Saitama, Japan ? So far, no one at the world championships has figured out how to counter Team USA’s superior skills, athleticism and depth. Germany provided a clue Wednesday night.

The Germans packed the paint and forced the Americans to fire from afar. The strategy worked for a half before the U.S. pulled away for an 85-65 victory.

It may have been the scariest 20-point victory in team history. The Americans struggled against the Germans’ zone defense and were out of sync for much of the night.

The Americans’ performance provided a glimmer of hope for defense-oriented Greece, which will face the U.S. in the semifinals Friday. Spain and Argentina, which meet in the other semifinal, also will take note.

“I’m sure we’re going to see a lot of zone,” U.S. guard Kirk Hinrich said. “We have up ’til now, and I’m sure we will the remainder of the games. And that’s fine. We’ve got guys who can make shots, and for whatever reason we just didn’t do that tonight.”

Indeed, the U.S. struggled through its worst shooting performance – 38 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range – in seven games.

The only worse shooting came from German star Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with more turnovers (five) than baskets (three). He was 3-for-12 from the floor and finished with 15 points, tied for the team high with Ademola Okulaja.

Team USA's Kirk Hinrich, left, guards as Germany's Steffen Hamann (9) drives to the basket. The U.S. logged a 20-point victory against Germany on Wednesday in Saitama, Japan.

The Americans’ leading scorer was Carmelo Anthony, who scored 19 points but was 2-for-12 in the first half.

“My shot wasn’t falling, but we’re going to have nights like that when shots don’t fall,” said Anthony, who went 5-for-7 after halftime. “We keep shooting. We know we’re capable of making those shots. Coach (Mike Krzyzewski) told us to keep shooting. That’s what we did.”

The U.S. is at its most potent when it is running the floor and attacking the basket. But it launched 40 of its 85 shots from beyond the three-point arc.

At halftime, this looked like the nightmare scenario envisioned by skeptics who have questioned the Americans’ shooting touch. German coach Dirk Bauermann packed the lane with a zone defense and dared the Americans to fire away from outside.

Others have tried to do the same thing, but this time the strategy worked.

“We switched our defense and played a lot of zone in the first half,” Bauermann said. “In the second half, they turned up the heat and played a great defensive game, and when you play like that you can beat anyone and win the gold.”

The U.S. pulled away with defense and rebounding. It pressured the Germans into 24 turnovers and hammered them 48-34 on the backboards, including a 22-6 advantage on the offensive glass.