Where are the Germans?

Ten days before the start of the European Basketball Championships, mainly in Germany, there was a symbolic snapshot at the end of the Supercup tournament on Saturday in Hamburg: defensive player Dennis Schröder, limping slightly, approached his teammates from the national team and slapped them on the back.

Moritz Wagner moved cautiously in the background with the orthosis on his left foot: The German team is faltering in the most important phase of preparation for a championship that should show the great talent at home.

Anno Hecker

Responsible editor for sports.

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There are said to be only a few tickets left for the German games in the preliminary round in Cologne from September 1st.

15,000 spectators lured by the international class of opponents such as France, Lithuania or Slovenia with Luka Dončić, star of the Dallas Mavericks.

A magician on the ball. The Germans want to compete with these teams and confidently had their eye on at least third place in view of the quality of all eligible national players.

Empty stares and hanging heads

And so the final in Hamburg after the victory over the Czech Republic on Friday (101:90) came at just the right time to determine where we stand: Serbia is one of the favorites for the European Championship.

Led by the former national coach Svetislav Pešić, carried by Nikola Jokić: center, 2.11 meters, fast, agile, calm, free from airs and graces on the field, effective.

He doesn't need much time to show why he was again named the most valuable player of the season in the American professional league NBA: 22 points, one miss, five rebounds, one assist - in less than 17 minutes.

Two insights can be derived from this after the 56:83 defeat.

First: Serbia didn't need Jokić any longer to dominate the Germans to decide the game by the end of the third quarter (41:65).

Secondly: Under the basket, where size and physique are particularly important, the selection of national coach Gordon Herbert will hardly be able to cope with teams like France, in offense and defense.

A sobering thought that apparently gripped the players just after the end of the Supercup tournament.

There they stood, exhausted, with partly blank eyes and hanging heads.

Schröder, who twisted his ankle in the game against the Czech Republic and was therefore a spectator for a few days, was looking for a solution: "Such a defeat will boost motivation in training."

Plagued by injury concerns

Training is a good keyword.

It's the last resort of a battered team.

Not everyone who has what it takes to play a good role with size and mass in the national team is ready for it.

There was also a series of injuries: First it hit Isaac Bonga, then the highly motivated NBA colleague Moritz Wagner (Orlando), now the use of the elemental Daniel Theis (Indiana) is hanging by a thread, a player whose presence and explosive physique (2, 04 meters, 110 kilograms) was sorely missed against Serbia.

To make matters worse, Johannes Thiemann had to be taken out of the game against Serbia because of back pain.

The ranks thin out before the two final games, two World Cup qualifiers against Sweden (Thursday, 6:15 p.m. on Magenta TV) and Slovenia (Sunday, 2:30 p.m. on Magenta TV).

These last few days are all about fine-tuning, tuning the moves in attack and defensive variants.

"Have to take it as it is"

At the top European level, fractions of a second are important when “free” throws are to be created or opponents’ moves are to be circumvented.

Herbert is not to be envied.

Since the preparation started, he has had to improvise.

The newly naturalized Nick Weiler-Babb only joined the team last Thursday, coming from the USA, for “private reasons”.

His first international match (two points) was sluggish.

Initially, Herbert will have to do without Schröder in training until at least Wednesday.

After all, Nils Giffey is returning, who was granted a break by the association at the weekend.

The impression is not deceptive: it comes and goes.

Herbert seems relaxed when he comments on the situation: "You have to take it as it is."

Schröder had just gone on the offensive.

"Everyone is ready," says Braunschweiger, who was appointed captain for the first time, "to give everything on the floor." He demonstrated that against the Czech Republic.

Let the ball run, staged teammates, fought, jumped, dived, only pulled irresistibly to the basket when it was necessary or when it was absolutely necessary.

In recent years, it has always looked as if the Germans could rely on their talent.

By Saturday at the latest, it will have become clear to everyone that it is not enough to develop a special strength, a different identity.

Serbia's demonstration could speed them up.