Germany Defeats Team USA in FIBA World Cup, Advances to the Last Game
In a stunning upset, Germany overcame odds of +10 to defeat Team USA in the FIBA World Cup semifinals. The stage is now set for the final game, as Serbia and Germany will face off for the gold medal on Sunday evening in Manila.
The Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia shared duties as hosts for this year's men's basketball FIBA World Cup. The championship game between Germany (7-0) and Serbia (6-1) will take place at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila.
Canada (5-2) will play against the United States (5-2) in the bronze medal game on Sunday. Serbia defeated Canada in the semifinal, preventing them from achieving their dream of winning the FIBA World Cup. Although Canada lost, they still have a chance at claiming the bronze medal, which is only one victory away.
Both USA and Canada have secured a spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by reaching the final four in the FIBA World Cup.
Team USA was expected to win the gold medal, being the odds-on favorite with -165. Canada, the second-favorite on DraftKings' futures board at +240, challenged this perception in the semifinals. Serbia (+800) and Germany (+900) were considered long shots, but they managed to pull off remarkable wins in the semifinals.
Serbia 95, Canada 86
Despite coming in as underdogs, Serbia managed to defeat Canada in the semifinals, ending Canada's run in the FIBA World Cup. Bogdan Bogdanovic, a shooting guard for the Atlanta Hawks, led the way for Serbia, scoring 22 points. Nikola Milutinov and Ognjen Dobric both contributed 16 points each.
Serbia's defense was exceptional and managed to hold Canada's leading scorer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to just 15 points. Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-Star from the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaged 25 points per game in the FIBA World Cup. R.J. Barrett, a swingman for the New York Knicks, tried to keep Canada in the game, scoring 23 points.
Serbia boasted the best shooting percentage in the FIBA World Cup, averaging 55% from the field. They continued their impressive shooting performance in the semifinals by hitting 62% of their shots against Canada. They also made 45% from long range with nine 3-pointers.
Serbia reached the final without having their star player, Nikola Jokic. Jokic, a two-time NBA MVP for the Denver Nuggets, decided to sit out the FIBA World Cup to rest, having led the Nuggets to an NBA Championship. Even without Jokic, Serbia has managed to come this far with a strong collective effort, leaving only the undefeated Germans to beat.
Germany 113, USA 111
USA entered the semifinals as favorites, but Germany stunned the Americans, winning the game by two points. Dennis Schroder, a point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, led Germany with 26 points. Daniel Theis from the Indiana Pacers added 24 points, while Andreas Obst contributed 24 points and knocked down a crucial 3-pointer.
Germany got off to a great start, leading 7-2 at the beginning of the game. However, the Americans fought back and held a slim lead of 60-59 at halftime. But Germany pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Americans 35-24. The margin reached as many as 12 points until Anthony Edwards and Austin Reaves from the United States rallied their team, making it a close game again.
In the final minutes, Germany managed to keep Team USA at bay. Obst played an instrumental role, hitting a trey to seal a 113-111 victory.
Edwards led USA with 26 points, while Mikal Bridges scored 22 points. Reaves delivered 19 points off the bench and Josh Hart scored 17 points.
Germany has not lost a single game this tournament, sporting an impressive 7-0 record.
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