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San Antonio Spurs: The greatest Olympic performances in team history

By Marlow Ferguson Jr.

MELBOURNE, AUS - AUGUST 24: Patty Mills #5 of the Australia Boomers walks out to the court before the game against USA on August 24, 2019 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUS - AUGUST 24: Patty Mills #5 of the Australia Boomers walks out to the court before the game against USA on August 24, 2019 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Patty Mills
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Patty Mills vs Great Britain

Final Score: Australia, 106; Great Britain, 75

Box Score: 39 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 14-of-22 FG, 5-of-7 3P, 6-of-6 FT

A few tiers beneath some of the games greatest alter egos —  untucked jersey Kyrie, hoodie Melo, jersey biting Kobe, to name a few — stands one that perhaps doesn’t get as much credit as it rightfully deserves: Olympic Patty Mills.

Even within Mills’ role as both a locker room centerpiece and a fan-favorite among the organization — fans have long called for the end of his tenure, citing his hefty contract, and defensive shortcomings — there’s a case for some, that after eight seasons, Mills has overstayed his welcome in the silver-and-black.

But, something seems to change whenever Mills is donning the blue-and-yellow of his home country, Australia. Not even a week ago, Mills poured in 30 points, guiding Australia to a 98-94 exhibition win over the United States, which ended a 78-game winning dream for the U.S. dating back to 2006.

His greatest Olympic performance came in 2012 when he poured in 39 points and 5 rebounds on a Curry-esque 14-of-22 from the field, along with 5-of-7 from deep, and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.

This didn’t necessarily lead to a gold medal the way Ginobili or other Spurs’ greats had done, but it engineered a double-digit comeback that guaranteed Australia a spot in the Olympic tournament, giving them a chance to fight for 4th place in Group B.

Since his first Olympic appearance in 2008, Mills has made a habit of ramping his game as the No. 1 option. To compare his Australia numbers against his pro numbers as members of both the Spur and Portland Trail Blazer:

Australia statistics: 19.0 points, 1.9 assists per game, 44.7 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from deep, 80.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Spurs and Blazers statistics: 8.4 points, 2.4 assists per game, 43.1 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from deep, 84.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Mills is good for a few of these Australian-type streaks a few times a year, but nothing to this degree. All told, it deserves a spot as one of the great Olympic performances by a San Antonio player.