After yesterday’s semifinals in Olympic basketball, the games for the gold and bronze medals have been decided: The USA will play against France for gold and Germany against Serbia for bronze. Dennis Schröder, point guard of the Brooklyn Nets, will play for Germany after a heartbreaking defeat.

The loss to France was Germany’s first Olympic defeat, with Schröder and Franz Wagner leading the way as the national duo. Schröder has had an impressive run so far, averaging 18.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists. Against Germany, he had 18 points, two rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Schröder has been Germany’s leader for quite some time, having been the catalyst for the country taking home the 2023 FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup, the first in its history. Now the Brooklyn point guard will face reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia in a rematch of the 2023 championship game.

Jokic and Serbia nearly defeated the United States in the second semifinal game, extending their lead to as many as 15 points in the third quarter. Although the US team’s star power was too much, Germany should be concerned going into the bronze medal game that Jokic and his team nearly defeated the favorites.

Serbia has done well throughout the Olympics. In the quarterfinals, they trailed Australia by as many as 20 points, but rallied in overtime to win, which puts them in a match against the USA. It’s not just Jokic who sets this team apart. Although he scored 17 points and 11 assists against the USA, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Aleksa Avramovic combined for 35 points.

Germany, on the other hand, boasts more NBA talent than Serbia. Schröder and Wagner will be joined by Daniel Theis, Isaac Bonga and Moritz Wagner, all players with real NBA experience. They will need to find a rhythm from deep, as they made less than 30% of their shots against France and barely 40% of their shots from the field.

While it will be a challenge, Brooklyn’s point guard is up to it. That’s the kind of leadership and production the Nets can expect from Schröder this season. With Brooklyn in the process of rebuilding, he can now take on a larger role in the locker room and on the court with more touches, mentor the young core and elevate his performance again.

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