won at least eight of its first nine games, having outscored their opponents by a total of 30 points. The Thunder are the first team to win eight of their first nine games by double-digit margins.

The 1997-98 Atlanta Hawks and 2001-02 Milwaukee Bucks are the only other teams in NBA history to record seven clutch wins in their first nine games of the season. The Suns have outscored opponents by 29 points in 32 clutch minutes this season.

"We're keeping it interesting to say the least," said Suns point guard Tyus Jones, who had 17 points and 5 assists against the Mavs.

"Man, it's just like we can't avoid them right now," Suns star Kevin Durant said of games that go down to the wire. "It's good practice for us to understand how tough it is to play in this environment, tight games on road, stuff like that is good for us early in the season. Playing against a team that's proven, that's been to the Finals. They got big aspirations for their team as well, so it was a good win for us."

The Suns, the league's worst fourth-quarter team during a disappointing 49-win campaign last season, jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first half in Dallas but had to rally from a six-point deficit during the fourth quarter.

Durant finished with a team-high 26 points, highlighted by a pair of pull-up 3-pointers that helped the Suns stay within striking distance down the stretch while Kyrie Irving (29 points) went on a scoring flurry, getting buckets on three straight possessions. That 79-second sequence reminded Durant of the pickup games the former Brooklyn Nets teammates played against each other while he was rehabbing from his Achilles injury during the 2020 offseason.

"It brought back a lot of memories," Durant said. "I miss being around him, so it's always good to compete against him."

It was the second time this season that Durant's Suns got the best of Irving's Mavs. Phoenix's 114-102 home win over the Mavs on Oct. 26 is the Suns' lone victory to be decided by more than six points.

"We're not expecting to be in these situations every game, but the more, the better, to be honest," said Durant, who leads the league with 35 clutch points. "Because that's usually how it is in the playoffs. It's usually how it is at the end of the season when you're trying to put yourself in good position for seeding. So the more we get more comfortable in those situations, the better it'll be."

CLEVELAND -- Kenny Atkinson couldn't help but smile as he looked at the box score and stared at the record of his Cleveland Cavaliers.

His first season as their coach has gone perfectly.

"10-0 is something. It's kind of a magic number, right?" Atkinson said. "I was worried about tonight because the Warriors are champions. That surprised me, how ready we were, how hungry we were. 10-0 is really something for our team."

Darius Garland scored 27 points and Evan Mobley had 23 as the Cavaliers routed the Golden State Warriors 136-117 on Friday night, becoming the first team in NBA history to win its first 10 games and score at least 110 points in each of them. The Cavs also are the first team to start 10-0 since the 2015-16 Warriors.

Atkinson's high-powered offense has been a great fit for Cleveland, which leads the league in points per game at 124.5 and with a .526 field goal percentage.

Under now-Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff last season, the Cavaliers averaged 112.6 points and shot .479 from the field -- with the same top nine players on their roster. They lost to eventual champion Boston in the second round of the playoffs.

The only significant change made by general manager Koby Altman was hiring Atkinson after he spent three years as an assistant under Steve Kerr with the Warriors.

"This was a great job to get, just like mine was 10 years ago, and it's a perfect spot for Kenny," Kerr said. "Continuity was already there and they were damn good last year, but Kenny has added his touch. He obviously is a good fit."

Atkinson's up-tempo style quickly won over the face of the franchise, All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Atkinson had previously worked with current Cavs players Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert during his head-coaching stint in Brooklyn, making the transition even smoother.

Utilizing Cleveland's depth has also paid dividends during the best start in franchise history. Ten players are averaging at least 15 minutes a game, but none is logging more than 30.

"We're playing fast, and we're playing the right way," said backup guard Ty Jerome, who scored a season-high 20 points against Golden State. "Everyone is making shots, and everyone is having fun. And Donovan and Darius' selflessness is allowing us to play that way."

On an evening when the Cavaliers built a 41-point halftime lead at 83-42 -- tying the eighth largest in the NBA's shot clock era -- and equaled the team record for points in a half, several players noted they still haven't reached their potential.

Cleveland has outshot its opponent in each game but has won the rebounding battle only four times. The Cavs also committed 19 turnovers that led to 30 points against the Warriors.

"That's the thing -- we have a long way to go, a lot of stuff to clean up, which is great," Allen said. "We know we can be better, and we're not going to stop working until we get there. Kenny is one of the best coaches in the league and it's showing."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NEW YORK -- The Milwaukee Bucks finally had reason to feel good about themselves -- or at least feel a measure of relief -- on Thursday when they beat the lowly Utah Jazz to snap a six-game losing skid, their longest since 2015.

