.Alexa PhilippouCloseAlexa PhilippouESPNCovers ladies's college basketball and also the WNBA.Earlier dealt with UConn as well as the WNBA Connecticut Sun for the Hartford Courant.Stanford graduate and also Baltimore native along with more experience at the Dallas Early Morning Information, Seattle Moments and Cincinnati EnquirerKevin PeltonCloseKevin PeltonESPN Senior Citizen Writer Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series.In the past a consultant with the Indiana Pacers.Established WARP ranking and also SCHOENE systemAug 8, 2024, 09:49 AM ETTwo global competitors will certainly reunite on Friday, as the United States ladies's baseball group faces the Australian Opals along with a place in the 2024 Paris Video games' gold medal suit on the line.Team United States, which is actually riding a streak of 59 consecutive Olympic triumphes, advanced to the semifinals with an 88-74 overcome Nigeria on Wednesday. Adhering to a dismayed reduction to Nigeria in their Olympic opener, the Opals have actually strung all together 3 straight victories, featuring Wednesday's 85-67 quarterfinal selection over Serbia.Editor's Picks2 RelatedWhile the U.S. ladies have been actually the gold specification for baseball across the globe, succeeding 7 consecutive Olympic gold medals and also nine overall, Australia has been actually a historical goliath along with all of them. The Opals have medaled in 5 of the past 7 Summertimes Gamings, taking home three silvers as well as pair of bronze, although their semifinal run in Paris denotes the very first time they have actually advanced past the quarterfinals since the 2012 Greater london Games.2012 also was actually the final time the legendary Lauren Jackson dressed on the Olympic phase for the eco-friendly as well as gold-- until now. While Staff U.S.A. possesses 42-year-old, six-time Olympian Diana Taurasi, the Opals have Jackson, 43, showing up in her 5th Gamings as well as to begin with in 12 years. Jackson has actually always medaled in the competition, as well as though she has actually seen minimal action up until now in France, she possesses a chance to continue that touch this weekend.Australia-- which includes six active WNBA gamers-- has loads of momentum, however the Opals are actually 0-20 perpetuity versus the USA elderly nationwide team, including 0-8 in Olympic competitors. In the course of the 5 Games through which they medaled, Australia shed to the united state either in the semifinals or the gold medal competition. The teams last complied with in 2020, when the Americans prevailed 79-55. ESPN's Alexa Philippou as well as Kevin Pelton break down some of the pressing questions moving right into the matchup.play1:05 Breanna Stewart credit scores Jackie Young for jump-starting Group USABreanna Stewart chats along with Brian Windhorst after Crew USA's 14-point win over Nigeria to accelerate to the semifinals.Team USA changed up its beginning five against Nigeria, with Jackie Young instead of Diana Taurasi. Did the step correct its own problems in the backcourt?Philippou: Beginning Youthful instead of Taurasi-- who possessed last come off the seat at the Olympics in 2004-- was the right relocation. With 15 aspects versus Nigeria, Youthful looks carving out a role as Staff USA's third scorer responsible for A'ja Wilson as well as Breanna Stewart. (Without A Doubt, Young is actually the only various other USA player averaging double designs at 10.3 factors every activity.) Young, one of 3 Sin city Aces gamers in the beginning 5, displayed her 3-point capturing previously versus Germany, going 5-of-8. But while she went scoreless from deep-seated on Wednesday, it was her ability to receive downhill and reach from midrange that stood out, in addition to her trademark protection in the backcourt. It took until the center of the 2nd quarter for the united state to truly place its foot on the gasoline versus Nigeria, however Youthful's hostility and energy on each ends ought to remain to return. And Taurasi appeared to carry out well off the seat, where she improved as a facilitator with 4 assists.Pelton: I would certainly enjoy to find beginning point guard Chelsea Gray be a danger to credit rating. She skipped all three of her go efforts in the quarterfinals, carrying Gray to 1-of-13 so far during the Olympics. Incredibly, the USA outscored Nigeria by just 2 points in Gray's 17:27, while all four various other beginners had a plus-minus of plus-17 or much better while on the court.Still, as I stated in our final roundtable, the USA ladies may get rid of one non-scorer in the starting 5 so long as she is carrying something else to the table. And Gray is along with her playmaking, having actually today totaled 22 aids against simply three turn overs. Therefore, I do not think train Cheryl Reeve needs to have to create further changes.Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE using Getty ImagesWhat troubles perform the Australians pose, as well as what might create all of them a challenging matchup?Top tales of the week coming from Get special accessibility to thousands of superior articles a year from leading article writers. u2022 Solak: Interesting NFL QB sophomore class "u2022 MLB: Impressive AL MVP battle, various other honors "u2022 25 crucial players in CFP race" Even more ESPN+ content ".Philippou: WNBA supporters will be actually effectively accustomed to this Opals squad, which features the Seat Hurricane's Ezi Magbegor as well as Sami Whitcomb, Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith, Los Angeles Triggers' Stephanie Talbot, Washington Mystics' Jade Melbourne and Indiana High temperature's Kristy Wallace, plus New York Right instructor Sandy Brondello responsible. Certainly not only perform the Opals have the talent to compete versus Crew U.S.A.. They possess drive as well as fix observing their unsatisfactory start to the Olympics. Brondello has been actually felt free to along with her staff's poise as well as guts over recent week, two high qualities an enemy needs to have when dealing