Off-Topic » The Sixers scrapped their traditional confetti cannon celebrat

When Emmanuel Sanders returned from vacation to start the Denver Broncos‘ offseason training program Bruce Irvin Jersey , he went straight to the team store and loved what he saw.

Hanging off the racks were No. 4 Case Keenum jerseys.

For the first time since Peyton Manning’s retirement after Super Bowl 50, the Broncos entered their offseason training program certain of who will be under center after signing Keenum to a two-year, $36 million deal and declaring him the starter.

”I appreciate it, for sure,” Sanders said Wednesday. ”This is the first time in two or three years that I’m not standing up here talking about a quarterback debate. I remember when I got out here, I went out to the team store and I saw Case Keenum jerseys . I was like, `Thank God, I don’t have to deal with that again.’

”Case is our guy. We can go from there. We can work our butts off, try to gain chemistry and try to put up points.”

On the day he signed his contract, Keenum was named the starter by general manager John Elway, who also traded Trevor Siemian, who had beaten Paxton Lynch for the starting quarterback job each of the past two summers, to Minnesota.

After the draft last weekend, Elway reiterated two things about Lynch Vic Beasley Jersey , whom he traded up to draft in the first round out of Memphis two years ago:

-He still believes he’ll figure things out and become a starting NFL quarterback.

-He’ll have to beat out Chad Kelly this offseason to win the backup job.

If he doesn’t, it would mark the third straight summer that Lynch has failed to beat out a seventh-rounder for a job.

Sanders, who said he’s healthy after being bothered by an ankle injury almost all of last season, is a big fan of Keenum and of the Broncos’ decision to declare him the starter right away.

”He’s a leader,” Sanders said, adding that ”98 percent” of his passes so far have been on target. ”He’s confident in himself. He’s one of those guys that when he steps into the huddle, he’s that leader.

”You don’t have to second-guess what his thought process is. We’re going to complete this ball. We’re going to keep the ball moving. I’m liking what I’m seeing from him so far.”

Sanders and Demaryius Thomas were loath last season to complain about it, but they were clearly affected by the turnstile at quarterback as the Broncos churned through Siemian, Lynch and Brock Osweiler during a 5-11 season.

”You can sit back and say we’re all professional football players and you’ve got to deal with that situation, but at the same time, obviously you can’t gain the same chemistry,” Sanders said.

”You don’t have the same mindset. You have to talk to two different quarterbacks. When you’re going into individual routes, you have to go to one guy and then go with the next guy. You don’t really gain that chemistry. You’re not maximizing the opportunity.

”Now we’re maximizing the opportunity, and hopefully it pays off.”

The Broncos also added some talent into their wide receiving depth Mitchell Schwartz Jersey , replacing free agent departures Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler III with draft picks Courtland Sutton of SMU and DaeSean Hamilton of Penn State.

Sanders, who also played at SMU, worked out with Sutton over the winter and was delighted when the Broncos picked him in the second round.

At 6-4 and 218 pounds, he’s built like Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

”D.T. is big,” Sanders said, but Sutton ”looks like he belongs in the NBA. Working out with him, he has amazing feet. He’s very fluid for being so big. I’m looking forward to getting him in here and just working. Hopefully he can come up with some big plays for us this year.”

At 6-1 and 205 pounds, Hamilton is closer to Sanders’ size – 5-11, 180 – but still bigger.

”I’m going to teach those guys everything that I know,” Sanders said. ”That’s my job.”

Sanders, who is 31 years old and will make $8.25 million this season, said he’s not concerned that the rookies will eventually unseat him.

”That’s going to happen sooner or later,” Sanders said. ”… All I can do is make plays every single day and show that if I become expendable here, just show some other team Will Hernandez Jersey , hey, look, I still got it. I still got the juice.”

NOTES: The Broncos face a Thursday deadline to exercise OLB Shane Ray’s fifth-year option at more than $9 million, which seems unlikely given that he’s started 15 games in three seasons, missed most of last season with a wrist injury and watched Bradley Chubb fall to Denver with the fifth pick in the last week’s NFL draft.

