Nikola Jovic advanced to the semifinals at the Paris Olympics in absentia Tuesday, with the Miami Heat forward sidelined by an illness for Serbia’s overtime 95-90 quarterfinal victory over Australia. Jovic was not on the bench Tuesday, after previously playing as a featured piece in Serbia’s rotation . But with Nikola Jokic going for 21 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists, Serbia was able to overcome an early 24-point deficit and hold on against an Australia roster that got a game-high 26 points, including the shot that forced overtime, from Heat free-agent guard Patty Mills.
Serbia next faces the winner of Tuesday’s 3:30 p.m. quarterfinal between Heat center Bam Adebayo and Team USA against Spain.
Even in defeat, Mills, 35, made himself the story of the game against Serbia, perhaps reviving his chances for an NBA return next season. Due to the Heat’s position against the punitive luxury-tax apron in the NBA’s new collective-bargaining agreement, the team currently lacks the cap space to bring Mills back on even a minimum-scale contract. Mills struggled with the Heat during last season’s playoff race after being acquired on the NBA buyout market.
Related Articles It has been an uneven summer for Jovic , whose status for the Olympics initially was in question after suffering an ankle sprain during a Heat workout in June at Kaseya Center..