VALENCIA (EuroBasket 2007) - Germany looked nowhere near a team capable of challenging for a place at the 2008 Olympics in their 77-61 defeat to Spain, but Dirk Nowitzki isn't unduly concerned.

With 10 days to go before the start of the EuroBasket, the Dallas Mavericks superstar has no doubt that he'll be ready.

And if Nowitzki is ready, history shows the Germans will be as well.

After the Spanish triumph over Germany in Valencia, Nowitzki said to FIBA: "I felt good against Spain.

"I think these warm-up games are important to get my rhythm back.

"We have four or five games left before the European Championship and all of them will be good for me to get ready."

Nowitzki is like no other player in Europe.

For starters, he is the only player from the continent to be voted as the NBA MVP.

It happened last year, after Nowitzki led the Mavs to a franchise record 67 triumphs in the regular season.

Two years ago, Nowitzki was MVP of EuroBasket 2005.

He was then voted as FIBA Europe's Player of the Year.

For Germany, Nowitzki is a gift from heaven.

But what is so exceptional about the seven-footer is his ability to make his teammates look first class as well.

He does stand out as the talisman, but the others feed off his presence and at times look like world beaters.

"We have a good team," Nowitzki said. "We already showed it two years ago when we won the silver medal in Belgrade."

Germany coach Dirk Bauermann gushes about his leader.

"Dirk is the heart and soul of our team," he said.

"He looked a bit tired against Spain on Wednesday but Spain did a very good job in defending him.

"He obviously is one of the top three players in the world but we have a good team, we are not a one-man team. We have guys who know how to play ... "

The Germans are smart.

Because there are so many good players in Europe these days, many who have left for the NBA, other teams are deemed to have a better chance of qualifying for the Olympics ahead of the Germans.

Bauermann is just fine with that kind of thinking.

"We are underdogs going into this tournament, but we are very good underdogs," he said.

"I think it's the position where we like to be in."

Two Olympic qualifying places are at stake at the EuroBasket.

Spain have clinched their place in Beijing already by winning last year's FIBA World Championship.

"I think Spain, because they are the host nation, and (defending champions) Greece are the two favourites to win the tournament," Nowitzki said.

"But other than that everything is open and we will see what we can come up with."