Special teams big for Broncos
Emmanuel Sanders threw and caught touchdown passes, Denver returned two interceptions for first-quarter touchdowns and the Broncos snapped a four-game losing streak with a 45-10 rout of the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night.
Todd Davis returned rookie Josh Rosen’s deflected pass for a touchdown on the second play of the game and Chris Harris Jr. took another back 53 yards for a score with 2:02 left in the quarter as the Broncos (3-4) opened a 21-3 lead.
Rosen threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball away twice on a rough night that began badly for him and never got better. He limped off the field after he was sacked for the fifth time, on a fourth-and-16 play near the end of the game.
The Cardinals (1-6), down 35-3 at the half, fell to 0-4 at home for the first time since 1979.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kelly Olynyk’s putback of Dwyane Wade’s missed jumper produced the go-ahead basket with 0.2 seconds left Thursday night, lifting the Miami Heat to a ragged 113112 comeback victory over the Washington Wizards, who were without new centre Dwight Howard for their season opener.
Olynyk was booed every time he touched the ball, on account of a past playoff fracas with the Wizards back when he was with the Boston Celtics. But he certainly got to enjoy the way this game ended, after Miami trailed by as many as nine points.
Josh Richardson led Miami with 28 points, Rodney McGruder added 20, and the Heat hit consecutive threes late in the fourth quarter.
With Howard sidelined by a sore backside, the Wizards were led by old standby John Wall, who delivered 26 points and nine assists. He and fellow All-Star guard Bradley Beal, who scored 20 points, accounted for Washington’s last eight points.
But with a 112-111 lead, Wall missed a 26-foot pull-up jumper, giving Miami a chance. Wade’s shot with about three seconds left was off the mark, but Olynyk grabbed the rebound and his layup won it.
The Heat were playing on the second night of a back-to-back – they lost at Orlando on Wednesday – and Wade appeared in both games, scoring nine each night. He shot a combined 7 for 24.
Simmons shines
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben Simmons had a triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists and Joel Embiid had 30 points and 12 rebounds in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 127-108 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 30 points in their season opener.
The curious case of Markelle Fultz continued when one of the more scrutinized players in the NBA managed to steal the spotlight from his more accomplished teammate with simple jumpers.
Fultz had open looks early and 76ers fans exhorted him to “Shoot! Shoot!” each time he touched the ball as the second-year guard tries to overcome his aversion to jumpers.
He found the look he wanted three minutes into the second quarter. He dribbled to the foul line and hit an uncontested pull-up jumper, the ball rattling around the rim four times before it plopped through the net. Fans erupted in cheers as they gave him a standing ovation.