with the Americans.The Opals, whose well balanced attack flaunts five gamers balancing a minimum of 8.0 PPG, can hurt enemies inside with Magbegor as well as Smith yet additionally from the 3-point arc. Their 36.9% 3-point clip is actually the most effective in the Olympic area and much higher than Staff United States's puny 30.8%. Whitcomb as well as Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champ while along with the Las Vegas Aces, lead the staff with eight and 7 treys, respectively.Pelton: Theoretically, Australia is actually deeper and extra accomplished than any kind of team in the field except for the U.S. ladies. Our company can easily discuss the most ideal international gamer at the Paris Video Games, along with Emma Meesseman (Belgium) and also Satou Sabally (Germany) as solid candidates. However no group possesses a pair of gamers just as good as the Opals' frontcourt duo of Magbegor and Smith, each of whom will possess performed my WNBA Dream team this year. (Magbegor, a 2023 All-Star, was not named to the group this season even with identical manufacturing.) And no team outside the united state has virtually as much WNBA experience throughout its roster.Given the only thing that skill, it was actually shocking when Australia shed its position activity to Nigeria after that rarely defeat winless Canada. In their previous 2 games, we have actually seen the Opals our team anticipated, as they trump surpassed France to advance to the knockout stage and also led Serbia by as lots of as 28 in a lopsided quarterfinal victory.A' Ja dishes to Stewie for 3. LeBron permits. U.S.A. System as well as Peacock pic.twitter.com/yI8kbWNUpsu2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024 May anybody stop Breanna Stewart and also A'ja Wilson?Pelton: No. Yet if any person is going to contain them, it's the duo of Magbegor and Johnson. Australia's blog post gamers rate second (Magbegor, 2.4) as well as fourth (Johnson, 1.8) in the WNBA in blocks per game as well as have the flexibility to stand up for Stewart as well as Wilson on the border. Magbegor is specifically experienced versus both challengers, having actually dealt with Stewart virtual for 3 years as Tornado teammates and paired up with Wilson in the 2022 WNBA semifinals.The most significant barrier for Magbegor and also Smith is actually repulsive trouble. Magbegor picked up three first-half fouls versus Canada, and also Johnson had 2 in the initial one-fourth versus France, confining their moments. Backup George is a hard, competent gamer (she racked up 18 factors in 24 moments against Serbia) yet no place near as sports on defense.Philippou: Pelton brings up a legitimate problem. But given the take in Stewart and Wilson have at this stage-- Stewart is actually going with her 3rd Olympic gold and Wilson her second, while Magbegor and also Smith are showing up in their initial Gamings-- I would certainly expect the Staff USA extremely duo to help make the winning plays important in such a stressful scenario to advance to the final.Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesWhich of France and also Belgium will be a harder opponent for Staff USA?Pelton: I am actually picking Belgium, which provided the united state females their toughest Olympic test yet. The Americans prevailed through thirteen points, although the frame was actually simply 7 going into the 4th one-fourth of a team stage video game played in Lille, France, near the border with Belgium. All this even with Belgium going only 5-of-27 in 3-point capturing, with Julie Vanloo especially straining coming from midtown while skipping 10 of her 11 efforts. On Wednesday, the Mystics point guard went 3-of-5 coming from 3, racking up thirteen factors along with seven aids (albeit along with 9 turnovers) as Belgium travelled previous Spain, the merely various other crew besides the united state that was unbeaten in pool play.Philippou: As the host country with the crowd on its own side and a lot of pleasure vulnerable, a challenging protective crew in France would not be actually a pushover, either, particularly if Marine Johannes can easily go off like she carried out against Germany with 24 factors off the bench and along with Gabby Williams leading the way on each ends.Has Team U.S.A. played its best basketball yet?Philippou: In-game uniformity, especially on offense, can easily still be actually a concern. There are actually times when the shortage of playing opportunity together or even Reeve's tweaking with rotations/combinations is actually still evident. Besides, there is actually a main reason why Sue Bird lately pointed out on Carmelo Anthony's podcast that U.S.A. Baseball is the best uncomfortable basketball she has ever played. After a little bit of a slow-moving beginning, the U.S. ultimately led through 30 in the 3rd quarter against Nigeria, however Reeve couldn't have actually liked exactly how her staff permitted the D'Tigress to make it a 14-point video game before the ultimate buzzer. Via 4 games, the Americans' lack of 3-point shooting hasn't truly been actually corrected, which can be a problem if enemies fume from deep.Team U.S.A. can't overlook any one of the staying staffs in the business, yet with a protective identity and also offensive prowess led through Stewart and Wilson, it has actually revealed it can easily place games away when it needs to have to, something that must transmit over right into the final pair of games.Pelton: On the other hand, I believe the firing is additionally explanation to strongly believe there is actually another gear for the united state women. Together, the 12 players on the roster have incorporated to shoot thirty three% on 3-point tries in the WNBA this time. That won't gain a "Dash Siblings" nickname at any time quickly, however it's likewise much better than Team United States has taken care of coming from the much shorter 3-point line in FIBA play.Taurasi (1-of-7) and also Jewell Loyd (2-of-10) are overdue to warm up coming from long variation. Look out if they eventually perform.