Patty Mills’ Heroics Fall Short as Boomers Exit Olympics

Patty Mills, the legendary Australian basketball player, was once again in the spotlight during the recent Olympic quarterfinals. With the Boomers needing at least two points to push their game against Serbia into overtime, Mills made a thrilling shot with just 9.8 seconds left on the clock. Fans held their breaths as he rose up over three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, feeling the magic in the air. Unfortunately, the elation was short-lived as Serbia came back to clinch a 95-90 victory, ending Australia’s Olympic journey.

The game started brightly for the Boomers, who stormed out to a staggering 31-17 lead in the first quarter. They sunk 13 of their 17 shots and were on fire from beyond the arc, with Mills contributing 12 points in just those first moments. Young star Josh Giddey also made his presence felt, scoring eight quick points and giving the Boomers a major offensive boost.

Despite their fast start, turnovers once again haunted the Boomers. They had a comfortable 54-42 lead at halftime, but it felt like a missed opportunity since Australia had previously been ahead by as much as 24 points. Coach Goorjian even resorted to an all-bench lineup, hoping to regain control and avoid those costly errors.

As the game progressed, the momentum shifted. Serbia started closing the gap, and the Boomers struggled to maintain their early rhythm. They faced nine turnovers in the second half, which allowed Serbia to gain the upper hand. By the final quarter, the Boomers found themselves trailing despite their promising start.

With the contest neck-and-neck, a series of critical moments unfolded. The Boomers fell behind 93-90, and in a critical last minute, a mishap during an inbounds pass turned into a heartbreaking turnover, allowing Serbia to secure their victory. Once again, turnovers were the Achilles heel for Australia, who averaged a staggering 16.7 turnovers per game throughout the tournament.

Off the court, Andrew Gaze expressed his frustration towards a flop by Serbia’s Aleksa Avramovic, which he felt was unfair and manipulated the game’s flow. Gaze noted that such antics have no place in basketball, emphasizing the need for fair play.