But the Bucks followed that showing by getting dominated Friday night by the New York Knicks 116-94 at Madison Square Garden.

And Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo made it known after the loss that he wasn't pleased at all with the team's effort.

Antetokounmpo said the performance was more disheartening because it came on the heels of three straight showings in which the Bucks -- who dropped to 2-7 and are tied for 13th place in the Eastern Conference -- played hard and gave themselves a chance to win. And instead of building on that, he said the team lacked heart against the Knicks.

"Did we compete the previous game? Yes. Did we compete the two [games before that]? Yes. Did we compete today? No. ... If you don't compete your ass off, you're not going to win the game," he said. "[You have to] at least give yourself a chance.

"We came to New York after playing great last night. Then we come here and lose by 30. Are you OK with not competing? I'm not OK with that s---. We've got Boston in two days. We don't compete, we're going to lose by 30."

Both Antetokounmpo and Bucks coach Doc Rivers pointed to the Knicks' seven offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone as a metric that spoke to New York's higher level of effort and physicality. Rivers recalled a first-half play where three of his players knelt to recover a loose ball, only to watch a Knick dive on the floor and come up with it for an extra possession.

Effort aside, it doesn't help that Milwaukee simply looks old and slow much of the time. The Bucks, who at one time had one of the best defenses in the league, had no answer whatsoever for Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists), who torched them from deep and repeatedly drove past Brook Lopez for easy baskets.

The point-of-attack defense, which hasn't been the same since the team acquired star guard Damian Lillard and dealt stopper Jrue Holiday ahead of the 2023-24 season, is among the NBA's most vulnerable. Entering Friday, the Bucks ranked 28th of 30 teams in defending pick-and-roll ball handlers (only Atlanta and Detroit have struggled more on a per-possession basis).

The Bucks' offense hasn't been particularly good, either, ranking just 21st in the league, even with Antetokounmpo and Lillard. Rivers said that, as a coach, he has to find ways to get forward Bobby Portis going. Lopez, too, has struggled to find himself offensively.

But Antetokounmpo said that all those things -- from coaching to shooting luck -- are moot until the team plays harder more consistently.

"At the end of the day, we've got to compete," said Antetokounmpo, who finished with 24 points and 12 boards. "Teams are not just going to give us games. They're not going to feel bad for us.

"We've got to compete every single possession. Every loose ball, we've got to get a body on the floor and put it on the line. But we didn't compete at all."

The Chiba Lotte Marines announced Saturday they will begin the process of posting Roki Sasaki, the Japanese right-hander considered one of the most talented pitchers in the world, paving the way for the 23-year-old to join Major League Baseball in 2025.

The posting system is the method of transfer between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball that makes him available to all 30 teams.

Sasaki, nicknamed The Monster of the Reiwa Era, throws a fastball that regularly reaches triple digits and complements it with a frontline split-fingered fastball and a slider.

Because of his age, Sasaki is considered an international amateur free agent and can sign only a minor league contract, which drastically limits how much teams can pay him -- and how much Lotte reaps through the associated 20% posting fee. Players who are at least 25 with six years played in a foreign league can sign major league contracts when posted. Had he waited, Sasaki could have sought a deal for hundreds of millions of dollars, similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in late December for 12 years and $325 million. Instead, Sasaki, who asked to be posted last year but was denied by the team, will take a similar path as Shohei Ohtani, the superstar who arrived in MLB at 23 and signed with the Los Angeles Angels for $2.3 million.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Only a dozen times in their storied histories had North Carolina and Kansas met on the hardwood.

They made sure No. 13 would be memorable.

The top-ranked Jayhawks raced to a 20-point first-half lead Friday night, led by All-American center Hunter Dickinson and a highly touted class of transfers. And the ninth-ranked Tar Heels mounted a big second-half comeback, led by All-American guard RJ Davis and the rest of their elite backcourt, eventually pulling ahead as time was winding down at Allen Fieldhouse.

But just as they have so often at the Phog, the Jayhawks made the plays that mattered in the end.

Dickinson scored the go-ahead basket with 1:15 to go, added a foul shot with 12 seconds left and watched as North Carolina's Elliot Cadeau missed a 3-pointer as time expired that allowed the Jayhawks to escape with a 92-89 victory.

"Total class on both sides. It was cheer your team but don't get after the other team," said Kansas coach Bill Self, who matched building namesake Phog Allen for the most wins at the school with his 590th. "Even though we didn't play our best, we found a way to win. I think it was a good game for both programs."

The stars certainly shined in the latest showdown of two schools with a combined 10 national titles.

