Canberra NBA star Patrick Mills hit a three-pointer with 12.9 seconds left to guide the San Antonio Spurs to a 102-100 win against the Houston Rockets.
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The last-minute treble comes just days after Mills was left red-faced after a runaway layup went horribly wrong with a video of his NBA blooper lighting up social media.
Mills is enjoying a career-best year in the league and his composure under pressure enhanced his reputation as a genuine game-winner in the world's top league.
The Spurs were trailing the Rockets by a point in the final minute of the game when Mills stepped up to knock down a three-pointer.
Mills found himself wide open as teammate Manu Ginobili drilled a pass to the former Marist College student to nail the winning shot.
He finished the game with 13 points as he settles into regular game time and prepares to fight for a new contract at the end of the season.
"In the end I think it was one of those gutsy wins that we just stuck with for the entire 48 minutes," Mills told reporters after the game.
Asked how he got open to take the last shot, Mills said: "I have no clue. I didn't do anything other than just stand there, it was a hell of a pass right in the shot pocket.
"I just stood there. It was a broken play ... Manu did a great job of getting in the lane and everyone went to him.
"There's not much time to think about anything other than to catch and shoot it. It just felt like a practice shot ... it wasn't anything out of the usual."
Mills is averaging more than 11 points per game and has become a reliable playmaker for the Spurs, who are considered a championship contender.
But earlier this week Mills was getting laughs rather than pats on the back when he failed to capitalise on a breakaway against the New Orleans Pelicans.
An unmarked Mills jumped into the air and appeared to attempt an ambitious slam dunk, given he's one of the smallest players in the league.
The result was the ball hitting the rim and bouncing out of bounds, leaving Mills all alone with a blooper to go with his year of highlights.
But even after Mills' early-week gaffe, Ginobili said he had no hesitation firing a pass to the point guard.
"I saw [Mills] out of the corner of my eye and the help [defenders] coming from the strong side so I just knew he was open and that we had time," Ginobili said. "It's hard to get a better shot than that."
