PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Coach George Karl shrugged off criticism that that the U.S. national team is vulnerable.

	Reggie Miller left Sunday's game after landing awkwardly in the third quarter.

Led by Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, the Germans came within six points of the U.S. team with two minutes left Sunday night, but the Americans pulled away to win the exhibition 91-73.

The game was a tune-up for the World Championships starting Thursday in Indianapolis.

"Yeah, we're not playing beautiful basketball,'' Karl said. "But we have won both (exhibition) games and we have controlled both games.

"If having a double-digit lead is vulnerable, fine.''

Jermaine O'Neal scored 15 points in the victory, which was marred when veteran Reggie Miller sprained his right ankle.

Miller, a five-time All-Star who plays for the Indiana Pacers, came down awkwardly on his ankle when he was fouled by Stefano Garris early in the third quarter. Miller did not return.

Karl said he had not spoken to the team doctors, but Miller gave him a look that said things would be all right for Indianapolis.

"I would bet a lot of money that he'll be in the game Thursday night,'' Karl said.

Michael Finley and Shawn Marion each added 14 points for the U.S.

O'Neal said the U.S. players, who have only been together for about two weeks, were still trying to find each other.

"I think that's going to come sooner than later,'' he said.

Nowitzki led Germany with 23 points.

In the 2001 European championships, Nowitzki averaged a tournament-high 28.7 points and 9.1 rebounds as Germany qualified fourth to earn one of Europe's five World Championship berths.

Nowitzki, Germany's lone representative in the NBA, put his team within five points in the third quarter, with a jumper at 4:30 that made it 50-45.

Nowitzki made it close again in the fourth quarter with a dunk that cut it to 79-73 with just 2:19 to go. But the United States went on a 12-0 run, punctuated by Marion's slam, to end it.

Nowitzki was encouraged by his team's performance.

"We saw today that we can play with them, so we'll see what the Worlds bring,'' he said.

The United States controlled the tempo from the start, taking a 43-34 lead into the half and holding the Germans to just 27 percent shooting from the floor.

Miller put the U.S. team up 41-28 with 1:19 to go before the half, but Nowitzki cut it to 41-32 with a pair of free throws and a layup.

Miller, who turned 37 on Saturday, is the oldest member of the U.S. team and has won gold medals with the U.S. in the 1994 World Championships and the 1996 Olympics.

In the first of their two exhibition games leading to the World Championships, the U.S. team beat China and 7-foot-5 center Yao Ming, the NBA's top draft pick.

With the appeal of Ming's first North American appearance, that first exhibition game sold out the Coliseum Arena in Oakland, Calif.

The game against Germany attracted 8,327 fans to Portland's Rose Garden Arena, home of the Trail Blazers.

Baron Davis, bothered by back spasms in practices Friday and Saturday, started Sunday night and finished with seven assists. Elton Brand, who missed the exhibition against China with a mild right knee strain, had six points.