Boomers blow 24 point lead in quarterfinal clash against Serbia

Australia’s hopes of another men’s basketball medal ended with a crushing defeat against Serbia in what may be the final game for two of our legends of the game.

NCA. PARIS FRANCE 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES. August 6- Day 11 Patty Mills gets a break during the Mens Basketball Quarterfinal between Australia and Serbia at Bercy Arena.: Adam Head

Patty Mills conjured one final piece of extraordinary Olympic magic in Paris, yet Australia’s campaign is over following a heartbreaking 95-90 overtime loss to Serbia.

Amid the fallout of another brutal defeat in which Australia led by 24 points, Mills refused to confirm his likely retirement after a decorated career culminating in his fifth Olympics.

The reality is the 35-year-old will most likely hang up the international sneakers, but the emotional veteran was reflective about his 16-year Olympic odyssey post-game.

“I think that we have enjoyed every moment of this journey,” Mills said.

“It hasn’t been a smooth sailing ship but you do it together and never take those moments for granted.

“Through the thick and thin, the ups and downs, the happy tears, the sad tears it’s been an incredible journey to be able to share with those guys.

“Hopefully the legacy we will leave at some point, we will be able to leave for years to come.”

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Patty Mills would not confirm whether he played his final game for the Boomers. Picture: Adam Head

It comes as Boomers coach Brian Goorjian declared it’s not up to him to retire the legendary guard who made his Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008.

Goorjian believes Mills, who dropped 24 points and nailed a textbook jumper with 1.4 seconds left to send the game into overtime, deserves to go out on his own terms.

“I noticed when he came into camp, he (Patty) is in incredible shape,” he said.

“You see 35-year-old guys in this who can still go and he can still go and he hasn’t lost a step.

“So, I’d be speaking out of turn to say he is done. That is up to his decision, but he is one of the best I’ve been around.

“We don’t have another player in that group that does what Patty does.

“We don’t have a guy who can create shots and get shots up under pressure and score in a half court butt grind like (Mills).”

Nikola Jokic dominated against Australia. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Once the pain subsides after letting a giant lead slip, veterans Mills and Joe Ingles will be celebrated for their significant contribution to the green and gold.

The pair look set to walk away from the program as five-time Olympians, bronze medallists and two of Australia’s most influential players.

Mills would finish his FIBA career as the fifth all-time scorer at the Olympics – a remarkable achievement for the boy hailing from Canberra.

Ingles didn’t receive any game time for a third straight game.

Giddey delivered with 22 points, two rebounds and three assists, but six turnovers proved costly as the Serbians surged back to lead 67-65 with one quarter left. Their eventual victory made it the biggest comeback in Olympic history.

Dante Exum leaps towards the basket. Picture: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Patty Mills works around Nikola Jokic. Mills did everything he could to get Australia over the line. Picture: Aris Messinis / AFP

The team also had nine turnovers as a team in a sloppy third quarter.

Serbia retained possession after Mills’ miracle jumper with 1.4 seconds remaining.

Giddey confirmed the Serbia bench had called for a timeout – and believed they should have been penalised.

“I mean yeah, you can’t do that,” Giddey said.

“And I think it’s a pretty well known rule that when you call a timeout and you don’t have one, you are not allowed to.

“But I am not going to get caught up in what could have happened or what could have been called. The game played out and we weren’t good enough today, they were better than us.”

The Boomers busted their guts, but they couldn’t stop NBA superstar Jokic who dropped 21 points and added 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Bogdan Bogdanovic attempts a shot over Will Magnay. Picture: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The looming departure of Mills and Ingles also signifies a changing of the guard for the Boomers program.

Paris is also coach Brian Goorjian’s final Olympics.

Goorjian leaves behind an enormous legacy as the mentor to lead the men to a maiden Olympic medal in Tokyo.

The bronze – six decades in the making – will forever be Goorj’s parting gift to the Boomers’ program.

Goorjian’s exit leaves Australia on the lookout for a new coach.

The veteran mentor anointed his assistant Matt Nielsen as his successor when recently speaking to News Corp Australia.

Nielsen would be the logical choice, but respected voices like the legendary Andrew Gaze would like to see the likes of Trevor Gleeson and Dean Vickerman considered.

The Boomers’ Olympic campaign unfolded amid the backdrop of an alleged player boycott prior to the Games.

Duop Reath goes to the basket past Serbia's Bogdan Bogdanovic. Picture: AFP

Former Australian player and NBL guard Darren Lucas took to Facebook to suggest a senior player threatened to pull out of Paris after a “celebrated” star originally missed out on Australia’s Olympic squad.

Lucas said NBA star Matisse Thybulle was the player originally selected in the 12-man squad before a late change of heart.

It’s understood he was also referring to Boomers swingman Joe Ingles, who sources say was originally left off Australia’s 12-man squad for Paris before a late change of heart.

Joe Ingles and Patty Mills embrace after Australia win the bronze medal in Tokyo. Picture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

An Australian coaching staff member emphatically denied the suggestions of a player boycott.

Regardless of a specific boycott or not, the decision to select a 36-year-old Ingles to largely sit on the bench in Paris deserves to be critiqued.

Would Australia have been better served selecting an athletic and defensively strong Thybulle for the Games instead?

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We’ll never know now, but it’s understood the officials were reluctant to select an NBA star like Thybulle because he may have struggled with playing a reduced role off the bench as an NBA star.

All good debate to wade over as the Boomers weigh up their next direction in what should be a bright future led by Giddey, Landale and Daniels once the pain from an erratic Paris Olympic campaign subsides.

Originally published as Boomers blow 24 point lead in quarterfinal clash against Serbia