"This is the opportunity of a lifetime. That's how we look at it. We don't have anything to lose," said German head coach Dirk Bauermann.

Germany have never beaten the United States in four previous FIBA encounters. The most recent loss came at the 2002 FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis, where last year's EuroBasket runners up went on to collect the bronze medal while Team USA finished a disappointing sixth.

Germany have many of the same players from the 2002 squad, including an immensely improved Dirk Nowitzki. But this is an entirely different Team USA, a highly-motivated side ready to do anything coach Mike Krzyzewski asks them to win.

One of the biggest keys to the game will be how Nowitzki and the rest of Germany can handle the intense American pressure.

"It's very important for us to take care of the ball otherwise it will be going in the other direction pretty quickly. We have to take care of the ball, execute on offense and try to cut down on turnovers," German shooting guard Demond Greene said.

The Germans also want to keep the quarter-final to a low scoring contest - and give themselves a chance late in the game.

"We have to shorten the game as much as possible and limit the number of possessions if we can - just really value every one of them. We have to try - if possible - to control the rhythm and tempo of the game. If we do that then, maybe, we can stay in the game," Bauermann said.

Greene added: "It's important that we keep the game close for three quarters. In the last quarter anything can happen. Big shots can fall, or defensive plays or important rebounds can decide the game. So keep the game close for three quarters and let the game develop in the fourth quarter."

As has become common, Nowitzki will be Germany's go-to guy for everything. Among players still left in the tournament, he's the leading scorer (24.5 ppg) and rebounder (10.3 rpg), ranks fourth in assists (3.7) and first in minutes (35 mpg).

Ademola Okulaja scored 19 points against Nigeria in the Round of 16 while teaming with Nowitzki for Germany's final 20 points of the game.

Okulaja and Greene will play a crucial role in taking some of the scoring burden off of Nowitzki.

"Dirk has been our main guy," Greene said. "Of course, he's going to be our number one option. But Ademola and I and other players need to contribute as well."

Okulaja is averaging 16.5 points over the last two games, while Greene has chipped in 11.7 points for the tournament. But no other German player is averaging more than seven points.

"Against a great team like that, one scorer is not going to get the job done. Even if (Nowitzki) scores 40 points we need to generate 30 to 40 more points to have a chance. And that's if we can do a great job controlling the tempo, which is going to be very difficult," Bauermann added.

The game will see a number of reunions.

Not only will Nowitzki face off again with Dwayne Wade as he did in the NBA Finals, but the German 7-footer will have an entire NBA roster staring back at him when the teams line up.

Okulaja also gets the chance to see some former team-mates and opponents - and an admirer.

The small forward played three seasons of college basketball with American Antawn Jamison at North Carolina.

"It's going to be fun. We haven't played against each other or with each other since college. I talked to him before we came out and it was like old days. He called me once the try-outs started and wished me luck," Jamison said of his bounds with Okulaja. "We've just had a friendship that's been going on some 10 years. So it's going to fun to compete against him."

Okulaja lines up once more against coach Krzyzewski, Duke University's long serving head coach.

"Coach K is a very precise guy. He has a great staff around him, and they will scout us very well. They are going to know our every move on and off the court," Okulaja said of the American coach.

And U.S. point guard Chris Paul remembers watching Okulaja when he was growing up in North Carolina, adding: "I went to North Carolina camp as a kid. I'm from North Carolina, so I used to see him all the time."

But the Americans won't have encounters with old friends on their minds.

They are focused on grabbing the gold medal. But they say they aren't feeling the pressure to do so.

"Not whatsoever. We're just trying to take one game at a time. We understand that we have Germany next, so we just want to get ready for that," Paul said.

Jamison added: "We've been focused. Ever since day one there's been pressure on us to win the gold. We're just taking it in stride and having fun. There's still three games to be played. We're not feeling pressure from the outside at all. As long as we keep winning, everything should work out fine."