Patty Mills remains humbly confident ahead of NBA All-Star 3-point contest
The Brooklyn Nets will be represented by Patty Mills in the 36th annual NBA All-Star 3-point competition in Cleveland on Saturday night. After Joe Harris injured his ankle and underwent surgery in late November, Mills has stepped into a larger role for Brooklyn.
Mills is averaging a career-high 13.4 points and is shooting 41.9% from the 3-point line (the highest for him since 2013-14) in the 58 games that he’s played in. The 13-year veteran is averaging a career-high 31.1 minutes and has started in 41 games for the Nets this season, which is more games than he started in his last four years in San Antonio combined.
As a free agent, he signed a two-year, $12 million contract with Brooklyn during the offseason year under the impression that he’d be coming off the bench. Nobody could envision the role that he’d play for the preseason title favorites.
Before he and the Nets continue their quest to win a title, Mills will have the chance to be crowned a champion in Ohio tonight. In Mills’ typical cool, calm, and collected fashion, he admitted that he isn’t too worried about his competition.
I asked Patty Mills who his biggest competition is in the 3-Point Contest and he said it’s one of those events where you focus on yourself.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) February 18, 2022
I followed up and asked, “So.. there is no competition?”
Mills: “Yeah I guess that’s a really nice way of me saying that.”
Patty Mills will represent the Brooklyn Nets in the All-Star 3-point contest.
The guard will go up against Fred VanVleet, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, CJ McCollum, Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, and Trae Young.
Out of the eight participants, VanVleet (201) is the only one who has made more 3-pointers than Mills (186) this year.
The 33-year-old does have the advantage in the age department though. He’s three years older than McCollum, who is the second-oldest at 30.
Without even taking a single shot yet, Mills has already made history. He’s the first Australian to have been selected to participate in the event. If he wins, he’ll be able to change that title to the first Australian to be victorious in the competition.
Lucky for him, he’s been able to receive pointers from Harris, the 2019 champion.
Patty Mills said he spoke to Joe Harris and Kyrie Irving about their experiences in the three-point contest:
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) February 18, 2022
"I'll carry their advice with me to hopefully be another champion on the team, with both of them." pic.twitter.com/kD8nDfqr3v
Although Mills has been in a slump in recent games, he shot 5-of-7 (71.4%) from beyond the arc for 22 points in Thursday’s game against Washington.
If that’s an omen for what’s to come, Mills will be set.
The 3-point action will be aired live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on TNT at 8:00 p.m. ET.
