Is Dennis Schroder playing tonight vs Japan? Latest on guard's status
Dennis Schroder and Germany gave Team USA quite the scare in their final showcase game earlier this week. They will look to have a similar showing in their 2024 Paris Olympics campaign opener against Japan in a Group B clash at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille. The last time the two teams faced in the showcase game, Germany notched up a 104-83 win.
Schroder had a field day with 12 points and four assists. The Germany captain will be keen to start proceedings on a winning note. Leading up to the Saturday clash, he was named the flag-bearer for the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday. He will join Team USA's LeBron James and Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who were named as the flag-bearers of their countries as well.
Besides leading his team to World Cup gold last summer and ending as the tournament MVP, Dennis Schroder also won a bronze medal at the 2022 EuroBasket.
Is Dennis Schroder playing tonight vs Japan? Latest on guard's status
Dennis Schroder is expected to play the team's opener vs Japan. At the time of writing, no reports indicate that he will miss the marquee clash.
Last year, the guard led Germany to their first FIBA World Cup title. Moreover, Schroder comes off a double-double performance against Team USA, notching up 13 points and 10 assists in 17 minutes of action. Overall, Germany finished their showcase run with a 3-2 record — signs that they cannot be taken lightly.
Schroder will be expected to start with Andreas Obst, Franz Wagner, Johannes Voigtmann and Daniel Theis. A good start to the campaign will bolster their chances of winning a medal. They also play Brazil and France in the group stages.
On the NBA front, he plied his trade for the Toronto Raptors before the Brooklyn Neys acquired him during the trade deadline. Schroder had a good run, averaging 14 points and 6.1 assists in 80 games last season and propped up 14.6 points and six assists in 29 games for the Nets.
He has been a journeyman in the league, suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks, OKC Thunder, LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Raptors and now the Nets.