Basketball On The Internet.

AUSSIE pair Patty Mills and Aron Baynes are now just one win away from joining Luc Longley and Andrew Gaze as NBA Champions after their San Antonio Spurs took a 3-1 lead over defending champion Miami in Miami today.

The Spurs’ second consecutive rout of the Heat in Miami - this time 107-86 - after dropping Game 2 at home on a Chris Bosh triple, means they have the luxury of two chances to close it out at home in either Game 5 (Monday, our time) or Game 7.

(Not to mention Game 6 as well, albeit in Miami.)

Patty, who had one of the series’ great plays in Game 3 when he recovered from trying to over-sell a LeBron James charge by hitting the floor, jumping up when the ball bounced loose and hurling himself after it to tip it forward for Manu Ginobili to dunk on the breakaway, was great again today.

In just 16 minutes of important action, he hit 5-of-8 from the floor, 4-of-6 dialling long distance, for 14 points.

Kawhi Leonard had 20 and Tony Parker 19, with Patty’s tally next in the team-oriented Spurs offence.

Patty also had a rebound and a couple of assists, James leading the Heat with 28 points and 8 boards.

The other two of the Heat's big three – Bosh and Dwyane Wade - had 22 points between them on a combined 8-of-24 shooting.

Baynes also got into the game, with enough time to make another basket, just as he did to close Game 3.

While the Aussies still have a lot to do to win their first NBA rings, should they now be successful, they would join their Boomers assistant-coach Longley as Championship winners.

Longley won three as a starter on the great Chicago Bulls threepeat.

Gaze also won a ring with San Antonio, though he was not in the active line-up during the Finals Series.

Patty's Game 3 play reminded me of the NBL's best play of the 2013-14 season when Perth's Damian Martin ran down Gary Ervin on a fast break, blocked his shot, threw himself horizontally after the ball and saved it from going across the sideline, flicking it to Jermaine Beal.

OK. That one didn't end in a dunk like Patty's, but Patty's didn't start with a blocked shot either.

DARYL Corletto re-signing with Melbourne Tigers - oops - signing with the renamed Melbourne United NBL club, should be no huge surprise.

Corletto played in two Tigers' NBL Championship teams alongside current coach Chris Anstey and logged 277 games with Melbourne before life got uncomfortable for the club when it needed space to accommodate Patty Mills during the NBA's lock-out shortened season.

The Tigers, under the club's previous ownership, treated Corletto poorly but the club stalwart landed on his feet, snatched up by the NZ Breakers where he doubled his Championships total.

Corletto returns home to Melbourne and new ownership with 369 games under his belt, having shown he is much more than the spot-up shooter he once was categorised.

Don't be surprised either when United announces Olympic swingman David Barlow returning to the fold after a few years in Europe.

Just don't expect Anstey to play him at point guard.