In brief: Broncos sign Seahawks free-agent offensive lineman Russell Okung
NFL: John Elway bolstered both his offensive line and his already strong reputation as one of the NFL’s best general managers Thursday by luring former Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung to the Denver Broncos.
Okung, who represented himself in negotiations, drew heavy interest in the free-agent market. His choice of Denver shows Elway can still attract a marquee free agent even without Peyton Manning as a selling point.
“Honestly, it’s a great organization and I think there are only a few top organizations in the NFL,” said Okung, who had anchored the Seahawks’ line for the last six seasons. “Denver is obviously one of those. The class and integrity, it goes with the organization and speaks volumes. I wanted to be a part of a place that did that.”
Selected by Seattle with the sixth pick in the 2010 draft out of Oklahoma State, Okung started 72 regular-season games and a dozen playoff contests for the Seahawks. He was a Pro Bowler in 2012.
Competition committee to review proposals: The NFL’s powerful competition committee is recommending making permanent extra-point kick snaps from the 15-yard line, eliminating all chop blocks and ejecting a player for twice receiving certain unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a game.
When NFL owners meet next week in Florida, they also will consider such proposals as moving the line of scrimmage up 5 yards to the 25 on kickoff touchbacks, allowing coaches and players to use video rather than just photos on sideline tablets, and expanding the penalties on horse-collar tackles to cover the nameplate on the uniform.
Day takes one-shot lead at Palmer
Golf: Jason Day one-putted his last seven holes and had a 6-under 66 to take a one-shot lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida.
Day felt he was playing better, and he finally has a score to prove it. He reached No. 1 in the world for the first time last September at the BMW Championship. In the five tournaments he has played since then, Day has finished at least seven shots back of the winner.
Lee shoots tourney record at JTBC: Mi Hyang Lee shot a tournament-record 10-under 62 in Phoenix’s JTBC Founders Cup after playing her first nine holes in 9 under.
On a day when fellow South Korean player Se Ri Pak announced she will retire at the end of the season, Lee threatened to shoot the second 59 in LPGA Tour history after opening with an eagle and seven birdies on the back nine.
Needing to play the front nine in 4 under to break 60, Lee made only one more birdie – on the par-5 fifth.
Raptors outlast Pacers in overtime
NBA: DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry each scored 28 points to lead the Toronto Raptors over the Indiana Pacers 101-94 in overtime in Indianapolis.
DeRozan had 10 points in the fourth quarter. He had a chance to win the game for Toronto at the end of regulation but missed a fade-away jumper on the wing as time expired. He’s scored at least 25 points in five of Toronto’s last six games.
Wall earns fourth triple-double: John Wall had 16 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds for his fourth triple-double of the season and the Washington Wizards held on for a 99-94 win over the 76ers in Philadelphia.
Wall made eight free throws in the final 14.6 seconds to help the Wizards win their third straight following a five-game losing streak that put their playoff hopes in peril.
McDermott leads Bulls past Nets: Doug McDermott scored 25 points and Jimmy Butler added 22 to help the Bulls beat the Brooklyn Nets 118-102 in Chicago.
It’s the third straight 20-plus point game for McDermott as Chicago moved a half-game in front of idle Detroit into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Bobby Portis added 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Hornets edge Heat: Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker each scored 21 points, and the Hornets overcame a 15-point first-half deficit to beat the Heat 109-106 in Miami.
Nic Batum scored 19 for the Hornets, who split four games with Miami this season and now have the same 39-29 record as the Heat in the jampacked Eastern Conference playoff chase. The Hornets are now 15-3 in their last 18 games.
Crosby scores twice in Penguins victory
NHL: Sidney Crosby scored a pair of highlight-reel goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 in Pittsburgh for their fourth straight victory.
Crosby beat Eddie Lack with a slick backhander in the first and added a redirect from his knees in the second to extend his points streak to 10 consecutive games.
Devils beat Wild: Devante Smith-Pelly, Mike Sislo and Adam Henrique scored two goals apiece and the New Jersey Devils had their best offensive performance of the season in a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Newark, New Jersey.
Reid Boucher also scored, Tyler Kennedy added a season-high three assists and Keith Kinkaid made 28 saves as New Jersey snapped a three-game home losing streak.
Gut, Kilde win season long super-G title
Miscellany: Lara Gut of Switzerland won the season long super-G title in St. Moritz, Switzerland while Aleksander Aamodt Kilde triumphed in the men’s event, continuing Norway’s domination of the discipline.
Gut, who had already secured the overall title, finished second behind Tina Weirather at the World Cup finals to overtake the injured Lindsey Vonn for the crystal globe.
Halverson withdrawn from Iditarod: A musher who was on track to be the last to finish Alaska’s 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race this year has been withdrawn from the competition.
Iditarod officials say 55 year-old Ellen Halverson of Wasilla was withdrawn from the running at the Unalakleet, Alaska checkpoint because of race rules dealing with competitiveness. Officials say both the musher and her dogs are in good health.
Buckeyes dominate wrestling championships: Ohio State made a strong start in defending its team championship on the opening day of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in New York. The Buckeyes sent six of eight wrestlers into the second round at Madison Square Garden.
Johnni DiJulius (133 pounds), Micah Jordan (141), Bo Jordan (165) and Kyle Snyder (285) earned bonus points by pinning first-round opponents. Nathan Tomasello (125) and Myles Martin (174) added victories.
The No. 7 Buckeyes led the team race with 16.5 points. No. 1 Penn State was a half point behind entering the second round.