SAITAMA - The United States broke out of a first-half slumber to beat Germany 85-65 and reach the last four of the world basketball championship on Wednesday.

The US blew a one-point game wide open in a high-energy third quarter as the red-hot tournament favourites moved a step closer to ending a six-year world and Olympic title drought.

The United States broke out of a first-half slumber to beat Germany 85-65 and reach the last four of the world basketball championship on Wednesday. [AFP]

The Americans will take on Greece in Friday's semi-finals after the European champions overpowered France 73-56 earlier on Wednesday.

"We won despite not having a good offensive night," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters. "But we forced 24 turnovers and we did the things that win ball games.

"Defensively I thought we couldn't have played better in the second half and we needed that."

Carmelo Anthony led the US with 19 points and fellow co-captain LeBron James added 13 after a much-improved second half propelled them to a perfect 7-0 record in Japan.

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki had 15 points for Germany but spent much of the game in foul trouble after picking up his third personal with 3:04 left in the second quarter.

"They deserved to win -- no question," said Germany coach Dirk Bauermann. "They were the better team defensively and they killed us on the offensive glass."

The U.S. finished an embarrassing sixth at the last world championship in Indianapolis in 2002 and took bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

They won the last of their three world titles in 1994 and their last Olympic gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Olympic champions Argentina meet Spain in Friday's other semi-final.