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The chants for ”TJ! TJ!” grew louder each time T.J. McConnell darted through the lane for an easy basket or buried a 3 to build an insurmountable lead for the 76ers. He wore a sheepish look as teammates rubbed his head on the bench in appreciation, the big moment due on an undrafted guard who plugged a role in the early Process days and morphed into a surprise postseason savior.

McConnell turned an eye-popping start into the save of the season and Dario Saric scored 25 points to help Philadelphia stave off elimination in a 103-92 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 4 on Monday night.

”If I saw a lane, I took it. If I had an open shot, I would try and take it,” McConnell said.

Easy enough.

Yet the Sixers still face daunting odds headed into Game 5 and trailing 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals: No NBA team has ever won a series down 3-0.

McConnell had a career-high 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in only his second start of the season and meshed well in the backcourt with Ben Simmons. The crowd chanted his initials each time he touched the ball in the fourth and he proved why he has been so valuable even as bigger stars have sliced his playing time.

He was just what coach Brett Brown needed in a must-win game.

”I can tell you the Philadelphia 76ers spirit is just fine,” Brown said.

With NBA teams down 3-0 having lost all 129 series, the Sixers may need more than spirit to pull off this stunner.

Joel Embiid had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Simmons had 19 points and 13 boards.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and Marcus Morris had 17.

The Sixers spent the second half in control in what could be their last home game of the season.

Embiid was still in the mix in his mask, stirring it up with any Celtic within his wingspan. He chirped at Marcus Morris in the third and the Celtics forward flashed a ”3-0” with his hands. McConnell buried a 3 for a 14-point lead that would soon make that combination obsolete.

The ”TJ!” chants soon echoed throughout the Wells Fargo Center.

”It was a pretty special moment,” McConnell said of the chants. ”I think we have the best fans in the NBA. They’ve been here through the dark times and they’ve certainly been here on our rise.”

So has McConnell.

Brown was desperate to spark the Sixers and benched slumping forward Robert Covington (0 for 14 combined in Games 1 and 3) for McConnell. McConnell had started 68 games combined over the last two seasons and served as an example of the type of player The Process was built on. He was an underdog Sam Koch Jersey , a hustler, a court general averaging 6.5 points that made him a reliable favorite for Brown. But Simmons’ emergence put McConnell on the bench, and without complaint.

With a chance to shine, McConnell zipped inside for easy buckets, made the extra pass to keep the offense rolling and made the dive for loose balls.

”How do I help my stars be stars because at the end of the day that’s what we need,” Brown said. ”That’s my job.”

He turned to McConnell, that’s how.

The anticipation of elimination and a 6 p.m. EDT tip sharply cut into attendance and the game had more of an early-season feel until Embiid and Terry Rozier shook everyone up with pushing and shoving late in the first half. Embiid tried to strip the ball from Rozier after the whistle. Rozier tightened his grip and Embiid slapped at the ball again. The 6-foot-1 Rozier shoved the 7-2 Embiid in the chest with his right hand and the two quickly had to be separated.

”He tried to punch me twice. Too bad he’s so short he couldn’t get to my face,” Embiid said.

Rozier and Embiid were hit with Ts. Then they each hit 3s.

Embiid buried one that had the crowd buzzing until Rozier came right back and hit his own.

The Celtics took a punch – but they can still finish it Wednesday at home.

”Finish the game. Get it done,” Boston’s Jaylen Brown said. ”Advance and do what we were supposed to do.”

TIP-INS

Celtics: G Shane Larkin left with a left shoulder injury in the first quarter. … Markieff Morris of the Wizards was in the stands to support twin brother Marcus. The brothers are Philly natives.

Sixers: Covington still hit the bench early in the second quarter with three quick fouls. … Missed 10 of 14 3s in the first half.

MAN DOWN

The Celtics could be even more of a threat had Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward not been lost this season to injury.

”There’s not a coach in the world that wouldn’t want everybody available,” coach Brad Stevens said. ”I think that obviously we’d be better with those guys. They’re very good players. Both unselfish players. But I really like this group and those guys are still a part of that.”

CONFETTI BENCHED

The Sixers scrapped their traditional confetti cannon celebration after it was prematurely shot at the end of regulation in a Game 3 overtime loss.

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