Basketball players correct disastrous starts with a big fight
The German basketball team is in the Olympic semi-finals. The road there leads via Greece and is anything but easy. The world champions got off to a bad start and struggled offensively for a long time.
Cheered on by basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki, the German team coached by Gordon Herbert came a big step closer to their dream goal and reached the Olympic semi-finals for the first time with a hard-fought 76:63 win against Greece and NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the eyes of their idol, the world champions overcame a tough 36:36 halftime score to secure their place in the last four.
Franz Wagner was the top scorer for the German team with 18 points, while Johannes Thiemann also shone on both ends of the court. Despite Antetokounmpo's 22 points, he couldn't prevent the first semi-final appearance of the German men's team at the Olympics. Germany will face hosts France or co-favorites Canada in the semi-finals on Thursday. A win would secure their third medal in a row at a major tournament. Otherwise, there's still a chance for bronze.
Greece starts furiously
In the Bercy Arena in Paris, captain Dennis Schröder and his teammates struggled to replicate their strong performances from the group stage against confident Greeks. With a perfect record of three wins from three games, including an impressive victory against co-favorites France to finish, the German team had moved into the Olympic Village in the capital over the weekend.
Given their flawless record and Greece's status as one of the two best third-placed teams, Germany was the clear favorite going into the matchup, despite the presence of Antetokounmpo. However, Daniel Theis warned that the team was expecting "an extremely difficult game" against the two-time NBA MVP, who Herbert described as "one of the best players in the world."
Theis was proven right as Greece got off to a much better start. The Germans struggled with a lack of intensity on defense and too much stagnation on offense, forcing Herbert to call an early timeout after just over three minutes. The result was meager, with only 11 points scored in the first quarter.
When the long-range shots fall, it's game on
But as the long-range shots started to fall, the German team managed to claw back a 12-point deficit before halftime: Nine seconds before the end of the second quarter, Theis and Schröder combined for an alley-oop to tie the game.
The game remained close afterwards, with the Germans finally finding their rhythm. When Isaac Bonga hit a three-pointer at the end of the third quarter to make it 59:52, even Nowitzki on the sidelines pumped his fist. The 46-year-old had more reason to celebrate as Germany held onto their lead and is now fighting for medals.
The German team's victory against Greece puts them in direct competition with either France or Canada in the NBA semifinals. Despite Greece's strong start and the formidable presence of NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the German team managed to turn the tide, showcasing impressive performances from Franz Wagner and Johannes Thiemann.
