Sue Bird’s last Olympics.
The final on Sunday could represent the end of the road for two longtime superstars, both of whom are aiming for their fifth gold medals: Sue Bird has said these Olympics will be her last, while Diana Taurasi has hinted at it.
“Last dance, baby!” Taurasi yelled as she walked back to the locker room after the team’s semifinal win.
Expect 3-pointers from the Japanese players.
The Japanese will pin their hopes on their ability to connect from deep range. They lead all teams in 3-point shooting, hitting at a 40.9 percent rate.
The Americans will have to keep an eye on two sharpshooters in particular: Yuki Miyazawa has drained 19 3-pointers in this tournament and Saki Hayashi has made 17. Miyazawa is shooting 45.2 percent from 3-point range, while Hayashi is shooting 50.0 percent. But the Japanese team will not have much experience to lean on: This is its first time making it to the medal round in basketball.