Phoenix’s new recruit Yuta Watanabe and his Japanese teammates loved an emphatic victory over Finland within the FIBA World Cup however the sharpshooter admitted he has been taking part in by damage.
“Speaking about my leg, I’ve received numerous suggestions to take a break and focus on the upcoming season,” he said on X. “However, when I hurt my leg in the games against Angola and Germany, I thoroughly examined it and made sure it wasn’t a serious injury before participating. I’m proceeding with caution. Rest assured, if there’s any concern, the coaching staff and our team doctor will stop me.”
Watanabe had a noticeable limp on the finish of the sport and solely managed to attain 4 factors in half-hour, whereas his teammates Joshua Hawkinson (28 factors, 19 rebounds) and Yuki Kawamura (25, 9 assists) led the cost for Japan of their first ever win over a European group.
The host nation come again from 18 factors down and the gang cheering on from the stands helped to spur Japan into motion.
Watanabe was fairly essential of the gang after their first recreation towards Germany however was fast to reward the followers this time.
“The atmosphere yesterday was great,” Watanabe wrote. “I’m really grateful to the people who bought tickets in a hurry and filled the seats. Special mention goes to the original ticket holders and the spirited supporters who remained undeterred, even in the face of numerous empty seats during the match against Germany. Looking forward to the next game!”
The subsequent recreation Japan play can be towards Australia on Tuesday evening, which can be a must-win.
Check the FIBA website to see what time the sport can be performed in your timezone and the place to look at it.
Following the World Cup marketing campaign, Watanabe will be part of his former Nets teammate Kevin Durant in Phoenix for coaching camp.
