Come next month, Dirk Nowitzki will try to lead Germany to success in the EuroBasket like he couldn't do in 2003 when he was hampered by injuries after a long season with the Dallas Mavericks.

The Germans, having won the bronze at the FIBA World Championship 2002 in Indianapolis, struggled one year later in Sweden and lost in the EuroBasket elimination round.

"In 2003, I was injured before the tournament and was probably only 80% fit in Sweden," Nowitzki said to PA Sport.

		Germany are hoping to have a Patrick Femerling in Belgrade

The four-time NBA All-Star still averaged 22.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in four games, but it wasn't enough to get his team through to the quarter-finals.

Nowitzki has had another long campaign in the US but unlike 2003, he is now healthy.

This time, it's Nowitzki's team-mates who are hurting.

"Ademola Okulaja and Patrick Femerling are injured, but they are expected to be back in time for the start of the tournament," said Nowitzki, a seven-year pro.

"However, our starting point guard Steffen Hamann will not be playing for us in Serbia because of a bad knee injury.

"But we have to play as a team, and I think that our bench is deep enough to compensate for his absence.

As far as Nowitzki is concerned, with or without Hamann setting the pace, Germany stand as good a chance as any national side to win this tournament.

They are in Group A, along with Russia, Italy and Ukraine, with the games to be played in Vrsac.

"I think there are at least 10 teams that can reach the semi-finals and we are definitely one of them," he said.

"Serbia & Montenegro will be favourites to go far because of the homecourt advantage they hold.

"Of course as the defending champions, Lithuania will be tough to beat and I think Spain - even without Pau Gasol - are a dangerous underdog.

"France will rely on their NBA players to lead the way and I expect some tough competition to come from Italy, who won the silver medal at the Olympics 2004. And of course you have to remember Russia."

And Nowitzki has had time to establish a list of goals for Germany to aim for during the tournament.

"The first goal will be to qualify for the quarter-finals, then to qualify for next year's World Championship in Japan," he said.

"Once we have achieved those first two things, hopefully we will be motivated even more to win a medal or quite simply win the Championships."

What has to happen first is for Germany's walking wounded to heal.

Patrick Femerling, forward Ademola Okulaja and point guard Mithat Demirel did no play for Germany in the weekend's SuperCup that was staged in Braunschweig.

The Greeks won the game 66-57.

And most worrying for Germany coach Dirk Bauermann was his side's inability to contain CSKA guard Theodoros Papaloukas.

Pascal Roller was given the assignment and failed to cope with the 2m Papaloukas, who directed Greece's attack.