On July 27, Beijing time, the men's basketball group stage of the Paris Olympics was contested, and Japan challenged the new World Cup champion Germany men's basketball team. Hachimura has a bad hand, and Japan has a black start; Wagner Jr. scored 22 points and Germany won the first game.
In the opening game, Schroeder broke through the middle distance with the ball, and Germany frequently used their physical advantages to create space, and Vogtmann and Theis hit three points one after another, and more points blossomed to establish an advantage. Japan gradually played an excellent shooting standard, Yuta Watanabe fired from a long distance to score consecutive points, but Hachimura was not good, the whole team kept running for open opportunities, but the power was cut off at the back, and the first quarter 21-28 temporarily trailed by 7 points.
The game was very fluid, and there was not too much stagnation in the transition. In the second quarter, Watanabe threw and scored, Hachimura broke through and forced a violent dunk to ignite the atmosphere, and Japan's offensive stability was slightly lacking, and the trail gradually reached double digits. Germany's lineup performed well, Bangari scored eight points on a single outside shot, and Wagner repeatedly scored inside, but he couldn't pull away quickly against a stubborn opponent, leading by eight points at halftime 52-44.
Entering the second half, the situation became more and more intense, Theis and Schroder successively started to fall from the outside, and Hachimura felt warm up and hit two three-pointers in a strong response, and the two teams were still playing inextricably. Japan's main scoring points are relatively limited, the efficiency is low and gradually falling off the chain, Germany's overall performance is very stable, the balance of the squad can always maintain a good rhythm, 74-61 at the end of the third quarter to lead by 13 points.
The gap in the final quarter was slowly revealed, Babu hit a solid three-pointer in the open position, the difference was close to 20 points, Japan chose to pause for tactical adjustments, and returned Yoshii to keep the suspense on the outside, but no player could step up and reverse the defeat. At the end of the game, Germany won 97-77 over the Japan men's basketball team to get off to a good start, Schroeder scored 13 points + 12 assists on 6-of-12 shooting, Wagner Jr. had 22 points and 6 boards, Wagner Jr. 15 points, Theis contributed 18 points and 7 boards on 7-of-7 shooting, and Bonga scored 11 points.
Hachimura shot 4-of-19 for 20 points + 10 boards, Yuta Watanabe 16 points, Hawkinson 13 points + 12 boards, the performance of the Asian powerhouse Japan men's basketball team really impressed fans, facing the new world champion is a battle, and then they have to win one game against France and Brazil men's basketball, and if they want to advance, they must win one game to have a chance.