As planned, we will be entitled to “an NBA shock” on Sunday between the United States and Canada. Except that it will simply be the match for third place, on the sidelines of the grand final of the Basketball World Cup between Germany and Serbia. Because 48 years after the legendary fight between Mohamed Ali and Joe Frazier, this Friday we witnessed a new sacred “Thriller in Manila”. It was already very surprising to see the Serbian selection, deprived of its leader Nikola Jokic, eliminate Canada from a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in fusion since the start of the competition (95-86).
But what about the second half in the Philippines, and the German feat against Team USA, the reigning four-time Olympic champion (113-111)? Carried by a superb collective and a third quarter of fire (35-24), the band of Dennis Schröder (17 points) obtained a resounding qualification. Not without being scared in the last seconds, after squandering a 12-point lead (five minutes from the end) against the Anthony Edwards-Austin Reaves tandem (44 points between them).
Serbia failed in the round of 16 of Eurobasket 2022
If the defeat in the second round against Lithuania (104-110) had been inconsequential, it was worth a gigantic slap for the 100% NBA workforce gathered around Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Because casually, four years after an ignoble 7th place at the previous World Cup (and a hiccup against our Blues in the quarterfinals), Team USA shows that it no longer has any margin on the world stage, provided that it cannot count on its superstars and on its (rare) dominant interiors.
Even really referenced players in the League (unlike 2019) like Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton or Paolo Banchero are no longer enough. And European basketball has the luxury of trusting a world final … with two teams having failed in the semi-finals (Germany), and even in the round of 16 (Serbia) of Euro 2022.