Aussie superstar Patty Mills a shining light for Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets were without some big names on Friday, so Aussie superstar Patty Mills stood up when his team needed him.

Patty Mills is on track for a franchise record. Picture: Michelle Farsi/Getty Images

After a quiet patch, Aussie Patty Mills has resumed carrying the Brooklyn Nets on his back as the club battles through form concerns and personnel issues ahead of Ben Simmons’ arrival.

The Nets entered the season with one of the most stacked rosters in the NBA, but the kingdom came crashing down spectacularly in the new year.

Marquee man Kevin Durant is sidelined with an MCL injury, Kyrie Irving remains unvaccinated and unavailable for home games and 2018 NBA MVP James Harden has defected to the Philadelphia 76ers.

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The Nets have won just two of their last 14 matches, and after some quieter outings earlier this month, Mills has resumed normal transmission as the side’s shining light.

In the Nets’ latest loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday afternoon (AEDT), Mills led all scorers with 22 points from his 30 minutes on the floor. He also managed three assists and three steals, more than any other Net.

Patty Mills had another productive game. Picture: Adam Hunger/Getty Images/AFP

The Boomers captain has become known for his laser-like accuracy from deep and drained a further five triples in the 117-103 loss.

Mills has now scored 186 three-pointers this season, putting him 48 shy of D’Angelo Russell’s franchise record for a single season.

With 23 games to play in the regular season, Mills looks on track to knock Russell off his perch if he maintains his average of 3.2 triples per game.

It’s little wonder the replica of Mills’ Nets jersey is now more popular than that of any other player among Australian shoppers on the NBA’s official merchandise website.

In Australia, Mills’ jersey has outsold those of LeBron James, Steph Curry and reigning play-offs MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Aussies love Patty Mills. Picture: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

Mills has been irreplaceable on the paint and now looks set for a mentoring role off it.

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian predicted this week that Mills would take Simmons under his wing as the young Aussie looks to return to his best in Brooklyn.

Earlier this month, the former 76er was traded to the Nets in a blockbuster, multi-player deal that left Harden and Paul Millsap packing their bags for Philly.

Simmons previously said he was hoping to play his first game for the Nets, and his first at NBA level since June, on March 10.

“Patty is going to be great for Ben, just to have an Aussie there,” Goorjian told SEN.

“A guy like Ben can distribute the ball and make everyone better and with Patty, who’s one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, really, it’s a marriage made in heaven.

“I’m more on just this kid getting out of a situation that clearly was done and get back doing what he loves to do.

“I think he’s going to be in a great environment, we’ll see where that takes us.”

Elsewhere on Friday, Aussie Josh Green played 25 minutes for the Dallas Mavericks, who outmuscled the New Orleans Pelicans 125-118.