.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's university basketball as well as the WNBA.Formerly dealt with UConn and also the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and Baltimore indigenous with additional take in at the Dallas Early Morning Headlines, Seat Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Author Co-author, Pro Basketball Syllabus collection.Previously a professional along with the Indiana Pacers.Built WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will certainly reunite on Friday, as the United States ladies's basketball crew faces the Australian Opals with a spot in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team U.S.A., which is riding a touch of 59 consecutive Olympic wins, improved to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to an upset reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung with each other 3 straight success, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the USA ladies have been the gold requirement for basketball all over the world, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and nine total, Australia has actually been actually a historic goliath together with them. The Opals have medaled in five of the past seven Summertimes Gamings, taking home three silvers and also two bronze, although their semifinal operate in Paris marks the very first time they have actually developed past the quarterfinals since the 2012 Greater london Video games.2012 likewise was the final time the fabulous Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic phase for the environment-friendly as well as gold-- previously. While Staff U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Gamings and to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has actually consistently medaled in the competitors, and though she has found limited action up until now in France, she has an odds to carry on that streak this weekend.Australia-- which includes six energetic WNBA players-- possesses a lot of drive, however the Opals are actually 0-20 all time versus the united state elderly nationwide team, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the five Gamings in which they medaled, Australia dropped to the USA either in the semifinals or even the gold award competition. The squads last satisfied in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou and Kevin Pelton break down a few of journalism concerns heading into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Youthful for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Staff USA's 14-point gain Nigeria to progress to the semifinals.Team U.S.A. switched over up its own starting five versus Nigeria, with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Performed the technique correct its issues in the backcourt?Philippou: Starting Young instead of Taurasi-- that possessed last go over the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was actually the appropriate action. With 15 points versus Nigeria, Young looks taking a duty as Crew United States's third scorer behind A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Youthful is the merely other USA player balancing double designs at 10.3 points per activity.) Youthful, one of 3 Las Vegas Aces gamers in the starting 5, showed off her 3-point capturing earlier versus Germany, going 5-of-8. Yet while she went scoreless coming from deeper on Wednesday, it was her capability to acquire downhill and also reach coming from midrange that attracted attention, in addition to her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took till the center of the 2nd one-fourth for the U.S. to truly place its foot on the fuel versus Nigeria, yet Youthful's aggressiveness and energy on each ends should remain to return. And Taurasi appeared to carry out effectively off the bench, where she boosted as a facilitator along with 4 assists.Pelton: I 'd like to find beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a danger to credit rating. She missed all three of her try efforts in the quarterfinals, bringing Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the course of the Olympics. Extremely, the U.S. outscored Nigeria by simply 2 factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners possessed a plus-minus of plus-17 or far better while on the court.Still, as I discussed in our last roundtable, the united state ladies can get over one non-scorer in the starting 5 such a long time as she is actually delivering something else to the desk. As well as Gray is with her playmaking, having today totaled 22 supports against merely three turn overs. So, I don't think train Cheryl Reeve needs to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat troubles carry out the Australians position, as well as what can make all of them a challenging matchup?Top stories of the full week coming from Obtain special access to lots of premium short articles a year coming from best writers. u2022 Solak: Fascinating NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Legendary AL MVP war, various other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP race" Additional ESPN+ material ".Philippou: WNBA followers will be actually well acquainted with this Opals squad, which features the Seattle Tornado's Ezi Magbegor and also Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Johnson, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana Fever's Kristy Wallace, plus Nyc Liberty trainer Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not merely carry out the Opals possess the ability to contend versus Group U.S.A.. They possess momentum as well as fix observing their disappointing beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has been felt free to with her crew's poise and grit over recent full week, 2 premiums a challenger requires when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault boasts five players averaging at least 8.0 PPG, can harm adversaries inside along with Magbegor and also Smith but additionally coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic field and also much more than Staff U.S.A.'s paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while with the Sin City Aces, lead the staff with 8 and also 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Abstractly, Australia is actually deeper and extra skilled than any sort of crew in the business save for the USA women. Our experts can dispute the greatest worldwide gamer at the Paris Video Games, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as strong prospects. However no crew has a set of players as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor as well as Smith, each of whom would certainly have performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was actually not called to the staff this time despite comparable production.) As well as no staff outside the united state possesses almost as much WNBA adventure throughout its roster.Given everything talent, it was actually stunning when Australia lost its own position game to Nigeria at that point hardly defeat winless Canada. In their previous pair of activities, our team've seen the Opals our experts counted on, as they trump exceeded France to advance to the knockout stage as well as led Serbia by as a lot of as 28 in an unbalanced quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron approves. U.S.A. Network as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any person stop Breanna Stewart as well as A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. But if anybody is going to include them, it's the duo of Magbegor as well as Smith. Australia's post players position 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) and 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity and possess the flexibility to speak up for Stewart and also Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually particularly experienced versus both rivals, having faced Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado allies and also compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest barrier for Magbegor and also Johnson is actually repulsive issue. Magbegor grabbed 3 first-half fouls versus Canada, as well as Johnson had 2 in the initial quarter versus France, restricting their minutes. Backup George is actually a difficult, competent player (she scored 18 points in 24 minutes versus Serbia) however no place near as athletic on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a valid worry. But offered the experience Stewart as well as Wilson contend this phase-- Stewart is going with her third Olympic gold and Wilson her 2nd, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are actually seeming in their 1st Gamings-- I will anticipate the Staff USA extremely duo to make the winning participates in required in such a high-pressure scenario to breakthrough to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be a tougher opponent for Crew USA?Pelton: I am actually choosing Belgium, which gave the united state females their toughest Olympic exam yet. The Americans dominated through thirteen factors, although the margin was only 7 getting into the 4th quarter of a group stage game played in Lille, France, near the perimeter with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo especially struggling from downtown while missing 10 of her 11 tries. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 coming from 3, scoring thirteen aspects with seven supports (albeit along with 9 turn overs) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the only various other team besides the USA that was unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the multitude country with the group on its own side as well as loads of pleasure on the line, a challenging defensive team in France wouldn't be a pushover, either, specifically if Marine Johannes may go off like she performed against Germany along with 24 points off the bench as well as along with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Group USA played its best baseball yet?Philippou: In-game consistency, particularly on offense, can still be a problem. There are times when the shortage of participating in time together or Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is still obvious. It goes without saying, there's a main reason why Sue Bird just recently claimed on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that USA Basketball is actually the absolute most annoying basketball she has actually ever played. After a little a slow-moving beginning, the U.S. at some point led by 30 in the 3rd fourth against Nigeria, yet Reeve could not have really loved just how her staff permitted the D'Tigress to create it a 14-point game just before the final buzzer. With 4 activities, the Americans' absence of 3-point shooting have not really been fixed, which could be a concern if opponents fume from deep.Team U.S.A. can't overlook some of the staying staffs in the field, yet along with a protective identity and aggressive prowess led by Stewart and also Wilson, it has actually shown it can easily place video games away when it needs to, one thing that should transmit over in to the ultimate 2 games.Pelton: On the flip side, I think the firing is also factor to believe there's another equipment for the united state girls. Jointly, the 12 players on the roster have actually blended to fire thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That won't get a "Dash Sisters" nickname whenever very soon, yet it is actually additionally much better than Staff U.S.A. has actually taken care of coming from the briefer 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are outstanding to warm up coming from lengthy variety. Watch out if they finally carry out.