DURHAM, N.C. — Twenty minutes were just a taste.

Or really, a tease.

Only so much can be gleaned from these preseason, meet-the-team, intrasquad events, like Duke’s Countdown to Craziness on Friday night. They’re as much about the schtick — mood lighting, air cannons, silly introductory dances — as any actual basketball. And, obviously, they don’t count.

But they do have meaning.

Especially in the case of this projected top-five preseason team — with the country’s top freshman in Cooper Flagg and a bevy of other NBA hopefuls — this is a glimpse. A snapshot of what’s possible. So when you see junior guard Tyrese Proctor on the fast break, with Flagg — the expected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — sprinting ahead of him, and then you see Proctor kick ahead an outlet pass, and you see Flagg loading up as he takes off toward the rim …

Well, you start imagining the possibilities. About the high-flying acrobatics about to unfold, yes, but also beyond. Your mind skips forward, to the sorts of spectacular plays and games this team may have in store if it can deliver on even a fraction of the still-growing hype surrounding it.

The moment, at least, delivered: Flagg effortlessly elevated off the Cameron Indoor court, twisted backward in midair and flushed home a highlight dunk with a ho-hum attitude.

His face seemed to say, more to come.

“You can’t really describe it, the feeling when you’re out there playing,” Flagg said. “That type of stuff is something you can’t really experience until it happens.”

Flagg finished the night with 13 points — third-most overall, considering players were switching teams at halftime — as well as three rebounds, three assists, and two turnovers. He was … good, if not overly deferential.

“I thought Cooper tonight was being a little hesitant, and just getting a feel for things,” coach Jon Scheyer said. “That’s the beauty of Coop: He’s such a team player, and he has such a great feel for the game.”

That much was evident, even on his first basket. The 6-foot-9 Maine native drove left from outside the arc, then switched the ball to his right hand in midair, showcasing the touch and inside finishing he’s so known for. From the first row of Duke’s student section, through the raucous applause, you could hear one Cameron Crazie note the occasion:

Those were Cooper Flagg’s first points at Duke.

The novelty around Flagg, especially early on — and especially if he’s as good as expected, anywhere near the Zion Williamson stratosphere that no one in college hoops has occupied since — will be a thing. His first dunk. First pick six. First 20-point game, first double-double. All of it. It will be noted, diligently, the continuing ascent of someone already deemed “generational” by the masses before his 18th birthday. (That’s Dec. 21, by the way; Georgia Tech drew the short stick and hosts the Blue Devils that night.)

Flagg, of course, can’t look at this season that way. Neither can his teammates, many of whom — like fellow freshmen Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel — will likely be following him to the NBA as early as next June. If Duke learned anything from its star-studded 2018-19 season with Williamson, it’s how to handle the spectacle that follows a phenomenon.

“You’ve just gotta stay present,” Proctor said. “Everyone knows who Coop is. Everyone knows who Khaman is. Everyone knows who all these guys are. So I think from day one, everyone has been on the same page. We haven’t necessarily had to sit down and talk about, ‘It’s going to be we over me.’ Everyone sort of knows that.”

But saying so in front of your home fans, on a night that’s more ceremonial than serious, is one thing — and maintaining that after a tough early-season stretch is another entirely. In the first month of the season, Duke plays (deep breath) Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Atlanta, at Arizona, versus Kansas in Las Vegas, all before hosting Auburn in the ACC-SEC Challenge in early December. That’s three of The Athletic’s top 10 preseason teams, one after another after another. We’ll have a good sense by Flagg’s birthday of the kind of talent he is, what kind of team Duke is — and how fair the national title expectations for this squad really are.

Friday was a taste of all that, a 20-minute morsel before the 30-plus games Duke has coming over the next five — maybe six — months.

It’s nothing worth overreacting to.

But it is, if nothing else, worth noting. Because Friday was Flagg’s, and Duke’s, beginning.

“I liked seeing him in a Duke uniform tonight,” Scheyer said. “I know that much.”

(Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys fans were sent a dire warning as thunderstorms rolled through Acrisure Stadium on Sunday night, which delayed their kickoff.

Stadium officials posted a message to social media telling fans to get to cover as the storms came into the area. The NBC broadcast showed lightning across the sky.

“Weather update: Fans in attendance at tonight’s game, please take cover in the concourses and in the FedEx Great Hall,” the message read.

The game was set to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Steelers were about to be introduced when NFL officials decided to delay the start of the game.

Pittsburgh was looking to stymie the Dallas offense. They entered the game 3-1 behind starting quarterback Justin Fields and an elite defense led by T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

A message is seen on a large screen during a weather delay prior to an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

GIANTS BLOCK SEAHAWKS’ GAME-TYING FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT, RETURN BALL FOR CLUTCH TD

Fields has been a surprise after being thrust into the starting role for an injured Russell Wilson. He had 830 passing yards and three touchdown passes in the first four games of the season. He also has 145 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

The Cowboys barely got past the New York Giants last week. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb got reacquainted as the wide receiver had seven catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields works out prior to an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Dallas is down Micah Parsons and Deuce Vaughn for the game. The Cowboys placed Brandin Cooks and DeMarcus Lawrence on injured reserve earlier this week.

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It’s going to be a long week for the Rams.

And the way things continue to play out, it could be a very long season.

The Rams’ 24-19 defeat to the Green Packers on Sunday before 72,842 at SoFi Stadium — many of them Packers fans — dropped their record to 1-4 heading into their off week.

Coach Sean McVay and the still-injury-depleted Rams welcome the bye.

It will be goodbye to already dim playoff hopes, however, if they don’t pull it together during the next two weeks before they return to play the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 20.

On Sunday, the Rams could not overcome inexcusable penalties, a lost fumble and an interception to lose their second game in a row.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love capitalized on all of the mistakes, turning them into a field goal and two touchdown passes to tight end Tucker Kraft as the visitors improved to 3-2.

Last season, the Rams suffered a loss to the Packers that dropped their record to 3-6 heading into the off week. Quarterback Matthew Stafford returned from a thumb injury and led them to seven wins in eight games to finish 10-7 and make the playoffs.

The Rams could make a similar run if injured players return in time to save the season. Star receiver Cooper Kupp is expected to return for the game against the Raiders.

Receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom, who suffered injuries in the season-opening defeat to the Lions, also are eligible to return from injured reserve, though McVay has given no definitive timeline for when they will be ready.

Offensive lineman Jonah Jackson and safety John Johnson III are eligible to return after the game against the Raiders.

On Sunday, Stafford nearly pulled off another comeback while completing 29 of 45 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown, with an interception. Kyren Williams rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown in 22 carries, but lost a fumble.

The Rams led, 13-10, at halftime on Williams’ touchdown run and Jaylen McCollough’s interception return for a score, the first touchdown by the Rams defense since the 2022 season. Love was attempting to throw the ball away to avoid a sack and a safety, heaving the ball blindly and into McCollough’s arms near the goal line.

Williams’ fumble during the first possession of the second half gave the Packers the opportunity to take the lead. Love tossed a mid-range pass to Kraft, who shed cornerback Darious Williams and safety Quentin Lake en route to a 66-yard touchdown.

On the ensuing possession, Xavier McKinney intercepted a pass by Stafford and returned it 28 yards to set up a Packers’ drive that ended with Love’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Kraft.

The Rams pulled within 24-19 on Stafford’s short touchdown pass to receiver Demarcus Robinson with 3:30 left but Tutu Atwell was stopped short of the goal line in a two-point conversion attempt on a jet sweep.

The Rams got the ball back with just less than three minutes left, but Stafford’s fourth-down pass with 1:02 remaining fell incomplete.