‘He’s been a soldier for this team’: Coach proud Patty Mills has his mojo back

Patty Mills’ shooting hadn’t been up to scratch for the past few weeks, but the Aussie got things back on track against the New York Knicks.

Aussie Patty Mills bounced back from a shooting slump on Thursday (AEDT) and sealed victory for the Brooklyn Nets, who are fighting desperately to keep their NBA playoff hopes alive.

In his first season with the Nets, the Boomers captain quickly became known for his shooting precision, especially from beyond the arc.

In his 10 games prior to Thursday’s win over the New York Knicks, though, Mills had shot at better than 50 per cent from the field just once – and that was when he made only one attempt.

But with his team urgently needing a win, Mills stepped up.

The popular Aussie banked as many points against the Knicks as he had since February and also sank the shot that sealed the 110-98 win.

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Brooklyn trailed by 21 points early in the third quarter before going on a rampage, and when Mills sunk his fifth three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, it was game over for the Knicks.

He’s back 👀 @ashwin3_

— Nick (@NickRTFM) April 7, 2022

This has probably been Patty Mills’ best game since the year 2021

— Alec Sturm (@Alec_Sturm) April 7, 2022

Patty Mills picked the right time to come alive

— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) April 7, 2022

Patty Mills!!!

— Ebro (@oldmanebro) April 7, 2022

Patty Mills celebrates with teammate Kyrie Irving after the Nets’ win. Picture: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Nets coach Steve Nash said he was pleased Mills had rediscovered his mojo.

“It’s just great to see the ball go in the basket for him,” Nash said.

“He works so hard, he does so much for the group all season long. You hate to see him suffer like he has recently.

“So for him to make shots and to be a guy that came with whatever he brought tonight at both ends of the floor was important.

“To see him make the shot that kind of sealed the game, it felt good, because he deserves it.

“He’s been a soldier for this team.”

Mills said the Nets’ ability to wrestle back the lead would bode well at the business end of the season.

“The satisfying part is knowing that we have this fight in us,” he said after the game.

“We have what we have in the locker room, and we all believe and understand that we have what we need to get the job done on any given night, as well as knowing that we can be the last team standing.”

The Nets defeated their cross-town rivals. Picture: Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP

Brooklyn is set to feature in the eastern conference’s play-in tournament in which the four teams that finish 7th-10th compete for two playoff spots.

The Nets can guarantee they will finish the regular season in either seventh or eighth position, thus earning a double chance in the play-in tournament, if they defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers in their next two games.

Lose either, though, and the Nets risk dropping down the ladder and facing a sudden-death match in the play-in tournament to keep their season alive.

If the Nets are able to qualify, Mills will join Josh Green of the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers’ Matisse Thybulle as one of only three Aussies in the playoffs.

The San Antonio Spurs are set to feature in the western conference’s play-in tournament, so Aussie Jock Landale could also make a playoffs appearance

Originally published as ‘He’s been a soldier for this team’: Coach proud Patty Mills has his mojo back