Germany’s basketball players narrowly missed out on a big win against the USA but were still in strong form five days before the World Cup.
Captain Dennis Schröder’s team had to admit defeat to the title favorites in the endurance test in Abu Dhabi on Sunday by 91:99 (54:46). National coach Gordon Herbert’s team had the game under control for long stretches and in the meantime led by 16 points.
Once again, Germany’s NBA aces Schröder (Toronto Raptors/16 points) and Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic/17) were the best German throwers. Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves was the most successful for the Americans and with 34 points the outstanding man of the evening.
Team USA is without the biggest stars on the way to the World Cup in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, but coach Steve Kerr’s squad still combines a lot of top talent from the NBA and must be considered a tournament favorite. The US team won all of their World Cup tests.
But Germany can’t count itself among the heavyweights just because of its appearance on Sunday. After the bronze medal at the European Championships last year, the next successful tournament seems possible.
The selection of the German Basketball Association (DBB) only narrowly lost the tests against co-favourites Canada and now against the USA. The team is now traveling on to the World Cup host city of Okinawa. There she meets the Japanese hosts at the start of the difficult Group E on Friday (2.10 p.m. / Magenta Sport). Other preliminary round opponents are co-favorite Australia and insider tip Finland.