Steve Kerr’s Team USA round off their pre-Olympics schedule with an exhibition against Germany at London’s O2 Arena today.
After narrowly avoiding an embarrassing defeat to South Sudan at the weekend, Team USA complete their preparations for the men’s Olympic basketball tournament with a match-up with FIBA world champions Germany.
The United States needed a LeBron James basket with eight seconds left to snatch a 101-100 win over the South Sudanese on Saturday, having at one point trailed by 16 points at London’s O2 Arena. Speaking post-game, USA head coach Steve Kerr conceded: “I did not do a great job of preparing my team. We did not focus enough on what they are capable of and that’s on me.”
Kerr added: “[It’s a] good experience for us, [a] good reminder that when we play against teams, it is the biggest experience of their lives and we have to expect everyone to play like that.”
The skin-of-the-teeth win was Team USA’s fourth in four Olympic warm-ups, after victories over Canada, Australia and Serbia.
When did Team USA last play Germany?
The Stars and Stripes now face Germany for the first time since going down to Die Mannschaft at last year’s World Cup. In the Philippines last September, the Germans triumphed 113-111 over the US in the tournament’s semi-finals, before lifting their first ever global title by beating Serbia 83-77.
It should be noted, however, that the USA’s World Cup roster did not include stand-out stars such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant. They are all part of Kerr’s squad for the Olympics, alongside other major names who were absent 10 months ago: Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker…
Indeed, Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards are the only players to be named on both rosters.
The only other time that Team USA has faced Germany in a pre-Olympics exhibition was before the Athens Games in 2004, when the Americans won 80-77 in Cologne. This does not offer the most promising of omens: the 2004 Olympics tournament is the only time the USA men’s team has failed to take the gold in the last eight Summer Games. In Greece, a side coached by Larry Brown was forced to settle for bronze after being beaten by eventual champions Argentina in the last four.
USA vs Germany: start time, how to watch
Team USA and Germany face off today, Monday July 22, 2024, at the O2 Arena in London, UK. Tip-off is scheduled for 3pm ET/12 noon PT. Viewers in the US will be able to watch the game on Fox, and your streaming options include fuboTV, which offers new users a free trial.
Enjoy the game on fubo.
You can also follow AS USA’s live-text coverage of Team USA vs Germany. Dane Arlauckas will be providing minute-by-minute commentary of the match-up in the UK capital.
When does Team USA’s Olympic campaign start?
Drawn in Group C at Paris 2024, Team USA will face Puerto Rico, Serbia and South Sudan in the round-robin stage. The Americans kick off their bid for a record-extending 17th men’s basketball gold on Sunday July 28, when they take on Serbia. Kerr’s men then meet South Sudan on Wednesday July 31, before closing out the round-robin stage with a clash with Puerto Rico on Saturday August 3.
Every group-stage match will be held at Lille’s Pierre Mauroy Stadium. The eight-team knockout phase will be played at Accor Arena in Paris.
