Greece are breathing a sigh of relief following the news that center Sofoklis Schortsanitis did not suffer a serious injury in warm-ups before his team's friendly against the United States on Wednesday.

Schortsanitis felt some pain in his leg and was taken to hospital where an MRI showed no serious injury, which means he will be able to travel with his national side when they compete at the FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Greece's first game is on Saturday in Group C against China.

The Greeks, who also played without Schortsanitis' Olympiacos teammate Ioannis Bourousis due to injury, lost to the USA 87-59.

"The score is insignificant really because they didn't have their complete team against us," USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Krzyzewski revealed after the game that he has a deep admiration for Greece.

"We'd like to thank you for your hospitality and for giving us the opportunity to play in great venue, and a great city," he said.

"Even when I was not the national coach, my love for Greece and Greece basketball is a very deep one.

"I have very good friends here. So thank you for the great treatment.

"I hope both of our teams will be healthy...and play well in Turkey.

"So thank you from our whole team."

Greece beat the United States 101-95 in the Semi-Finals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship, but the United States hammered them two years later in Beijing at the Olympics on the way to a gold-medal triumph.