Game Versus Germany Will Be Team USA’s Biggest Pre-Olympics Test

It wasn’t pretty, but thanks to the heroics of LeBron James , Team USA managed to hold on and survive a resilient and hungry South Sudan squad to avoid perhaps the most monumental upset in international basketball history.

The Americans had no business being in a barn-burner affair against the 33rd-ranked team in the world basketball rankings, in a tune-up game no less. In the same vain, the lone nation that will represent Africa in the 2024 Paris Olympics had no business being up 16 points at one point and almost taking down a United States team laden with future Hall of Famers and NBA stars, if not for the heroics of a near 40-year-old legend who stubbornly continues to defy Father Time.

As the best basketball nation in the world, Team USA has a target on its back. Other countries will always put their best game forward whenever they’re up against the United States. USA’s path to gold in Paris 2024 is not going to get any easier, even in the lead up to the tournament, which tips off on July 26th.

After the win, James echoed his preference for these close-call games.

South Sudan may have given the wake-up call the Americans needed ahead of the tournament. But Team USA’s next assignment may be its biggest pre-Olympic test yet.

Team USA will take on Germany on Monday

Can the Americans exact revenge?

This upcoming game between Germany and the United States at the O2 Arena in London is just an exhibition. But that doesn’t mean both teams will take this encounter lightly.

Germany is out to prove that they are still a force to be reckoned with after winning the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where they dispatched the United States in the semi-final and eventually captured their first ever gold medal at the tournament.

For Team USA, this game will be about revenge. The United States’ embarrassing loss in last year’s FIBA World Cup, where they failed to land a podium finish, prompted Team USA Basketball to bring in its best crop of talent to Paris 2024.

Despite the new-look cast, the ghosts of last year’s loss will likely still be on the minds of the Americans heading into Monday.

A Different United States Squad

Team USA is still working on its chemistry

This is a very different United States team from the one that Germany defeated a year ago. USA’s 2023 FIBA World Cup roster was headlined by Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton , the only two returning players on this year’s Olympic lineup. Now, the two budding stars are coming off the bench of the Americans, who are led by LeBron James, Stephen Curry , Kevin Durant , and Joel Embiid .

But no matter how loaded this USA cast is, this is still a largely make-shift roster with little continuity. This group has not played together for long. They just started training camp on July 6th, which was just over two weeks ago.

Chemistry plays a huge role in winning basketball games, and it’s safe to say they are still figuring out how to play with each other.

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Sure, USA is 4-0 in preparation games. But they haven’t been as dominant as expected and that is in large part due to their lack of chemistry. The near-disaster against South Sudan is a clear indication of that.

Team USA’s Biggest Test Ahead of the Olympics

The Germans are still the reigning World Champions

On the flipside, Germany has brought back 10 players from their World Championship team into their 2024 Paris Olympics roster. Cohesion may not be a major issue for the Germans, considering the majority of their national team’s core players have been playing alongside each other for quite some time now.

Led by team captain Dennis Schroder and brothers Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner , Germany is also hungry to prove that they can replicate their success in the Olympics.

Germany has gone 3-1 in their tune-up games so far. Their lone defeat came against France, but they did not have the Wagner brothers and NBA veteran Daniel Theis for that exhibition.

What a Loss Would Mean for Team USA

Should the Americans sound the alarm bells?

All of this is part of the United States’ process to reclaim their spot atop the world stage of basketball — a title that Germany currently proudly possesses.

More than anything, Team USA is banking on its star-power to get them to the top of the podium. Most of the time, the Americans’ sheer talent alone is enough to win them gold. They’re not the winningest nation in basketball if they don’t have the best crop of players in the world.

Luckily for the United States, this upcoming tilt against Germany is still just a tune-up. But it should serve as a huge test that will give them an idea of just where they are at as a ball club.

Nonetheless, losing won’t be the end of the world for the United States. There won’t be any need to push the panic button should the Germans come out on top of this exhibition. However, a loss should give Team USA the wake-up slap it needs to realize that the path to the gold medal won’t be a cakewalk.

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