Surprising Results at Basketball World Cup: Germany and Serbia Compete for Third Place

As planned, we will be entitled to “an NBA shock” on Sunday between the United States and Canada. Except that it will simply be the match for third place, on the sidelines of the grand final of the Basketball World Cup between Germany and Serbia. Because 48 years after the legendary fight between Mohamed Ali and Joe Frazier, this Friday we witnessed another sacred “Thriller in Manilla”. It was already very surprising to see the Serbian selection, deprived of its leader Nikola Jokic, eliminate Canada with a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in fusion since the start of the competition (95-86).

GERMANY STUN USA TO GO TO THE WORLD CUP FINAL.#FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/fvzcMtCyAa

— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ???? (@FIBAWC) September 8, 2023

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But what about the second half in the Philippines, and the German feat against Team USA, the reigning four-time Olympic champion (113-111)? Buoyed by a superb collective and a fiery third quarter (35-24), Dennis Schröder’s gang (17 points) obtained a resounding qualification. Not without being scared in the final seconds, after having squandered a 12-point lead (five minutes from the end) against the Anthony Edwards-Austin Reaves tandem (44 points between them).

Serbia failed in the round of 16 of Eurobasket 2022

If the defeat in the second round against Lithuania (104-110) had been without consequence, it was a gigantic slap in the face for the 100% NBA squad gathered around Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Because casually, four years after an ignoble 7th place at the previous World Cup (and a hiccup against our Blues in the quarterfinals), Team USA shows that it no longer has any margin at all on the world stage, as long as it cannot count on its superstars and its (rare) dominant interiors.

Even players truly referenced in the League (unlike 2019) like Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton or Paolo Banchero are no longer enough. And European basketball has the luxury of winning a world final… with two teams having failed in the semi-finals (Germany), and even in the round of 16 (Serbia) of Euro 2022.

2023-09-08 15:42:40
#Huge #sensation #elimination #Team #USA #surprised #Germany