Patty Mills’ wait is lastly over.
It appears odd drawing consideration in the direction of to the Australian guard seeing simply 5 minutes of enjoying time however that’s how exhausting it has been for Mills to get on the courtroom this season for the Hawks.
Mills, who was traded a number of occasions final summer season earlier than ultimately settling at Atlanta, had not seen a single minute on the courtroom till Sunday.
The veteran acquired the call-up within the closing 5 minutes of Atlanta’s 136-108 win over the Washington Wizards, grabbing a rebound and draining a late 3-pointer.
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The Hawks gave 14 gamers minutes in Sunday’s victory, having pushed out to a 122-92 lead when Mills first entered the sport.
Trae Younger paved the way for Atlanta with 26 factors, six rebounds and 10 assists whereas Clint Capela (12 factors, 11 rebounds) and Dejounte Murray (11 factors, 10 assists) had double-doubles.
It was a tough night time for Washington, who have been aggressive in a good loss to Milwaukee on Saturday however struggled to comprise an Atlanta group averaging the second-most factors per sport.
HOLMGREN BOLSTERS ROTY BID IN LOSS TO EMBIID-LED SIXERS
Elsewhere, Oklahoma Metropolis rookie Chet Holmgren continued to press his claims for Rookie of the 12 months honours after one other standout efficiency, scoring a team-high 33 factors within the Thunder’s 127-123 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Thunder squeezed each second they might from the clock late however six clutch free throws from Joel Embiid, who had 35 factors, ensured victory for Philadelphia.
Embiid additionally had 11 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 blocks within the win whereas Tyrese Maxey overcame a sluggish begin to rating 28 factors for the Sixers.
In the meantime, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the best way alongside Holmgren for the Thunder with 31 factors, six rebounds, 5 assists and two steals.
Australian Josh Giddey threatened a triple-double as he completed with 10 factors, seven rebounds and eight assists.
OKC coach Mark Daigneault had confirmed earlier than Sunday’s sport that Giddey can be free to go well with up, though his availability will nonetheless proceed to be topic to any actions from the NBA.
“Simply with the data that we’ve at this level, that’s the choice we’ve made. It’s actually not even a choice to be sincere with you,” he stated.
A Thunder spokesperson later clarified that by “not even a choice” Daigneault was referencing the very fact the matter is now within the NBA’s palms.
The league is at present investigating Giddey amid allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
The Thunder took a 31-29 lead into the primary quarter regardless of falling behind early, ending the interval on a 13-3 run within the closing 4 minutes.
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Jaylin Williams was the spark plug for Oklahoma Metropolis off the bench, hitting a fast pair of 3-pointers as he completed the opening quarter on 9 factors.
Gilgeous-Alexander, in the meantime, was reliable as at all times with 9 factors to go together with a steal and two assists.
As for Giddey, he dropped a floater for his first bucket of the night time after which put it on a platter for the Holmgren alley-oop in one in every of three assists within the opening quarter.
“Josh put that ball the place nobody else can get it,” Michael Cage stated in commentary.
Philadelphia had jumped out to a 10-3 lead after two minutes and have been nonetheless forward 26-18 within the latter levels of the quarter earlier than OKC’s late run, which occurred even with Embiid and Maxey each on the courtroom.
Embiid led the Sixers after the primary quarter with 9 factors however Maxey wasn’t capable of have the identical impression early, going 1-of-3 for simply two factors
Embiid began the second quarter on the bench and Oklahoma Metropolis took full benefit early, clamping down on defence and arising with performs on the opposite finish of the courtroom to take a 43-36 lead.
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Embiid made an instantaneous impression when he did return to the courtroom as Philadelphia regained the lead, emphatically blocking a Williams layup earlier than then hustling for the offensive rebound off a Maxey miss and kicking it out to De’Anthony Melton for the 3-pointer in a single spectacular sequence from the reigning MVP.
The Thunder picked up the tempo although in a back-and-forth ending to the interval because the Sixers held on to a 65-61 lead heading into halftime.
That continued into the third as time OKC regained ascendancy as soon as extra, this time on the again of seven early factors from Holmgren because the Thunder went up 68-67.
A pair of Giddey free throws then prolonged the distinction to 70-67 earlier than Holmgren continued to step up, first hitting a 3-pointer earlier than then blocking a Melton shot and backing up on the fastbreak for the dunk.
That introduced up 12 factors for Holmgren and a 75-71 lead for the Thunder. Maxey then began to warmth up for the Sixers with 4 factors and an help as they pushed forward 80-75.
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It was just the start of what was Philadelphia’s most dominant stretch of the sport, with the 76ers leaping out to a 93-80 buffer at one level for the largest lead of the competition.
Isaiah Joe ultimately scored OKC’s first factors in three minutes but it surely was nonetheless Philadelphia with a commanding 93-82 lead coming into the ultimate quarter of the sport.
5 fast factors from Lu Dort early within the fourth had the Thunder again inside seven factors and right down to 4 heading into the final two minutes of the sport.
In the long run although Oklahoma Metropolis was unable to run Philadelphia down regardless of extremely scoring a flurry of factors to maintain the sport alive because the Thunder deliberately fouled Sixers gamers late.
Embiid made six clutch free throws down the stretch to place the consequence past doubt.
NETS SNAP LOSING SKID
In different early motion, the Brooklyn Nets snapped a three-game dropping streak with a 112-97 victory over the short-handed Miami Warmth.
Mikal Bridges scored 24 factors and Cam Johnson added 19 factors and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who had all 5 starters rating in double figures.
Caleb Martin scored 22 off the bench to steer Miami and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 18 for the Warmth, who performed with out Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo at some point after surrendering a 21-point lead in a loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard.