Aussies Abroad: San Antonio point guard Patty Mills moves up the quirky NBA stats ladder
There’s a stat for just about everything in the NBA. But we never thought we’d see this one for our man Patty Mills. What has the San Antonio point guard done now? Plus, get the latest on Cameron Johnston’s jaw dropping punt in the NFL.
JUST how big is Aussie Cameron Johnston’s leg?
The NFL’s No.1 punter launched a monstrous sky-high punt this morning that somehow hit the enormous jumbotron above the field at the Dallas Cowboys home AT&T Stadium — known as Jerry World.
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The former Melbourne Demons-listed player is showing the world just how well AFL players can kick a ball, leading the NFL with 2287 yards from his 47 punts at an equal league-leading average of 48.7 (tied with Seattle’s Aussie, Michael Dickson, who is in action against the Vikings tomorrow).
The Philadelphia superboot had six punts for an average of 46 yards and a long of 53, pinning the Cowboys inside their 20 three times, but it wasn’t enough as the Dallas claimed a 29-23 win, thanks to an Amari Cooper touchdown in overtime.
Lachlan Edwards’ Jets had more success, rolling Buffalo 27-23, with the Hastings-born Melbourne native pounding a 56-yard punt among three efforts.
Essendon’s Jordan Berry held Oakland inside their 20 twice from his three punts, averaging 38.7 yards per punt, but it wasn’t enough as the Raiders shocked the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-21
Behemoth Adam Gotsis was credited with two tackles and a tackle assist as the Broncos had their three-game winning streak snapped against the league-worst San Francisco 49ers 14-20.
NBA
PATTY CLIMBS QUIRKY NBA STAT LADDER
You’ve got to love NBA fans.
There’s a stat for just about everything in this league and one has gone to the trouble of figuring out the ladder for how many career three-pointers players have made... off the bench.
Our man Patty Mills has moved into 14th with 673 treys off the bench — one more than former Chicago Bull Ben Gordon’s 672.
Mills is already fourth on the all-time Spurs three-pointers made list and has the most by an Australian.
Mills only had eight points in his 28 minutes against fellow Aussies Joe Ingles, Dante Exum and the Utah Jazz, but he had a profound impact, the San Antonio Spurs a massive +23 points while he was on the floor.
The most experienced Australian in the NBA, Mills helped guide the Spurs to a 110-97 home win over the Jazz, avenging last week’s 139-105 blowout in Utah.
MIlls also had this remarkable fadeaway over the outstretched arm of Jae Crowder that wowed the Spurs’ faithful:
Ingles struggled, missing both of his three-point attempts in scoring five points, but did add six assists and five rebounds, while Exum — as has been the case recently — played just three minutes and failed to trouble the scorers.
The post-Delly era opened in Milwaukee with the Eastern Conference’s second-placed Bucks toppling the league-leading Toronto 104-99.
Aussie Matthew Dellavedova was traded the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, leaving Thon Maker as the Bucks only player from Down Under.
Maker had five points in eight minutes but, like Mills, he was very effective, the Bucks a +11 while he was on the floor.
Originally published as Aussies Abroad: San Antonio point guard Patty Mills moves up the quirky NBA stats ladder
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