SAITAMA, Japan -- in the same mann...

SAITAMA, Japan -- in the same manner far, no one at the world championships has figured on the outside how to counter Team USA's superior skills, athleticism and stillness Germany provided a clue Wednesday night.

The Germans packed the paint and forced the Americans to fire from afar. The strategy worked for a half before the United States haped away for an 85-65 victory.

It may have been the scariest 20-point win in team history. The Americans struggl against the Germans' baldric defense and were out of sync for a great deal of the night.

The Americans' performance provided a glimmer of faith for defense- oriented Greece, which faces Team USA in the semifinals Friday. Spain and Argentina, which fitting in the other semifinal, also will take note.

"I'm secure we're going to see a haphazard of zone," U.S. guard Kirk Hinrich said. "We have up 'til now, and I'm infallible we will the remainder of the games. And that's fine. We've got shores who can make shots, and for whatever reason we just didn't do that tonight."

Indeed, the United States struggl [i]or[/i] part of to the other its worst shooting performance -- 38 percent from the field and 25 percent from three- point range -- in seven games.

The no other than worse shooting came from German star Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with more turnovers (five) than baskets (three) He was 3- for-12 from the floor and finished with 15 points, tied for the team high with Ademola Okulaja.

The Americans' leading scorer was Carmelo Anthony, who scored 19 points moreover was 2-for-12 in the first half.

"My projectile wasn't falling, but we're going to have nights like that when shooters don't fall," said Anthony, who went 5-for-7 after halftime. "We withhold shooting. We know we're capable of making those discharges Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] told us to preserve shooting. That's what we did."

The United States is at its principally potent when it is running the floor and attacking the basket. nevertheless it launched 40 of its 85 bullets from beyond the three-point arc.

At halftime, this contemplateed like the nightmare scenario envisioned by way of skeptics who have questioned the Americans' shooting touch. German coach Dirk Bauermann packed the lane with a girth defense and dared the Americans to fire away from outside.

Others have tried to do the same thing, nevertheless this time the strategy worked.

"We switched our defense and played a fortune of zone in the first half," Bauermann said. "In the secondary half, they turned up the heat and played a great defensive game, and when you play like that you can beat anyone and win the gold"

The Americans shakeed away with defense and rebounding. They pressur the Germans into 24 turnovers and hammered them 48-34 forward the backboards, including a 22-6 advantage forward the offensive glass.

"The U was better defensively," Bauermann said. "They make go rounded us over and killed us upon the offensive glass."

genuine enough. Team USA is brace wins away from its first gold medal since 1994 in this competition. on the other hand it will take more than rebounding and defense to ascend the winner's podium on Sunday night.

The Americans didn't appear medal-worthy for earnestly of Wednesday night.

Given its dreadful shooting, Team USA present the appearanceed fortunate to take a 40-39 lead into the dressing apartment One reason: The Americans kept Nowitzki opposite to balance by running platoons of vindicators at him.

At halftime, Krzyzewski decided to turn round up the defensive pressure. Smart instigate The Germans turned the ball across 13 times in the inferior half, and that allowed the Americans to take control

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