New Zealand shootings shake Mills
Australian point guard voices condolences.
Patty Mills voiced his condolences for the families of the victims of the shootings at two mosques Friday in New Zealand that authorities said killed 49 people and wounded dozens.
“It is hard hitting for everyone throughout the world, but especially in New Zealand and Australia,” said the Spurs guard, a native of Canberra, Australia. “We have to pray for these families and support them as much as we can.”
Mills called the attacks “terrible.” The Spurs held a moment of silence before Friday night’s national anthem for the victims.
“I found out right before I went to sleep last night, so it was something that was obviously very heavy on my mind before going to sleep, and then waking up and sharing the news with my fiancée,” Mills said.
New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern called the shootings in the city of Christchurch a terrorist attack.
A man who claimed responsibility for the shootings left an anti-immigrant manifesto, saying he was a racist who had planned the attack for two years, according to published reports.
The gunman, identified by Australian police as 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, streamed a live video of what appeared to be one of the attacks on Facebook. Tarrant appeared in Christchurch district court after he was arrested and charged with murder.
“As you get up and prepare for a game, it really puts things in perspective,” Mills said Friday morning as the Spurs prepared for their game with the New York Knicks.
Mills expressed sadness that such large-scale, hate-motivated violence is becoming all too common.
“The most interesting thing is, is this really shocking or not?” he said. “The dishonest thing is to say you are shocked to witness or to hear about something like this, when in all truth you are not. It’s become pretty consistent or regular maybe.
“…It is very scary. I don’t know if you can find words to describe that feeling. And, again, I feel like I am removed from that stuff, but is anyone? Did these innocent people feel the same?”
Gay returns from two-game absence
Spurs forward Rudy Gay returned Friday night after missing two games with the flu.
“I lost 10 pounds,” Gay said. “It’s good to be back.”
Gay came off the bench against the Knicks. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continued to start Jakob Poeltl at center along with LaMarcus Aldridge at power forward, DeMar DeRozan at small forward, Bryn Forbes at shooting guard and Derrick White at point guard.
That starting five entered the game with a 7-1 record.
Popovich keeps eye on 2020 Olympics
Popovich said he’s eager to see what comes out of Saturday’s FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Draw in Shenzhen, China.
Thirty-two teams will learn their groups, opponents and the site of their games during the World Cup set for Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in China.
“I think about that all the time,” Popovich said of his duties as coach of Team USA.
Knicks’ Fizdale braced for bats
Knicks coach David Fizdale said he has no fear of the bats that have been fluttering around the AT&T Center this season.
“I’m an animal lover,” Fizdale said. “Hopefully, we can catch it, and let it go where it needs to go.”