Wagner brothers and Germany are not afraid of Team USA

Germany did something once unthinkable last year at the FIBA World Cup. Germany stunned the United States with a shooting performance for the ages and advanced to the championship to take the gold medal.

The response from the U.S.? Load up on stars and move on from the young players who went to Japan for the World Cup. Maybe LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and the others were always circling Paris as the tournament they would all play. But the comparisons to the "Redeem Team" of 2008 were made pretty quickly. The U.S. had to regain its stature at the top of the pile.

And half the battle going against the U.S. is to stand up to the talent and not be intimidated by the star power on the other side. It is to take the blitzes and scoring binges and stand up to them.

The world has caught up to the U.S. South Sudan, playing in their second major international tournament as a young country, took the U.S. to the limit in an exhibition Saturday. That was a team with a few players who had a cup of coffee in the NBA at most.

Germany got a more focused U.S. team looking for redemption. And in typical fashion for Germany and anyone who has watched Franz or Moritz Wagner play basketball, they did not back down.

The path to a gold medal for Team USA is not going to be easy even with all of their talent. And Germany, the biggest threat perhaps to win the gold medal as the defending world champions showed how unafraid they and the rest of the world are.

Orlando Magic fans are well aware of what the Wagner brothers are about. They know well how they can spark their team with the right drive or right basket or the right steal and defensive play.

Both Wagner brothers had big games against Team USA

Mo Wagner entered the game in Monday's 92-88 U.S. win in London with Germany reeling and falling behind as the bench came in and the U.S.'s star power found its groove even if momentarily. Wagner found some energy plays that helped change the game, including taking a vicious elbow to the face from Anthony Davis to draw an offensive foul.

The older Wagner brother was everywhere defensively, often diving on the floor and digging out possessions. He was rolling hard to the rim on pick and rolls as Germany looked more in sync and more like a team than the U.S. did for long stretches.

That is what they get for playing three tournaments in three summers together.

Mo Wagner scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Germany off the bench. Like he is for the Magic, Wagner was just willing to mix things up and give Germany the energy it needed off the bench.

Franz Wagner is certainly unafraid. The U.S. put a lot of defensive attention on him as he tried to get free and get downhill to the basket. But Wagner and Germany used that pressure as a decoy, springing players open for backdoor cuts against the pressure and 3-point shooters for threes.

Franz Wagner found his groove in the second half, finishing the game with a team-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Franz was active defensively and helped Germany keep pace.

As Franz often does, he is a connector that soaks up attention and gives space for everyone to play well.

It took LeBron James scoring 11 points in the final four minutes to ensure the U.S. won. Germany settled for threes a bit too much (they finished 13 for 45 from three) and would fall behind when the threes dried up.

But they were not afraid of the moment or to take on the U.S. Remember, they lost to the U.S. in a friendly before the World Cup last year before beating them in the tournament semifinals. Germany at least has proof of concept they can compete.

But this is something that has characterized both Wagner brothers in their time in the NBA and particularly with the Magic. They do not back down. They are unafraid.

That is the attitude the Magic treasure about both players. They both have taken on every challenge put in front of them—just as they will when the Olympics begin for Germany on Saturday against Japan (7:30 a.m. ET tip-off).

The Olympics will be a good way to prepare for the next Magic season

Both Franz and Mo have plenty to prove after signing new deals this summer in the upcoming tournament.

Franz Wagner has to make up for his 1-for-15 showing in Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs and prove he is worth the max contract he signed this offseason. Wagner has done that in a lot of ways with how he connects everyone on the floor. But his shooting took a major drop off and he tends to be inconsistent against elite defenses—like the one the U.S. presented to him Monday.

Wagner needs a good tournament to inspire confidence heading into the season. His step-back 3-pointer to open the second half Monday eased some concerns as he has shot 5 for 10 from three in his last two friendlies after starting 0 for 7.

Mo Wagner needs to keep doing what he is doing. But he has to match last year's incredible 67.3 percent on 2-point field goal attempts last year and improving dramatically on defense last year—going from one of the worst defenders at the rim in the league to a respectable defender who was third in the league in total charges drawn.

High-level games like the ones the Olympics provides is a good stage for both to showcase what they will do for the Magic when the season begins in two-plus months.

One thing everyone can count on is that they will not be afraid to step up to the plate when the pressure games begin. That is what has defined their run with their national team and with the Magic again. It defined their game Monday.

A close game between Germany and the United States should not be a surprise anymore.