.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers girls's university basketball and the WNBA.Recently dealt with UConn and the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate as well as Baltimore indigenous with further encounter at the Dallas Early Morning Updates, Seattle Times as well as Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Writer Co-author, Pro Baseball Prospectus set.In the past a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP ranking and SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo worldwide rivals will definitely reunite on Friday, as the USA women's basketball group takes on the Australian Opals along with an area in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold award match on the line.Team USA, which is actually using a streak of 59 successive Olympic triumphes, developed to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a dismayed loss to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have strung with each other 3 straight victories, consisting of Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal decision over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the united state women have actually been the gold requirement for basketball around the globe, gaining 7 consecutive Olympic gold awards and also nine general, Australia has been actually a historic goliath alongside all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summer seasons Gamings, take away 3 silvers as well as pair of bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris notes the very first time they've advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 London Video games.2012 likewise was actually the last time the epic Lauren Jackson suited up on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Staff United States possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals possess Jackson, 43, seeming in her fifth Games and first in 12 years. Jackson has constantly medaled in the competition, and also though she has actually found restricted activity thus far in France, she has an odds to continue that streak this weekend.Australia-- which boasts six active WNBA players-- has a lot of drive, yet the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA elderly national staff, including 0-8 in Olympic competition. During the course of the 5 Video games in which they medaled, Australia lost to the U.S. either in the semifinals or even the gold award contest. The teams final met in 2020, when the Americans dominated 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down some of the pressing concerns heading right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit reports Jackie Young for jump-starting Team USABreanna Stewart chats with Brian Windhorst after Team U.S.A.'s 14-point gain Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team United States changed up its own starting 5 versus Nigeria, along with Jackie Young in place of Diana Taurasi. Carried out the action fix its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful in place of Taurasi-- that had last come off the bench at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right step. With 15 factors against Nigeria, Youthful looks taking a duty as Team United States's third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson and also Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Young is the merely various other united state player balancing double figures at 10.3 points every activity.) Young, one of 3 Sin city Aces players in the beginning five, displayed her 3-point shooting previously against Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her ability to receive downhill and also hit from midrange that attracted attention, along with her hallmark protection in the backcourt. It took till the middle of the second one-fourth for the united state to truly place its feet on the fuel versus Nigeria, but Young's aggressiveness and also power on both ends ought to continue to pay dividends. And also Taurasi seemed to be to perform well off the bench, where she improved as a company with 4 assists.Pelton: I will adore to view starting point guard Chelsea Gray be actually a threat to credit rating. She skipped all three of her try attempts in the quarterfinals, delivering Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the Olympics. Incredibly, the united state outscored Nigeria through only 2 factors in Gray's 17:27, while all 4 other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I pointed out in our final roundtable, the U.S. females can easily overcome one non-scorer in the beginning 5 such a long time as she is actually delivering another thing to the desk. As well as Gray is with her playmaking, having actually now totted 22 assists against just three turn overs. Thus, I do not assume coach Cheryl Reeve needs to have to make additional changes.Photo through Garrett Ellwood/NBAE by means of Getty ImagesWhat problems do the Australians posture, and what might make all of them a hard matchup?Top stories of the week from Acquire unique accessibility to thousands of premium articles a year from top writers. u2022 Solak: Intriguing NFL QB student course "u2022 MLB: Epic AL MVP fight, other awards "u2022 25 most important gamers in CFP ethnicity" More ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will definitely be properly familiar with this Opals team, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Stimulates' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Baggage Melbourne and also Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New york city Liberty instructor Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not merely perform the Opals have the ability to contend against Group United States. They have momentum and also resolve observing their unsatisfactory beginning to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually satisfied along with her crew's grace and guts over recent week, 2 qualities a challenger needs to have when experiencing the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced assault