FIBA World Cup: Germany Says Nein to Brunson, Hart, Team USA Finals Bid
Another brand of semifinals yielded only further heartbreak for Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.
Nearly four months after they fell to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinal round, the New York Knicks starring pair and the rest of the United States men's national team dropped a heartbreaking 113-111 loss to Germany in the FIBA Basketball World Cup's final four in Manila.
The metropolitan duo did their part to pack a crowded offensive box score: Brunson earned 15 points and seven assists while Hart hit all four of his attempts while also pulling in five rebounds and swiping three steals. Three other Americans reached double-figures in scoring alongside Brunson, including Anthony Edwards (Minnesota, 23), Austin Reaves (LA Lakers, 21), and Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn, 17).
But a struggle for stops doomed the American championship effort: despite holding a slim halftime lead at 60-59, Team USA struggled to gain any sense of consistent defense, allowing over 30 points in both the first and third periods. The third quarter was particularly egregious, as the Germans (7-0) built a double-figured lead that proved sustainable enough to stave off a last-ditch American comeback effort led by Edwards. Brunson was an unfortunate casualty among the defensive losses, finishing the game at a team-worst minus-19 when he was on the floor.
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Germany sank 58 percent of its attempts from the field, which included four three-pointers. Andreas Obst had four alone en route to a game-best 24 points while Franz Wagner (Orlando) sank three on 10 attempts. Daniel Theis (Indiana) took care of the interior with 21 points and seven rebounds while Dennis Schroder (Toronto) had 17 and nine assists.
The Germans, the only undefeated team in the Asia-based competition, are guaranteed their first World Cup medal since the United States hosted in 2002. They'll face Serbia, victors of Friday's first semifinal over Canada, on Sunday in the championship match on Sunday (8:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2).
Thus ends head coach Steve Kerr's first exploits as the head coach of the men's national team, replacing Gregg Popovich. Kerr and Co. went with younger styles for the World Cup, a group that featured just one previous NBA champion (Milwaukee's Bobby Portis). Team USA (5-2) is in danger of failing to medal in consecutive World Cups for the first time in program history, having previously placed seventh in the 2019 edition in China.
The third-place consolation game will be a civil war between North America and several notable Knicks, as Team USA will battle Canada for the bronze before Sunday's championship tips off (4:30 a.m. ET, ESPN+). Canada's contingent is led by New Yorker RJ Barrett, whose game-best 23 points were unable to shift True North fortunes in a 95-86 defeat to the Serbs.