South Dakota State transfer Zeke Mayo had 21 points for Kansas. Dickinson scored 20 and KJ Adams Jr. finished with 14 as the Jayhawks (2-0) narrowly avoided matching the biggest blown-lead loss in school history.

Seth Trimble had 19 points, Davis scored 16 and Cadeau finished with 12 points and seven assists for the Tar Heels (1-1), who were able to come back from their 49-29 deficit in part because of a 28-for-31 performance at the foul line.

"I mean, any time you bring two unbelievable programs that have terrific kids and talented kids -- competitive kids -- it doesn't matter whether it's March or November. It's going to be competitive," North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said.

"You run through that tunnel and you see that crowd, and you see Kansas across the court," Davis added. "If you can't be fired up to play and compete in this type of atmosphere, against that type of team, something must be wrong with you."

It is the shared history of North Carolina and Kansas -- the quality of their matchups, including five Final Four tussles and two national title games, along with the Hall of Fame coaches that bind them together -- that has made their series a rivalry.

In fact, this was only the second game on campus, and it came more than six decades after eventual Kansas coach Larry Brown led the Tar Heels to victory in the Phog. And despite the rarity of home-and-home series in an era of enlarged conference schedules, in-season tournaments and interleague showdowns, the 14th game between Kansas and North Carolina is due to take place Nov. 14, 2025, when the Jayhawks visit Chapel Hill for the first time.

Until then, the bragging rights in a series deadlocked at six wins apiece before Friday night remain with Kansas.

The Jayhawks, who rallied from 16 down to beat North Carolina in their last matchup for the 2022 national title, seized control with an early 15-3 run and eventually stretched the lead to 20 with just under two minutes to go in the first half.

The Tar Heels, led by their exceptional backcourt but weaker in the post, struggled to contain Dickinson and Adams when their big men got into foul trouble. Jalen Washington, Jae'Lyn Withers and Ven-Allen Lubin sat for stretches in the first half with two fouls apiece, and Tyzhaun Claude picked up three for North Carolina in just 3 minutes.

Once the big men got back, though, the Tar Heels started to come back. And it didn't take long to make it a game.

Davis, Cadeau and Trimble did most of the work, just as they are expected to do all season. But the big guys also played a part in the comeback, and it was back-to-back baskets by Withers that gave North Carolina an 80-79 lead with 7:06 to go.

The teams jockeyed for the lead from there, the Tar Heels pulling ahead 89-87 on Washington's basket with 2 minutes left. But Mayo answered for Kansas at the other end, and after getting a stop, Dickinson provided the go-ahead bucket. He added the first of two free throws with 12 seconds left, setting up North Carolina's last-chance 3-pointer.

When the shot from Cadeau bounced away, the Jayhawks spilled onto the court in a celebration fit for March.

After all, they had won a game fit for the NCAA tournament.

"I wanted to play this game because I love playing basketball. I love competing," said Davis, his voice hoarse from yelling over the din. "They got to come to our place next year. The game is the game, you know? I just love competing."

The Auburn men's basketball team's flight to Houston had to be grounded shortly after takeoff Friday because of a scuffle involving two Tigers players, sources confirmed to ESPN.

The incident was over before it escalated into anything serious, sources said, but the flight's personnel opted to turn the plane around.

The Auburn team's replacement flight took off for Houston late Friday night, sources told ESPN.

University officials did not respond to a request for comment.

The No. 11 Tigers face No. 4 Houston (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU) on Saturday.

Auburn opened its season with a 94-43 win over Vermont, highlighted by 21 points off the bench from Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly.

The news was first reported by Field of 68.

The Seattle Kraken welcomed back a familiar face, acquiring forward Daniel Sprong from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday for future considerations.

Sprong, a journeyman Dutch winger, scored a goal and three points in nine games for the Canucks, his sixth team since becoming a full-time NHL player in 2018-19. Sprong has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals and spent last season with the Detroit Red Wings.

Sprong, who scored 18 goals and 43 points with the Red Wings, spent portions of two seasons with the Kraken. His most productive campaign was also his first full one with the franchise, in 2022-23, when he scored a career-high 21 goals and 46 points in 66 games. His reaching the 20-goal mark for the first time played a role in the Kraken having 13 players reach double figures en route to making the playoffs in their second season.

The Kraken would miss the playoffs in 2023-24, which led to the club ultimately parting ways with its first coach, Dave Hakstol, and hiring former Penguins and Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma.

