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2023 Lithuanian NT

Regarding D on Giannis, I understand what you saying, but you missing one key moment. Giannis defense is about transition defense. He's most dangerous in transition and even certain spurts, explosions in the set offense. Meaning big old school centers can often be beaten with Giannis quickness and they won't provide good transition defense which is the key against Greece. That's why I need Sabonis, Tubelis at 5. They can run. Even in set offense Giannis utilizes tiniest mistakes to get to the basket. It's not about big bodies, it's about big and mobile bodies, just as with Doncic. JV looked terrible with him in ISA situations, Sabonis looked much better. Czecks used both - 4 and 5 position players to guard Giannis. And it has to be said that Vesely is more mobile defensively than say JV, Motiejunas and probably even Gudaitis. That help defense has to be mobile and his direct opponent should also be mobile. It would be so funny if JV would guard him. Yeah, if he decides to take a jimmy that's good, but in most cases JV won't even have an opportunity to be in good position defensively, he would be too late all the time, and horrific lateral quickness would hurt him a tons as always.
 
Yeah its looking like 2010 when half roster didnt came.But imagine gonna repeat result wise thats naive.

That 2010 was special special team chemistry wise,when same generation players at 24-25 first time got keys to NT without veterans telling what to do and had top 5 euroleague scorer peak Kleiza. that was like 50% of team.


I guess players want have free summer before olympic summer where they usually planing to play.


From what im hearing in podcast i would go with this

Jokubaitis,Dimsa,D.Giedraitis
Brazdeikis,Normantas
Butkevicius,
Kuzminskas,Sedekerskis
Valanciunas,Gudaitis,Tubelis

one remaining place i dont know who,somebody who will suprise in the camp.

If we dont have playmaking at backourt so atleast take those that can defend and somehow they will manage to pass the ball inside to Jonas.


Jokubaitis,Brazdeikis,Butkevicius,Valanciunas all would play 25min+ in this roster.


Yeah but that team is nowhere close to be top 8. LTU would be clear underdog vs Greece.
 
If all these absences will happen and there will even more (mysterious "few other expected") then I think it's a great chance for federation to seek and invite Simas Lukosius to the NT camp. Sure, he won't make it most likely, but this is a good chance to show him love and attention that he (or his father) previously missed. He's a beefy guard, definitely ready more than Rubstavicius (still a bit too skinny) in this department. And even taking Buzelis if he's interested, wouldn't look so crazy in that case. He would definitely see some playing time against Egypt and likely against Mexico. Just take potential superstar for the sake of the future.

If we will fail to have A team, let's at least have pro active camp and do some long term work.

But generally I feel like some players will be convinced to play. I doubt it will be total collapse as here predicted. R. Giedraitis is missing NT mainly because of his role and struggle I feel. If Grigonis out, federation would go hard on convincing R. Giedraitis to play. He would be playing at least 20mpg in this case, instead of his previous 14mpg. Maybe even some 24mpg if he delivers. He's one of these guys who can explode offensively if you give him tons of minutes.

Anyway, now it's a complete puzzle and super hard to predict the roster or even impossible ATM.
 
With Giannis im not even discussing trying to play with him in fast break no chance .Make smart serbian type faul and force Giannis play 5 vs 5.

In open space no center can keep up with Giannis long steps,half PF wont even be fast enough. Just make faul and do not let him run.Thats why we need multiple centers and be ready to make manny physical fauls.

I dont mind sending Giannis 15-16 times to free throw,but do not let him go inside by any cost. Last game in 2023 playoofs Giannis shooted 10 from 23 from line and lost because of that


Vesely was PF not center vs Greece. Chech center is Balvin 2m17 120kg bigfella. Valanciunas looks skinny and not slow at all compare to him :)

Defending Giannis without size and without wall of multiple bodies goodluck
 
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Shawshank said:
With Giannis im not even discussing trying to play with him in fast break no chance .Make smart serbian type faul and force Giannis play 5 vs 5.

In open space no center can keep up with Giannis long steps,half PF wont even be fast enough. Just make faul and do not let him run.Thats why we need multiple centers and be ready to make manny fauls.

I dont mind sending Giannis 15-16 times to free throw,but do not let him go inside by any cost. Last game in 2023 playoofs Giannis shooted 10 from 23 from line and lost because of that


Vesely was PF not center vs Greece. Chech center is Balvin 2m17 120kg bigfella. Valanciunas looks skinny and not slow at all compare to him :)

Defending Giannis without size and without wall of multiple bodies no chance .
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He will get you nevertheless. The best solution is not to try grabbing rebounds and run back after the shot.
 
Toruko said:
He will get you nevertheless. The best solution is not to try grabbing rebounds and run back after the shot.
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This. You can't stop Giannis only with personal fouls.

