Powered by Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, a traditionally dominant U.S. ladies’s basketball program blew out Japan, 102-76, to win their first pool sport of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Workforce USA famously hasn’t misplaced an Olympic sport since 1992, and didn’t seem any much less invincible on this one, main handily from the bounce regardless of some uncharacteristic taking pictures struggles.
Monday’s sport was a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics Finals, when USA Basketball defeated Japan 90-75 within the gold medal sport, led by 30 factors from Brittney Griner and 19 from A’ja Wilson.
Three years later, the dimensions disparity nonetheless proved insurmountable for Japan, one of many extra undersized groups within the match. Workforce USA has 4 gamers who’re 6’2 or taller: Alyssa Thomas (6’2), A’ja Wilson (6’3), Breanna Stewart (6’3), and Brittney Griner (6’8). Nobody on Japan’s roster is taller than 6’1, and it confirmed, with the U.S. often getting a number of offensive alternatives and taking pictures over smaller defenders.
Early on, Japan’s scorching three-point taking pictures saved them in it, however the U.S. submit gamers — who’re among the most dominant within the historical past of the ladies’s sport — in the end blew the sport open and ensured the commanding victory.
Right here’s 5 issues it is advisable to know from America’s opening Olympic sport.
A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart had been unstoppable
From the bounce, Japan had no reply for Workforce USA’s dynamic submit participant duo, Wilson and Stewart, who mixed for 46 factors and 21 rebounds.
Wilson, final yr’s Finals MVP, acquired issues going with 10 factors within the first quarter, and in the end completed the evening with 24 factors on 10-16 taking pictures, 13 rebounds (6 offensive) and 4 blocks.
Stewart added 22 factors (11-15 FG), 8 rebounds, and three assists, and completed with a game-high plus-minus of +30. Stewart, a two-time MVP and two-time WNBA champion, was notably efficient when sharing the entrance court docket with Wilson, and constantly exploited mismatches she’ll doubtless have the ability to capitalize on for the remainder of the match.
Brittney Griner, returning to worldwide play for the primary time since her 10-month detainment in Russia, was no slouch off the bench, including 11 factors on 5-7 taking pictures and 9 rebounds in quarter-hour.
Rebounding disparity was the important thing issue within the match-up — USA completed with greater than twice as many boards as Japan, in the end holding a 56-27 benefit on the glass. That allowed them to remain forward even when photographs weren’t falling within the first half.
Monday was not the primary time this dimension disparity between the 2 groups has been exploited. Within the gold medal sport in Tokyo, Griner — one of many tallest gamers on the planet — exploded for 30 factors in opposition to Japan to safe the victory.
All twelve U.S. gamers performed and contributed
It was an all-around rout by Workforce USA, as all 12 members of the roster performed no less than six minutes — and each single participant scored.
Diana Taurasi, Chelsea Grey, Napheesa Collier, Stewart and Wilson rounded out the beginning lineup — a veteran group with important Olympic expertise. Kelsey Plum and Sabrina Ionescu every scored 11 factors off the bench, whereas Jackie Younger added 7.
Chelsea Grey — the Level Gawd — shines
She would possibly simply be one of the best level guard on the planet. Chelsea Grey missed the primary 12 video games of the WNBA season recovering from a foot fracture she suffered within the Finals, and the Aces had been a .500 staff with out her. However for the reason that 2021 Finals MVP retuned to the lineup, Las Vegas has received 10 of its final 12 video games, and on Monday in opposition to Japan, she confirmed the world why.
Grey completed with 13 assists in simply 20 minutes of motion, 11 of which got here within the first half, often discovering a reducing Wilson or Stewart to the basket.
It actually doesn’t harm that three of her Olympic teammates (Jackie Younger, A’ja Wilson, and Kelsey Plum) are additionally her Aces teammates with whom she’s received three championships.
Passing on the whole was off the charts on this one — the U.S. completed with 35 assists on 42 made subject objectives, routinely getting open layups simply as they did within the exhibition matchup in opposition to Germany.
Three-pointers saved Japan within the sport — no less than early on
Japan hit 9 three-pointers within the first half and completed the sport taking pictures 15-39 from three. Mai Yamamoto (17 factors) and Maki Takada (24 factors) led the way in which for Japan, whereas Saori Miyazaki added 12 factors off the bench.
For a lot of the primary half, Japan was capable of preserve the sport inside single digits because of the new taking pictures. That’ll be key for them shifting ahead as they proceed pool play.
Sabrina Ionescu offers a late-game spark
The Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu was one of many final three gamers within the rotation — together with Kahleah Copper and Jackie Younger — however she made her mark as soon as she acquired the possibility.
She completed the sport with 11 factors, 5 assists, and three rebounds in 19 minutes, and was the one American to hit greater than a single three-pointer within the sport (she completed 3-7 from three-points).
Subsequent Up
The win places the U.S. in first place in Pool C:
1. United States (1-0; +26 level differential)
2. Germany (1-0; +14)
3. Belgium (0-1; -14)
4. Japan (0-1; -26)
The American staff will subsequent face Belgium on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. ET. T
Belgium, who’s led by Emma Meesseman, misplaced within the Quarterfinals final Olympics, and dropped their first sport of the Olympics to Germany earlier on Monday. Meesseman was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2021, and is poised to be one of many high gamers Workforce USA will face this summer time in Paris.
Then, Workforce USA will as soon as once more face Germany on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 11:15 a.m. When the 2 international locations confronted off in exhibition play final Tuesday, the U.S. received 84-57.
