The FIBA Basketball World Cup is down to four teams. Team USA will play Germany on Friday to determine one of the finals matchup. The winner of Serbia vs. Canada will make up the other.
Led by Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner, Germany has been one of the best teams in this tournament. It narrowly beat Latvia 81-79 on Wednesday to advance and is the only team to still sport a perfect 6-0 record.
Meanwhile, the Americans recovered from their lone loss against Lithuania to cruise to a 100-63 blowout against Italy on Tuesday. That Lithuania loss showed that the team is beatable, but it’s been mostly smooth sailing beyond that blemish in getting to this point.
MORE: Mikal Bridges’ play in FIBA World Cup quarters defines what American basketball has become
Team USA vs Germany odds
Team USA has opened as a healthy 10.5-point favorite over Germany.
These two teams did play an exhibition match on Aug. 20 in a close game. Team USA prevailed 99-91 after trailing by as many as 16 points.
It’s probably not a great idea to take too much from an exhibition game, but that was the team’s final tune-up before the real games started and the only one of their five practice games in which they didn’t win by double digits. This is going to be the biggest test for Team USA.
Take a look at the spread, over/under and moneyline for this contest, courtesy of BetMGM:
| Spread | Total Points | Moneyline | |
| USA | -10.5 (-110) | o178.5 (-115) | -500 |
| Germany | +10.5 (-110) | u178.5 (-105) | +360 |
Team USA vs Germany prediction
Our pick: Germany +10.5
Team USA showed in its loss to Lithuania and inability to cover the spread against Montenegro that it does not play well against teams with size.
Germany presents some matchup problems for Team USA due to those size issues.
Daniel Theis is averaging a modest 5.3 rebounds per game in this tournament. He had a monster rebounding game in the exhibition game between these two teams, pulling down 13 rebounds in only 28 minutes. Johannes Voigtmann, Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Franz Wagner are also very good offensive rebounders who will cause problems.
The USA has more talent on paper and its offensive weapons are unmatched in this tournament. It has a good point-of-attack defender in Anthony Edwards who should be able to stop Schroder’s deadly drives.
If Germany slows the game down and tries to grind down this team with physicality, then it can keep it close in a rock fight. This is a very talented German team that plays well together. It should be a relatively competitive game.
Where to watch Team USA vs Germany
- Date: Friday, Sep. 8
- Time: 8:40 a.m. ET | 5:40 a.m. PT
- TV channel: ESPN2
- Live stream: Sling TV | Courtside 1891
Team USA vs Germany will air on ESPN2 in the United States. Viewers can also stream the game via Sling TV or catch a replay on Courtside 1891.
Fans in the U.S. can watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Sling TV, which is now offering half off your first month! You can stream the sports you love starting at just $20 in your first month with Sling Orange, which includes ESPN2.
Courtside 1891 offers two subscriptions. Courtside 1891 Plus is free and gives you access to “extended highlights and a curated feed for your favorite teams and competition.” Courtside 1891 Max is a paid subscription that allows you to watch “live game streams and full game replays.”
If you just want to watch the FIBA Basketball World Cup, you can buy a pass for the entire tournament for $9.99. An annual pass, which includes the FIBA Basketball World Cup and other international competitions, costs $44.99. Use code TSN10WC to receive a 10 percent discount.
Geo-restrictions may apply to certain regions. Click here to find out which games are available in your region.