Transition defense is not only about running back quickly, but also awareness how to quickly adjust, how to make correct read. Even in set offense, Giannis makes huge spurts, huge strides, provocates defence in various ways and that requites constant adjustments. And someone like JV is super bad at it. Motiejunas too. Unfortunately Gudaitis also became much slower. I'm not saying that we won't play these guys. We'll have to. But that's a bad fit. And it's not like just standing in the paint is solution. No. It's not the way Giannis is defended. You have to be in very precise distance. Not to close, not too far. If you give him enough space to gain the speed he will posterize you and demoralize in the paint too. It's like you giving him a shot, but also you are close enough to him that you could be able to close driving paths (with help defense on both sides too). JV can't do it.
 
"The Gainnis Wall" is well known since 2019 NBA Eastern Finals Raptos vs Bucks. Raptors unleashed the Giannis Wall and took the series. The bad news for us, Raptors traded JV that season for grandpa Marc Gasol just to have better defense and that worked. In 2022 EB Czeck Rep replicated Giannis Wall and that worked pretty well. Later Germans admitted that they tried to do what Czecks were doing and that helped. So Giannis Wall is the best what you can have, but JV is terrible terrible fit for it. Raptors traded prime and most physically fit JV for vet Marc Gasol just to avoid humiliation at defensive end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duuGbk8mCMY&ab_channel=WillSoTrillHoops

https://basketnews.com/news-177977-...he-ground-for-antetokounmpos-elimination.html

Whatever the team we'll have, one job is certain - we are building the Greek Wall this summer.
 
Nobody will hold best player with 10-12pts. He will score in 20s,but i want him scoring not with dunks and layups. That he will have some dunks/layups ofcourse,but that must be limited to minimum

Let him beat us from free throw line and wide open jumpers.

Playing Greece entire defensive attention must be be put on rim protection not 3point line

Im not saying that Valanciunas is some kind stopper,im saying Valanciunas,Gudaitis,Sabonis,Sedekerskis we have 4 very strong dudes and 20 fauls to work with


plan is 3 strong centers in lineup changing each other and giving real contact like Czech did and be ready some of them will end up in faul trouble.

Balvin by all parameters is worse at everything compare to Valanciunas,but his size bothered Giannis . Sometimes with best all time players all defence can do just make it hard for him



If Sabonis is not playing all this talks is useless.LTU lose critical piece in this matchup.

Greece was one of few NT in 2020s where playing 2 centers againts them makes sense.
 
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– Yra minčių dėl rinktinės? – Kaip ir sakiau, dabar visos mintys į LKL, kaip pabaigti sezoną, bet jei dabar žiūrėtume, daugiau šansų, kad nebus rinktinės.

– Kodėl? – Asmeninės priežastys.

​
Even biggest past lithuanian basketball stars used atleast try to explain reasons why not. Because even stars felt they have responsability in eyes of all fans they cant just dont play.


Ulanovas is built difrently everything only about himself
 
I don't care about Ulanovas much. Jokubaitis said "I will participate 100%. IDK about other players, but really NT is the place where you feel proud to represent the country. I'm waiting for the NT"

Jokubaitis is the torch carrier. ATM he's youngest player of the NT and may be even the most important player in upcoming 15 years or top 3, and when he has such attitude we're gonna be fine. He'll be setting the example. JV and Sabonis now setting it, later Jokubaitis, and hopefully other young guys like Brazdeikis, Murauskas, Rubstavicius, Marciulionis, Tubelis, Buzelis will too.

With Ulanovas fishy things happening ever 2016. Maybe that has something to do with his attitude...There was something really fishy regarding Ulanovas cut in 2016...
 
I don't like Ulanovas either. He was always about himself. He was talking about leaving Zalgiris, because he doesn't see himself being Zalgiris symbol as Jankunas was.
Failed miserably, came back and is trying to be the main guy. Yeah he had some good, amazing games, he was a leader , but at the same time there were games, where his body language was bad.
He was visible blaming Brazdeikis a EL rookie, for missing rotations, arguing with coach, not coming back to defense after loosing the ball etc. I could continue, but overall impression is that
he is quite selfish guy. Answer personal reasons, just confirms this for me.
If he is not coming, so be it, it's not like he can't be replaced.
 
Pakenas says Iggy is also questionable.

So we have Lekavicius, Grigonis, Ulanovas, Giedraitis, Brazdeikis, Sabonis as questionable and may be another one (what if Butkevicius also wants rest). That would be impossible to replace, without a single question. That would be very much B team.

On other hand, we forget that we missed 1994 WC because we didn't qualify, we had B+ team in 1998 WC (7th place), we missed 2002 WC (not qualified), we send B team to 2006 WC, we snatched the only WC medals in 2010, with great draw we get to semis of 2014 and we failed in 2019 WC.

Our WC history is really bad for BB country. We are about Eurobaskets and Olympics. So if our roster will collapse, it won't be all that huge of surprise.

I just hope we would utilize this as a trampoline for future wins. Building with mediocre players would be complete waist of 23 WC. We wouldn't win anything surely and we would lose a chance to integrate talent.
 