Sprong's return could provide secondary offense to a team that has struggled to score goals to start the season. Half of the team's 40 goals through 14 games have been scored by four players: Jared McCann, Jordan Eberle, Brandon Montour and Eeli Tolvanen. Entering Friday, the Kraken (5-8-1) were ranked 21st with 2.79 goals per game while also being five points out of the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

RB Leipzig make their stance on Benjamin Šeško regarding a possible move away as Neymar appears poised to remain at Al Hilal. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors, and gossip from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

- Benjamin Šeško doesn't have a release clause in his RB Leipzig contract, but he does have a "gentleman's agreement" with the club over a potential exit next summer, Sky Sports Deutschland reports. The 21-year-old already has seven goals this season and has recently been linked with several Premier League sides, including Manchester United and Chelsea. Though the German club are not contractually obliged to let Šeško depart next summer, there is said to be an understanding that he is free to leave if an interested club submits an offer worth 70 million to 75 million.

- Contrary to talk of a contract termination, Neymar is set to remain at Al Hilal until next summer, reports Florian Plettenberg. Reports have recently suggested that the Saudi club are preparing to cut his time short, but the Brazilian superstar is "unaware of any such developments." The 32-year-old is currently sidelined for six to eight weeks because of a muscle injury. But Plettenberg asserts Neymar's main goal remains to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

- Manchester City are "seriously interested" in AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, reports Calciomercato. The Italian outlet also links Barcelona and Real Madrid with the player, who has turned plenty of heads this season with his performances in the UEFA Champions League. The 26-year-old is likely to cost more than 60m next summer, having only joined Milan in 2023. Despite his current deal running until 2028, the Serie A club are in the process of negotiating a contract extension.

- Newcastle United are working on a deal to sign highly rated Sevilla centre-back Loïc Badé, Football Insider reports. The report suggests that Badé has been identified as an alternative to Marc Guéhi, whom the Magpies unsuccessfully attempted to sign in the summer. The France international could be available for as little as 30m, less than half of what Newcastle were prepared to spend on Guéhi back in August. Crucially, Sevilla are struggling financially and could be tempted to accept significant offers for Badé in an attempt to raise funds.

- Bayern Munich have signed United States under-17 international Bajung Darboe from MLS side LAFC, Tom Bogert reports. The Bundesliga giants are set to pay a fee of $1.5 million for the just-turned-18-year-old forward, who previously trained with the German club back in 2022. Darboe is yet to feature for the LAFC first team, although he has played 14 times for LAFC 2 in MLS Next Pro.

It's time for a logical and decisive step to rebalance -- and, to some degree, future-proof -- Real Madrid. What does that mean? With news that they're already considering big moves in the winter transfer window, it's time to go big in the pursuit of Joshua Kimmich in January.

Kimmich, who turns 30 in February, is in the final year of his contract with Bayern Munich. A month ago, all the reporting suggested he was having "positive talks" over an extension to his contract that runs through June 2025. Maybe he is, but until he signs, the reality of the situation is that he is heading to free agency. The fact he has yet to put pen to paper on a deal that, you'd assume, would be comparable to his current one -- he's already among the club's highest-paid players, with wages in excess of $20 million a season -- suggests he's open to hearing other offers, even if only to gain leverage in a negotiation.

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That's the reality Bayern and Kimmich face. The clocks tick, the screws turn, and Real Madrid would be foolish not to try to exploit this. For it to work, it would have to come down to numbers. Two of them: the contract Real Madrid offers Kimmich, in both duration and salary, and the fee they would need to agree with Bayern.

Both obviously are subject to negotiation, but neither seems beyond reach. Let's break it down.

Why it makes sense for Kimmich to join Real Madrid

This is Kimmich's 10th season with Bayern, and he has won eight league titles, four German Cups and the Champions League. If he ever wants a new experience while still at the peak of his powers, the time is now. Real Madrid would give him another massive stage; he'd experience a different environment with different teammates, which is likely to help him grow further. And if he wants to win another Champions League? Well, the odds at Madrid are pretty good.

Why it makes sense for Bayern to let him leave

The obvious point is if you think you're at serious risk of losing Kimmich as a free agent, at least you can get something for him now. It won't be his full market value because he'll be six months from leaving for free, but it will be something, and you'll be getting his wages off the books for six months. Between the savings on wages for half a season and the fee you'd be getting, that could be anywhere between 30-50m -- maybe more -- which is a lot more than, well, zero.

Yes, you want to be competitive this season and you'll need to replace him. Do you trust Aleksandar Pavlovic, who is expected back from injury in December, to take over Kimmich's role alongside one of João Palhinha and/or Konrad Laimer? Would you need to go back and search for a Kimmich alternative straight away, and how much it would cost?

Big questions, I know.

