Mills to join Spurs

Patrick Mills (#8) could give the Spurs immediate help at the point.

This article is cross-posted at Spurs Basketball.

Patrick Mills has signed a contract with the San Antonio Spurs and could join the team within a week, pending the resolution of work visa issues.

“We had previously noted that Mills’ delay was a result of government work visa issues, so this should have been expected” said agent Aaron Goodwin.

Mills, 23, an Australian national who could be in line for immediate minutes backing up Tony Parker, is eager to resume his NBA career.

The former Portland Trail Blazer who last played in China during the NBA lockout, averaged 5.1 points and 1.5 assists in limited minutes during his first two NBA seasons in Portland. He is also a member of the Australian national basketball team coached by Spurs assistant Brett Brown.

Spurs’ coach Brown guided Boomers to a spot at the London Olympics

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Brett Brown and Team Australia have outlasted New Zealand 81-64 in a gripping FIBA Oceania Championship clash to secure their place at the London Olympics with a 2-0 series lead.

Spurs' assistant coach Brett Brown helped Australia to gain an Olympic berth.

The Boomers – who finished fourth at the 1988, 1996 and 2000 Olympics, and finished 7th in Beijing – capitalized on the constant foul trouble of Mika Vukona and Thomas Abercrombie and a 22-9 (18-17) second half rebounding advantage.

Their worked on the boards finally paid dividends midway through the fourth quarter as they unleashed a devastating 28-3 run to finally put space between the two teams.

Brad Newley led a very even Australian performance with 12 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Kirk Penney led the way for New Zealand with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists despite the switching Australian defense swarming on him all night, forcing the Kiwi superstar into a 2-of-10 shooting night.

Game 3 will be played in Sydney on Sunday evening.

Parker, France edged coach Brown’s Australia

After beating host Great Britain yesterday, San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker and Team France had a tougher time dispatching Team Australia in the second day of the London International Basketball Invitational.

Parker finished with a game-high 27 points, four rebounds and one assists.

Nicolas Batum added 16 points, Boris Diaw had 10, and Spurs draftee Nando De Colo added two points and two rebounds for the French national team.

Patty Mills led the Boomers with 20 points, while Brad Newley added 11.

It was a close contest from the start, France led 15-11 after the first quarter and held a 37-32 lead at half time.

The French national team tried to pull away in the third period building a 13-point lead.