Outdoors Report: Aug. 31

Coach Michael Malone is a numbers guy. Of course, he knows that his Nuggets lead the Lakers 3-1 and can close out the first-round playoff series Monday night at Ball Arena. But he’s also acutely aware of statistical trends floating like icebergs, threatening Denver’s voyage toward a second straight NBA championship. Such as: • The Nuggets have shot 46.0% from the floor, including an ugly 27.6% on 3-pointers.

The Winnipeg Jets have a deep group of forwards, an excellent top pairing on defense and one of the best goalies in the world. They don’t have Cale Makar. In between yet another onslaught of power plays for the Avs against the suddenly undisciplined Jets, Makar scored one of the best goals of his distinguished NHL career.

Instant reaction from the Avalanche’s 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series. Goin’ crazy for Casey: The hole left behind by Nazem Kadri has officially been filled, and his name is Casey Mittelstadt. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres just before the trade deadline in March, the second-line center has been nothing short of spectacular working alongside Zach Parise and Artturi Lehkonen in these playoffs.

By DOUG FEINBERG (AP Basketball Writer) Candace Parker always said she’d know when it would be time to retire. That day came Sunday. The three-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist announced on social media that her career was over after 16 seasons. “The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it’s time,” Parker wrote in an Instagram post.

Bo Nix can be heard yelling on the other end of the phone. “Big dog! He’s a Bronco!,” the Broncos first-round quarterback out of Oregon is saying in a video shared by the NFL. “Man, I’m so excited for you, bro. I’m so excited. Like, it couldn’t have worked out more perfect.

The Broncos may or may not have a shot at drafting CU’s Shedeur Sanders in 2025. But they are bringing one of the most celebrated college quarterbacks in the state over to Dove Valley for a closer look. Mines QB John Matocha, the NCAA’s all-time leader in total touchdowns, received an invite to the Broncos’ rookie mini-camp next month, his former school announced in a news release Sunday morning. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Matocha, winner of the Harlon Hill Award — Division II football’s Heisman — in 2022, led the Orediggers to the NCAA Division II national championship game each of the last two seasons, throwing for 162 touchdowns and running for 28 more as a four-year starter.