includes 5 players balancing at least 8.0 PPG, may hurt enemies inside with Magbegor and Smith however also coming from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the greatest in the Olympic industry and a lot higher than Staff U.S.A.'s paltry 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion while with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff along with 8 and also seven treys, respectively.Pelton: On paper, Australia is actually deeper as well as much more proficient than any kind of group in the field save for the U.S. women. Our company may debate the most effective global gamer at the Paris Gamings, with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid applicants. But no staff has a pair of players just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, both of whom would have been on my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was certainly not named to the crew this season even with comparable production.) And also no staff outside the U.S. has virtually as a lot WNBA adventure throughout its own roster.Given all that talent, it was stunning when Australia dropped its own position video game to Nigeria then rarely trump winless Canada. In their past two activities, our company've observed the Opals our company counted on, as they defeat bested France to advance to the knockout phase and also led Serbia through as numerous as 28 in an unequal quarterfinal victory.A' Ja foods to Stewie for 3. LeBron accepts. USA System and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 Can easily any person cease Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. However if any person is heading to include them, it's the duo of Magbegor and also Smith. Australia's article gamers place 2nd (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as 4th (Smith, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks every activity as well as have the mobility to stand up for Stewart and Wilson on the border. Magbegor is actually especially experienced against both rivals, having actually dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Hurricane allies and also compared with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The greatest hurdle for Magbegor as well as Smith is nasty problem. Magbegor picked up 3 first-half fouls against Canada, as well as Johnson possessed 2 in the first quarter versus France, restricting their moments. Backup George is a tough, knowledgeable gamer (she racked up 18 aspects in 24 minutes versus Serbia) but nowhere near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate issue. But offered the encounter Stewart as well as Wilson have at this phase-- Stewart is actually going with her third Olympic gold as well as Wilson her second, while Magbegor as well as Johnson are looking in their first Gamings-- I will anticipate the Team USA super duo to produce the winning participates in needed in such a high-pressure condition to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France as well as Belgium would certainly be actually a harder enemy for Team USA?Pelton: I am actually going with Belgium, which gave the united state girls their most difficult Olympic examination yet. The Americans dominated by 13 factors, although the frame was only 7 entering into the 4th quarter of a group stage activity played in Lille, France, near the edge with Belgium. All this regardless of Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point firing, with Julie Vanloo particularly having a hard time coming from midtown while overlooking 10 of her 11 attempts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point player went 3-of-5 from 3, racking up thirteen aspects along with 7 aids (albeit with nine turn overs) as Belgium navigated past Spain, the only other group besides the united state that was actually unbeaten in swimming pool play.Philippou: As the host nation along with the group on its own side and also a lot of take pride in vulnerable, a difficult defensive group in France would not be a piece of cake, either, especially if Marine Johannes may blow up like she performed against Germany with 24 points off the bench and with Gabby Williams breaking the ice on both ends.Has Group United States played its ideal baseball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, particularly on offense, may still be a concern. There are opportunities when the shortage of playing time all together or even Reeve's tweaking along with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. After all, there is actually a reason Sue Bird just recently pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that United States Baseball is actually the best unpleasant basketball she has ever played. After a little bit of a sluggish start, the united state ultimately led through 30 in the 3rd fourth versus Nigeria, yet Reeve couldn't have actually liked exactly how her group enabled the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point game prior to the final buzzer. By means of four video games, the Americans' shortage of 3-point capturing hasn't actually been corrected, which can be a problem if challengers get hot coming from deep.Team U.S.A. can not overlook any of the remaining crews in the business, but along with a defensive identification and also offensive adeptness led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily place games away when it needs to, one thing that should transmit over in to the ultimate two games.Pelton: On the other side, I assume the shooting is actually also explanation to strongly believe there's yet another equipment for the united state women. Collectively, the 12 players on the roster have actually mixed to shoot thirty three% on 3-point efforts in the WNBA this season. That will not make a "Dash Siblings" label any time soon, yet it is actually also better than Crew United States has dealt with from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) as well as Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are actually outstanding to warm up from long assortment. Look out if they lastly perform.