As the NBA play-offs approached, Boomers point guard Patty Mills delivered the fourth-highest scoring performance recorded by an Australian in the history of the competition.
In a remarkable feat, Mills became only the second Australian to achieve 27 points in an NBA game, leading all scorers in San Antonio’s 110-106 victory over Phoenix.
The 23-year-old began the match while Spurs’ star trio—Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker—were resting after securing the top spot in the Western Conference, finishing with a stat line of 9-23 shooting and five assists over 34 minutes against two-time MVP Steve Nash of the Suns.
In a crucial moment, he was called to take the two free throws in the closing seconds, solidifying the win.
By doing this, he surpassed the achievements of all other Australian NBA imports, excluding former No.1 draft pick Andrew Bogut, who has exceeded this mark on three occasions.
Bogut’s career-high of 32 points came against Dallas in 2010, having also recorded games scoring 31 and 29 points during his time with Milwaukee.
Mills, however, outperformed everyone else, including Luc Longley, who earned three championships alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan but reached a career-high of just 24 points.
Chris Anstey, who spent three seasons in the NBA, also nearly matched Mills’ achievement, scoring 26 points against Boston in 1996.
Players such as Shane Heal (15 points), Nathan Jawai (16 points), and David Andersen (19 points) all fell short as well.
Even Australian basketball icon Andrew Gaze never touched such heights, amassing only 22 points in his first NBA season and 21 in his second.
“It’s one of those funny situations, end of the season and resting guys,” Mills remarked.
“As crazy as it seems, it actually makes a lot of sense.
“I believed it was important for the main guys to rest and recharge before the playoffs, providing a wonderful opportunity for the others.”
by Buford Balony
