At 23:30 on August 8th, the semi-finals of the Paris Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament officially kick off, with France Men’s Basketball Team facing off against Germany Men’s Basketball Team.
The French men’s basketball team, as host nation, did not perform very well in the group stage. They narrowly avoided a big upset by almost losing to Japan’s men’s team in their second match, but fortunately won in overtime. In the battle for the top spot in the group against Germany, France showed no resistance and was thoroughly defeated 71-85 by their opponents, advancing to the quarter-finals as runners-up of the group. In the quarter-finals, despite being underdogs, they faced Canada led by multiple NBA players and, with an unexpectedly high 42 free throws throughout the game, beat Canada 82-73 and advanced to the semi-finals with pride.
In the match against Canada, France also received some favorable treatment as hosts, but the key was the explosion of three unexpected heroes. The team made adjustments to their lineup, with Gobert and Fournier not starting, and unexpectedly, Yiabusele and Cordinier had a big breakout, combining for 42 points, making up for Wembanyama’s 7 points and Batum’s 0 points. Additionally, Lesoure from the bench also contributed 13 points. The breakout of these three was the key to France’s victory. Facing Germany again this time, their goal is to seek revenge and advance to the finals to compete for the gold medal.
After winning the World Cup title, Germany is even more favored this time around, and they played very smoothly in the group stage, winning all three games, each by a margin of more than ten points. In the quarter-finals against Greece led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite trailing by 12 points at one point, Germany staged a comeback in the second half, successfully overtaking and extending the lead in the final quarter to ultimately win the game. The team’s core player Schroder scored 13 points and 8 assists, while Wagner Jr. added 18 points.
Germany remains undefeated so far, with the players’ confidence soaring, especially after winning the World Cup, playing calmly on the court. The core of this team is Schroder, who ranks third in the latest MVP rankings, only behind James and Jokic. Germany’s other core player, Wagner Jr., ranks fifth, clearly indicating that Germany is still the favorite due to their strength and internal atmosphere.
This is the second meeting between the two teams in this Olympics, with the first encounter in the group stage when Germany easily beat France 85-71. Now, the two teams meet again in the semi-finals, leaving nothing back, with only the winning side advancing to the finals. Germany certainly has the upper hand in momentum, but as the host nation, France could continue the momentum from the quarter-finals, making it possible for either side to advance. Additionally, the performance of Wembanyama and Schroder will also determine the direction of the game.
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