Page 16 - Aruba-today-17 Sept 2020

A16 SPORTS
Thursday 17 sepTember 2020
Mahomes, Chiefs on top of season's first AP Pro32 poll

NEW YORK (AP) — Patrick "I think it's time for every-
Mahomes and the Kansas body, including myself, to
City Chiefs have been rid- realize this is what it's like.
ing high since winning the I think it came full circle,"
Super Bowl in February. Newton said Monday. "For
And after their opening me to just kind of realize
34-20 win over the Hous- that I'm a New England
ton Texans, the defending Patriot and I'm just going
champs are off to a good to embrace this whole mo-
start in their bid to repeat. ment."
"What makes this offense The Green Bay Packers are
so good," Mahomes said at No. 5 after outlasting the
on Monday, "is that we can Minnesota Vikings 43-34.
change within games. We The Pittsburgh Steelers be-
can go through our game gin at No. 6. Ben Roethlis-
plan and find ways to score berger made a successful
and find ways to move the return from elbow surgery
ball down the field, and after missing 14 games last
(against Houston) it was season as he threw three
running the football and TD passes in a 26-16 win
taking the short passes." over the New York Giants.
The Chiefs are also No. 1 in "We said afterward it wasn't
the first AP Pro32 poll of the perfect. It wasn't even
season. Kansas City earned good some of the time of-
10 of 12 first-place votes for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes passes against the Houston Texans in the first fensively," Roethlisberger
382 points in balloting Tues- half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. said. "But at the end of the
day by media members Associated Press day we found a way to
who regularly cover the win."
NFL. and travel to Houston to pressive 34-23 win over Tom two interceptions, includ- The Buffalo Bills, hoping to
The Baltimore Ravens are face the Texans on Sunday. Brady and the Tampa Bay ing a pick-6. dethrone the Patriots atop
No. 2 in the poll. They re- "It's just hard work and ded- Buccaneers, who despite The Seattle Seahawks open the AFC East, start out one
ceived the remaining two ication," Ravens quarter- enormous preseason build- at No. 4 after a 38-25 win spot ahead of New Eng-
first-place votes for 371 back Lamar Jackson said up start out at No. 14. over the Atlanta Falcons. land at No. 7.
points. on Monday. "Our guys just "Every team is going to The Seahawks will try to go NFC West rivals round out
The Ravens, who finished dialed in. They helped me wish they did things better," 2-0 on Sunday night when the top 10 as the Los Ange-
with the best record in the out a lot, made my job a lot Brady said after his Tampa they host Cam Newton and les Rams (No. 9) and Arizo-
NFL last season at 14-2, easier." Bay debut. Brady was 23 the New England Patriots, na each had a successful
cruised to a 38-6 win in their The New Orleans Saints are for 36 for 239 yards with two who are at No. 8 after top- start to 2020 after a so-so
opener against Cleveland next at No. 3 after their im- touchdown passes and ping the Miami Dolphins. 2019.q
Nuggets stun Clippers, who miss conference finals again

Denver became the first been. They fell to 0-8 all- And the Heat — down by
team in NBA history to ral- time in games where they 13 in the first quarter, down
ly from a 3-1 series deficit could clinch a trip to the by 14 in the fourth — struck
twice in the same postsea- conference finals. first, ending Boston's seven-
son. Leonard finished with 14 game streak of Game 1
Even more history: The Nug- points on 6-of-22 shooting, wins.
gets are the third team in while George had 10 points Tatum scored 30 points for
the U.S. major pro sports to on 4-of-16 shooting. the Celtics, Marcus Smart
rally from a pair of 3-1 defi- HEAT 117, CELTICS 114, OT had 26 points, Walker had
cits in the same playoffs, Jimmy Butler's three-point 19 and Jaylen Brown add-
joining the 1985 Kansas City play with 12 seconds left ed 17. Goran Dragic had 29
Royals and 2003 Minnesota put Miami up for good, points, Jae Crowder scored
Wild. Bam Adebayo blocked 22, Jimmy Butler scored 20
Denver will face LeBron Jayson Tatum's dunk at- and Adebayo had 18 for
Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler, bottom left, and Jae Crowder (99) James and the Los Angeles tempt in the final seconds the Heat.
look on as Bam Adebayo (13) blocks a shot attempt by Bos- Lakers in the conference fi- and Miami rallied to beat Miami's Tyler Herro was one
ton Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) in the closing seconds of overtime
of an NBA conference final playoff basketball game, Tuesday, nals. Boston in Game 1 of the assist shy of a triple-double
Sept. 15, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The 7-foot Jokic had a mon- Eastern Conference finals. — finishing with 12 points,
Associated Press ster game with 16 points, Kemba Walker's basket with 11 rebounds and nine as-
13 assists and 22 rebounds, 23.2 seconds left in over- sists.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) Murray scored 40 points, which were the most by a time put Boston up by one, Boston led 85-71 early in the
— Denver's dynamic duo Jokic had a triple-double Nuggets player in an NBA before Butler muscled his fourth and kept the lead
of Jamal Murray and Nikola by the third quarter and playoff game. way to the rim for a score for almost all of the final
Jokic led another stunning Denver again overcame Despite the additions of while getting fouled by Ta- period — until Butler con-
turnaround as the Nuggets a double-digit deficit to Kawhi Leonard and Paul tum. The Celtics went to Ta- nected on a 3-pointer from
advanced to the Western shock the Los Angeles Clip- George, the Clippers fell tum on the ensuing posses- the right corner with 22 sec-
Conference finals for the pers 104-89 in Game 7 on short of the conference fi- sion, only to watch him get onds left for a 106-105 Mi-
first time since 2009. Tuesday night. nals, where they've never denied by Adebayo. ami edge.q