Olympic Basketball 2016: Women's Gold-Medal Game TV Time, Live-Stream Schedule

To nobody's surprise, the U.S. women's basketball squad pummeled its way to an Olympic gold-medal match in Rio de Janeiro.

As advertised, the Americans have dominated in pursuit of their sixth-consecutive first-place finish. Led by UConn alums Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore, the team has registered 102.3 points per game with a 38.4-point average victory margin.

Following a humdrum 86-67 semifinal win over France, Team USA can maintain its medal monopoly by besting Spain on Saturday afternoon. Before using its five-game winning streak to conjure thoughts of an upset, those victories proceeded a 40-point loss to the U.S.

The same outcome will likely unfold again. There's no reason to pretend otherwise.

Gold-Medal Game: United States vs. Spain

When: Saturday, August 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBCOlympics.com

Preview 

For its elevated standards, the U.S. looked sluggish for parts of its semifinal victory over France. Before breaking away in the third quarter, the heavy favorite nursed a six-point lead into halftime. 

Nineteen points represents a blowout win for most teams. The U.S. isn't most teams, as that marked its smallest victory in Rio.

Although not enough to alter the final outcome, the Americans felt Sue Bird's absence. The veteran point guard—who leads the team with 30 assists despite sitting out the semifinals—missed the game due to a sprained right knee.

Bird is an unheralded, yet indispensable part of a loaded roster. Team USA leads the field with 195 assists, 59 more than runner-up Australia, but it lacks another true floor general to facilitate the selfless offense.

Jessica Hill/Associated Press

Having played with her during college and the last three Olympics, Taurasi can appreciate her importance more than anyone. She discussed competing without her longtime teammate, per ESPN.com's Johnette Howard. 

"When Sue's out, you forget how much she does for this team," she said. "We have so many scorers, and she finds a way to get everyone in their spots, to get everyone touches, and she sacrifices her own offense for that...I think we figured it out in the second half. But it was still hard."

Saying her return is essential would be lying for the sake of constructing suspense. They would probably be fine without her, but it'd be much easier with the 35-year-old at the helm.

While Bird's status remains undetermined, SNY's Kerith Burke offered a positive report from Friday's team practice:

"

Bird did not say the words "I am playing tomorrow," has to see what next 24 hours hold. But she got in the kind of practice she wanted.

— Kerith Burke (@KerithBurke) August 19, 2016"

On August 8, Taurasi led the team with 13 points, but eight other players offered at least eight points. The Phoenix Mercury guard has averaged a team-best 15.4 points per game with lethal long-range shooting. NBC Olympics noted her record three-point tally accrued in 50 attempts:

As one side dominated with depth, Spain received little offense outside of forwards Alba Torrens and Astou Ndour, who scored 20 and 13 points, respectively. The U.S. also picked Spain's pocket 13 times and forced 23 total turnovers.

Even Spanish forward Laura Nicholls isn't naive about her team's chances of stunning the world.

"It is impossible to beat them. It will be very, very complicated," Nicholls told reporters, per Reuters' Mary Milliken and Steve Keating. "But this is a final you have to see, you have to play and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. I'm sorry, but you have to be realistic."

In any case, Spain will still earn its first women's basketball medal ever. The program had never previously reached the quarterfinals, so finals inclusion is a monumental accomplishment regardless of the looming butt-kicking.