TOKYO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Japan won their third Asian Qualifiers game in a row in Almaty, but sustaining their streak may prove to be much tougher as they take on Iran next in Tokyo.

Can the Akatsuki Five bring down the mighty Iranians and continue their winning ways, or will Team Melli buck the absences of both Hamed Haddadi and Samad Nikkhah Bahrami to snap Japan's winning run?

Key matchup:

Sajjad Mashayekhi was splendid in Iran's win over the Philippines last Thursday, scoring 19 points, getting 3 steals and handing out 4 assists. He will be in a tough matchup here in Tokyo, though, facing veteran playmaker Yuki Togashi, who may be one of the few guards quicker than Mashayekhi. Togashi's speed has been a great complement to the size and length of Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, and if he can slow Mashayekhi down, Japan should have a good chance to come away with a big win.

X-factor:

With both Haddadi and Bahrami sitting this game out, the onus will be on Arsalan Kazemi for scoring, rebounding and leadership. The 6ft 7in (2.00m) forward has been on Iran's national team since 2010, and his experience will be invaluable as they try to notch their seventh Asian Qualifiers win and move much close to clinching a spot in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Japan outlook:

The home team need big games from Hachimura, Watanabe, Togashi, Ira Brown and Makoto Hiejima. Playing at home against an Iranian quintet that will not have the services of Haddadi and Bahrami is an ideal recipe for an upset, and if coach Julio Lamas can squeeze out the best from his squad, they can record another upset approximating the magnitude of their big win over Australia in the previous window. Needless to say, Hachimura and Co. need to rule the boards and exploit their mismatches on the wings in the absence of Haddadi and Bahrami.

Iran outlook:

The scoring cudgels will fall on Mashayekhi, Kazemi, Behnam Yakhchali, Mohammad Jamshidi and Haddadi's filler, Rouzbeh Arghavan, in this encounter. Yakhchali and Jamshidi will be tested by the athleticism and length of both Hachimura and Watanabe on top of the trademark speed and shooting that has defined Japanese basketball over the years. Much of the pressure in the middle will also be on Arghavan and reserve slotman Meisam Mirzaei, both of whom will try to exploit their size advantage over Brown and Joji Takeuchi. If his wards step up, coach Mehran Shahintab can still bring home a victory here, but it won't be a walk in the park.

FIBA