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The United States men’s national basketball team is just two wins away from a record sixth FIBA Basketball World Cup title, but they will Facing a tough challenge in the semi-finals against unbeaten Germany First top four finish since 2002.
The Americans lost their final match of the second group stage to Lithuania but bounced back with a big win over Italy in the quarterfinals, while Germany remained unbeaten with a narrow win over Latvia in the quarterfinals.
this The semi-finals will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena September 8, 2023, Manila, Philippines 20:45 local time (8:45 CET, 2:45 PM).
Can the U.S. frontcourt contain Germany’s big men? This could be the deciding factor in the matchup, as Germany has big guys in Johannes Voigtmann, Moe Wagner, Daniel Theis and Johannes Thiemann. The U.S. lacks depth in the post, as Jaren Jackson Jr. is constantly in foul trouble and Paolo Banchero, a teammate of the Wagner brothers in Orlando, needs a lot of time in the paint. Walker Kessler provides some size for the U.S., but he has played just 40 minutes in this tournament.
Key players to watch: Anthony Edwards and Dennis Schroder will be looking to bounce back from their poor performances in previous games. Edwards scored 35 points against Lithuania and then played 18 minutes against Italy, contributing 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. Schroder was limited to 9 points on 4-of-26 shooting against Latvia, and is averaging 14.3 points per game in this tournament.
X-Factor: Germany’s transition defense will be a key factor in this game. The United States relies heavily on easy points in transition, scoring 26.0 fast break points per game. Germany, on the other hand, only averages 11.0 fast break points per game. Both teams will also need to be balanced on defense, as both offenses have four players averaging double-digit points.
Another aspect of Germany’s defense that will play a big role is their rebounding. Gordie Herbert’s team grabbed 77.3% of rebounds at the defensive rim, the highest rate in the World Cup. This will prevent the Americans from getting second-chance points, as they are allowing just 8.0 offensive rebounds per game, the second-fewest in the tournament.
Statistics don’t lie. The United States is 4-3 in knockout semifinals since the format was introduced in 1986. They have won their last two top-four appearances, while Germany lost their only semifinal in 2002, finishing third.
The United States leads the World Cup in steals, averaging 10 per game. Germany ranked fourth with 9.2 steals. Europe also had only 10.2 turnovers per game, the fourth-fewest team in the tournament. The United States had 14.2 turnovers per game, the eighth-most in the tournament and the lowest turnover rate among the quarterfinalists.
USA vs. Germany: Past Matches and Player Quotes
The United States and Germany have met six times in international basketball, with the United States winning all six. The most recent meeting was at the 2008 Olympics, when the United States won 108-91. The United States also has a 3-0 record against Germany in the World Cup, including an 85-65 victory in the 2006 quarterfinals.
In the run-up to the 2023 World Cup, the United States and Germany played an exhibition game, which the Americans won 99-91.
German defender Dennis Schroder Speaking about the win over Italy, he said: “It was a great defensive effort from the start. We pressed and kept the pressure on. The next group of players came on and did the same thing. It was the best defensive effort so far in the tournament. That’s what it takes to win the other two games.”
German defender Franz Wagner Said, “We have to play 40 minutes of solid basketball and play as a team. Individual actions won’t work. We have to make an effort as a team. If we do that, we can beat anybody.”
The United States and Germany will meet again on September 8, 2023 in the 2023 World Cup semifinals.
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