Obviously it would mean Bayern are worse off this season, but would it preclude a Bundesliga title and a run in Europe? I don't think so. And how much is that worth to you, and to the medium-term well-being of the side? My hunch is, especially with a new manager (Vincent Kompany) in charge this season and Jamal Musiala growing in stature, moving on wouldn't be the end of the world. Or, at least, it's a contingency for which the club have planned, whether now or in the summer.

It's not just Kimmich whose deal is up at the end of the season. Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich, forwards Thomas Muller and Leroy Sané, and defenders Eric Dier and Alphonso Davies are out of contract in June too. Some might stay on "team-friendly" deals, and it's true that only Neuer and Davies are starters, but that's a lot of churn in the squad. The extra financial resources will come in handy when it comes time to reload.

Why Kimmich makes sense for Real Madrid

This won't solve all their problems, let's be clear. There will still be wobbles at the back. Up front, Vinícius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé will still need to figure out how to play together, while the absence of pressing and off-the-ball work from those two will still place an extra onus on the rest of the side.

But you will be adding somebody who is a legitimate, tried-and-tested, creative passer in midfield. Maybe not like Toni Kroos was last season, but potentially not that far off. And there's simply nobody like that right now in the team, at least among the cohort of players aged 38 and under. (Yeah, Luka Modric is still great at 39, but he obviously can't play regular minutes.)

Thomas Tuchel might not have been a fan, but Kimmich brings order in possession. That matters because when opponents sit deep, Vini and Mbappé don't have space in which to work, and their movement and patterns of play aren't quite there yet. Because they rarely press and generate turnovers in the final third, you won't be creating chances that way either. And so you rely on set pieces or moments of individual skill, which is hardly a game plan. With Kimmich, you'd have somebody who can unlock opposing defences and who generally plays on the front foot.

Beyond that, Kimmich's versatility would also open up a whole range of options. In certain situations, you could try dropping Aurélien Tchouaméni (when he's back from injury) into the back three if that's what you want to do. Or Kimmich himself: he's done it in the past. And, of course, he can play right-back too, and with Dani Carvajal out for the season, you need an alternative to Lucas Vázquez in that role. (The nice bonus here is that signing Kimmich wouldn't preclude you chasing another free-agent-to-be at right back, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, since Kimmich prefers playing in midfield.)

Sure, he won't come cheap, but Real Madrid became the first club to pass the billion Euro revenue mark last year, while staying profitable, and they expect to do so again this year. They'll want to invest in a defender this summer, but beyond that, if you get Kimmich, the squad is settled and there won't be any glaring priorities transfer-wise. (Put differently, if you don't get Kimmich now, you'd still need to find a creative Kroos/Modric type in the summer, and if you have to acquire him for a fee, it will cost you a darn sight more than whatever you'll pay now for Kimmich.)

There's more. You'd be getting a guy who already worked with your current manager (Carlo Ancelotti) and played alongside your potential future manager (Xabi Alonso). And you'd be getting a natural leader, captain of Germany, a guy who is already battle-tested on a high-pressure big stage such as Bayern, which makes him more adaptable to the Bernabeu than most.

We've heard rumblings of this scenario for a while, but previously it felt like contract negotiation histrionics from the Kimmich camp. Defeats in the Clásico and the Champions League, however, have brought this issue into focus for Real Madrid. And in just over 50 days, should he so choose, Kimmich can sign for any club in the world as a free agent before next season.

Bayern and Real Madrid are clubs who, for all their success, have minded the bottom line, recording a profit for most of the past few decades. This would be a business decision as much as a sporting one, but if they can reach the right number -- and if Kimmich is on board -- it could help everyone involved.

New Zealand captain Scott Barrett says he "took exception" to Ireland lock Joe McCarthy in the All Blacks' 23-13 win in Dublin.

Barrett squared up to McCarthy early in the match after he felt the Irish player had "cleaned up" fly-half Damian McKenzie while he was on the ground after a ruck.

McKenzie kicked 18 points as the All Blacks ended Ireland's 19-game unbeaten run in Dublin.

"I don't usually take exception but I saw something that I guess was below the line for me," Barrett said when asked to explain the incident.

"I had to make a point of not to be targeting our 10 like that."

Barrett said he felt "he had to defend McKenzie", who he believed was targeted by the Irish players.

Play was paused as players ran to McCarthy and Barrett before the game was resumed by referee Nic Berry without any sanctions.

"From where I saw it, it looked like it was around his head. Whether it was or not, I'm not too sure.

"It just looked like a ruck, he was on the ground. From where I saw it it looked like a bit of a shoulder to a man on the ground, who was our ten.

"I guess I took exception to that in the moment. It may not have been."