Patty Mills shines for Brooklyn Nets as NBA coach drops surprise revelation

After another Patty Mills masterclass, the coach of one of the NBA’s best teams revealed he wanted the Aussie playing for him instead.

Patty Mills had another excellent outing for the Nets against the Golden State Warriors. Photo: David Berding/Getty Images/AFP

Patty Mills turned in another sensational shooting performance for the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday (AEDT), but it wasn’t enough to get his team over the line against the Golden State Warriors.

In a clash between two of the leading contenders for the NBA championship, neither team had a stranglehold on the playoffs-like game that went down to the wire.

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Mills helped keep the Nets in touch, nailing six three-pointers including three clutch shots from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter.

The Australian tied the game with a pair of free throws with three minutes remaining but his heroics were in vain as Golden State’s Klay Thompson knocked down a three-pointer with 12 seconds left to seal a 110-106 win for the Warriors.

Mills finished with 24 points, four rebounds and four assists, as he closes in on his NBA career-high of 161 threes in a season.

🇦🇺 @Patty_Mills was 🎯 from long-range against the Warriors today, but the @brooklynnets fell just short, 110-106. #NetsWorld#NBA75

📊 24 PTS | 4 AST | 4 REB | 6-12 3-PT pic.twitter.com/5KPd5epUoR

— NBA Australia (@NBA_AU) January 30, 2022

With Kevin Durant still sidelined with a knee injury, Kyrie Irving was the Nets’ best, racking up 32 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Mills has been a consistent contributor in his first season for the Nets, who have been ravaged by injuries and Covid.

Patty Mills is a really good basketball player man. What a huge pick up especially for an older veteran player. Joe Harris will learn a lot from Patty this year.

— Breiden Fehoko (@breidenfehoko4) January 30, 2022

I think Patty Mills is probably already in the Top 10 of my favorite Nets ever

— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) January 30, 2022

Patty Mills, man

— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) January 30, 2022

The tough loss continued Brooklyn’s slide down to sixth in the congested Eastern Conference standings with a 29-20 record.

But remarkably, the Nets are only three wins off top spot in the East currently occupied by the Miami Heat with 32 wins.

After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr revealed Golden State attempted to recruit Mills during the off-season, when he became a free agent after leaving the San Antonio Spurs, with whom he won the 2014 NBA title.

Patty Mills could have been playing for the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by Michelle Farsi/Getty Images)

Mills had been linked with Golden State, the LA Lakers and Brooklyn, before he eventually decided to join the Nets in a two-year $16 million deal.

While the Warriors are second in the Western Conference and cruising this season, Kerr said he admired Mills, adding he would have fit in perfectly with the San Francisco-based franchise.

“You probably know we were trying to sign him this past summer,” he said.

“He seems like our kind of guy. I’m a huge fan. Great player, leader.

“I always enjoyed watching him play in his early years in the NBA, (he) really obviously made his mark in San Antonio.

“Given my friendship with Pop (San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich), Pop always raved about him, his leadership and character.”

Patty Mills would have been great on this Warriors team because he's really good, but also because then the Dubs wouldn't have had to play him.

— Golden State of Mind (@unstoppablebaby) January 30, 2022

Originally published as Patty Mills shines for Brooklyn Nets as NBA coach drops surprise revelation