USA vs. Germany: TV Schedule, Start Time, Live Stream and Basketball Showcase Preview

The United States men’s basketball team needs to turn in a better performance on Monday against Germany after surviving a near scare on Saturday against South Sudan.

LeBron James and Co. emerged from Saturday with the slightest of victories that may serve as a wake-up call ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The talent gap between Team USA and the rest of the world is the closest it has ever been, but the expectation is still for the Americans to win every game and eventually come home with the gold medal.

Monday’s game in London serves as the final tune-up for the Olympics for Team USA. A much larger margin of victory is expected to get on track for Paris.

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The Americans are undefeated in their run-up to the Olympics, but only barely.

South Sudan provided Team USA with a scare on Saturday, as it took the Americans down to the last shot in London.

Saturday’s result should serve as a wake-up call to the USA that it can’t take any quarter or play off against any of the Olympic qualifiers.

Germany may not seem like the toughest opponent due to the lack of star power on its roster, but it is the reigning FIBA World Cup champion.

The squad led by Dennis Schroder, Franz and Mo Wagner and Daniel Theis surprised many people last summer to win the World Cup and qualify for the Olympics.

Germany knocked out Team USA at the semifinal stage of the World Cup in a 113-111 victory, so there could be a revenge angle for the Americans.

There certainly isn’t a lack of motivation available for Steve Kerr’s team between the poor performance by its standards on Saturday and the ability to avenge last year’s loss to Germany.

The Americans did not have their full complement of superstars at the World Cup last year, but Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton were on the team.

Edwards scored 23 points and hauled in eight rebounds in that loss, while Haliburton contributed seven points and eight assists off the bench.

Franz Wagner, Theis and Andreas Obst all scored over 20 points in the World Cup semifinal. Schroder turned in 17 points and nine assists.

The key on Monday will be to slow down Schroder’s distribution from the point and to limit Franz Wagner’s scoring potential.

The Americans can allow one 20-point scorer, but what they can’t afford is for multiple players to go off, like Germany had last summer at the World Cup.

Look for the leaders of the American squad to take control of the contest early to send a message that Saturday’s close win was just a fluke.

A large double-digit win over Germany would help erase the poor performance from Saturday and set the Americans back on course for a successful Olympics.

After Monday, the full focus will be on the Olympic opener against Serbia on Saturday. Team USA plays Serbia, South Sudan and Puerto Rico in Group C. Germany is grouped with host France, Japan and Brazil.