Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has backed Patty Mills to continue building form after the veteran found his touch in an impressive Olympic warm-up victory over Serbia.
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Mills, who will be 36 the day after the gold-medal final in Paris, will head to his fifth Games lifted by a 28-point haul that helped Australia to an 84-73 win over a Serbian outfit led by NBA superstar Nikola Jokic.
Dante Exum added 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench, and Josh Giddey finished with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists.
For Serbia, three-time NBA MVP Jokic posted a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Filip Petrusev added 17 points.
But it was Mills who caught the eye in the final Abu Dhabi hit-out after a tough NBA season and subdued form in the build-up to the Boomers' Olympic campaign, which begins against Spain on July 27.
"He (Mills) came into this thing physically in the best shape I've seen him, with the motivation to play well and for us to medal," Goorjian said.
"I just know the more he plays (the better he'll get), because he's been through a year where he hasn't played a lot, so he needs reps and he needs games.
"But you can see tonight he's an important piece for us and he's highly motivated."
Goorjian began with the same starting five as in Monday's encouraging 98-92 loss to the United States: Mills, Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Jock Landale and Nick Kay.
Against the US Mills landed just two-of-eight field-goal attempts in 22 minutes, but 24 hours later he found his range in hitting 7-of-13 in 28 minutes, including four three-pointers.
With Mills starting hot, Australia pulled out to a 20-15 lead by the end of the first quarter, only for Serbia to come back and edge the half 40-39.
With six minutes remaining Serbia led 67-66, but the Boomers finished strongly, Mills contributing to three-pointers from Daniels and Kay that gave them breathing space.
Goorjian was encouraged by the manner of his team's win, but sees plenty of room for improvement, with Spain, Greece and Canada looming in the so-called "group of death''.
"We need to be able to play with pace, and when you play at pace the defensive end is really important or you can't get going," Goorjian said.
"In the tournament we're going to have to defend at a very high level.
"If you look at the game last night (against the US) to tonight, we were a lot sloppier with the ball last night.
"I thought we were better with the basketball.
"We know we're in an absolute s***fight in our group, so all we can do right now is control being the best version of us."
Australian Associated Press
