Dennis Schroder talks upcoming Luka Doncic matchup, names how Germany could improve / News - Basketnews.com

Dennis Schroder says he and Germany focus on themselves before the upcoming game vs. Slovenia and Luka Doncic, claiming that transition defense and his 3-point shooting are the areas for improvement.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Germany went perfect in the First Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, winning all three games in Group E.

Player of the Game EFF 19 Johannes Thiemann Points 13 Accuracy 6-7 Rebounds 3 Assists 4

In its latest game, Germany crushed Finland 101-75 and left no doubts about its quality.

Once again, Dennis Schroder was the leading man for Germany, finishing the game with 15 points (6/7 2PT, 0/6 3PT, 3/3 FT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, and 14 EFF.

"We are playing as a team together, and we compete at the highest level," Schroder said about Germany's performance in the first round. "Yeah, the first round for us was great, and the last game [against Australia] was really important because we take all those wins [to the second round]."

"But we have to squash all those three wins that we won and concentrate on what's next," Schroder added.

Asked about his mentality in this World Cup, Schroder said he has one simple rule.

"Like I always say, every game I play, I want to win," said the 29-year-old. "Of course, you can't win every game, but when you set the tone first, dictate the game, and bring everything you have for 40 minutes, it will give you the chance to come out on top. We did this in the last three games, and now we have to keep getting better."

"Team's chemistry keeps building. Individually, everybody is locked in and working on their game. We practice every single day, and we want to get better. When it comes to the next game, we want to develop," Schroder added.

Now, the Second Round awaits, and it's already known that Germany will face Slovenia and Luka Doncic.

So far, Schroder and Doncic seem to be one of the best players in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Yet, the German star claims he and the team focus on themselves.

"It doesn't matter who we play, we are trying to focus on us and what we do," Schroder explained. "If we compete at the highest level, we are capable of winning games, but we have to do it for 40 minutes. We must be locked in as a team."

What's more impressive is that Germany showed its current form even without Franz Wagner, who missed the last two games due to an ankle injury.

So, what could we expect when the 22-year-old returns to the lineup?

"He's gonna be the future in the next few years. He's doing his thing in the NBA, I'm proud of him. When he's back, he will help us a lot," Schroder said.

Of course, no matter how great things are going, there's always room for improvement. Schroder named a couple of areas where he and Germany could be better.

"[There's] a lot," Schroder said smiling. "Transition defense, sometimes we don't get back. Me making threes."

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