It's funny to hear in podcast how much BB community sleeps on Tubelis. Even names as G. Masiulis are being mentioned firstly. There's no way Tubelis would be contained with 8.1ppg and 10,3eff playing for Rytas. He would be dominant force in LKL. No question. I would predict that he would be more efficient than Echodas. But Lithuanian BB community is slow in some regards and doesn't really get the perspective. Tubelis would be feasting in open court in LKL and his combination of quickness and roughness would basically be unmatched. Only such guys as Smits would be able to contain him and slow down. Zu was like almost most efficient NCAA player for 2 seasons now. I listen to podcasts and I still hear Masiulis name when 4/5 position discussed...:) Meaning total misunderstanding what kind of beast Tubelis is. He would demoralize Masiulis in the camp. Echodas wouldn't be able to stay with him too.
 
Im sorry but this generation is weak ass,no wonder they loosing everytime a little pressure comes .Kleiza critical at them is right because of bullshit of tiredness


2010s NT players Kalnietis,Maciulis,Seibutis,Jankunas,Javtokas,Klei za if they were healthy they were comming and played even when they werent ready 100% .Valanciunas and Kuzminskas as kids played with them and got same values from them and still playing in NT already in their 30s



If 24 old Brazdeikis is tired and 34 Kuzminskas and 31 Valanciunas will come and play that says reality of 2020s players mindset


What kinda example this 2020s players is showing to younger generation? That NT is not important,no need to give something back to lithuania?

For me players under 25 cant say im tired otherwise what are we doing here?
 
You cant expect from a guy, who is born and raised in Canada not the same dedication like LTU born guys. It simply tells this.
 
Macas Saras Kaukenas at least had serious reasons such as "i'm le tired" and "Sireika hurt my feefees"
 
Toruko said:
You cant expect from a guy, who is born and raised in Canada not the same dedication like LTU born guys. It simply tells this.
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Domas Sabonis is born in Portland and lived in USA, Spain. He's the first modern Lithuanian emigrant to play for NT. But his attitude is great. So it depends on individual.

Iggy would be very big hit cause when 24yo declines NT you have a problem, it's a bad example. No player ever declined NT if he's available and not restricted by circumstances (like Sabonis skipping 2017 EB because Pacers asked him to do so) from U24 I think. When young players skipping NT it's problem. I'm OK with vets taking off here and there, but not U27 guys. Jasikevicius took off when he was 29-30yo. Then came back. If say Grigonis wants to fully heal the back and come back to Olympics it's all good. I understand Iggy is tired, he really had very busy year, but so did Jokubaitis and he's 100% in.

With Iggy the problem is that culturally he's more of American. He has that side of loving LTU NT, but culturally and character wise he;s Canadian/American. I would even say Buzelis and specially Indrusaitis are more Lithuanians in terms of their character and attitude, specially Indrusaitis who speaks Lithuanian really well as Chicago born and often coming back to Lithuania. While Brazdeikis wasn't in Lithuania for 8 years before coming to play for NT I think. Iggy is different, his dad was MMA fighter, he has mentality which is not common for Lithuanian. It's good and bad. Good because he doesn't care on the court and goes ISO and is good at it. bad - he doesn't relate with LTU culture all that much. But generally I wouldn't overestimate all this situation. Most likely Iggy will show up and if he's not, he already showed dedication to the NT so we'll see him in next tournaments. He let go his chances to play for Canada because of the idea to represent Lithuania. I respect that, and he gave all his heart to Lithuania last year, both NT and Zalgiris.

Long term I think Iggy will be fine. He loves to compete. He came to NT without any contracts and represented it when such folks as D-Mo many time skipped NT because of lack of insurance and so on.

I'm more concerned about Buzelis. He's doing it because of family alone I feel :) He want to greet his parents and family this way, but has probably nearly zero connection. From Lith players he only knows JV and watches some Domas, that's it :) He probably never watched LTU NT seriously as he was too small back then and when he became sensational teen basketball prospect he was too busy and probably didn't have luxury to get NT games watching with his dad. Brazdeikis for example was watching NT games and know all these Kleizas, Kalnietises as his idols growing up.

While Indusaitis I feel is another case. He is very much Lithuanian in terms of character, more introverted, not too emotional, all about business in the court and he seems naturally very Lithuanian connected community, often visits Lithuania, speaks Lithuanian pretty well, came to play and played well for U16 without any hesitation. I think will be dedicated.

Iggy, Buzelis, Indusaitis. That's our best emigrants. Iggy will 90% dedicated, Buzelis will be 60-80% dedicated, Indruaaitis 100%. If that will be the case, it's all very good if you ask me.

It's all about individuals. Timinskas skipped NT because he had furniture to shift, Salenga run from NT for no reason, Jurkunas showed indifference to NT and so on. Every individual case is different.

Jokubaitis says he prioritize NT instead of NBA. A. Mariciulionis once said that winning Olympic medal with NT for him would mean more than winning NBA title. That's when you know NT gonna be alright. When your floor generals have that attitude, it's gonna be OK. I can't imagine Rubstavicius being pretentious. He's like terminator in terms of BB - silent and calm off court, but all business on the court.

Yes, new tendency is that players are more cautious and more career conscious. But for us it's important to have super loyal core as say it was JV, Kuzminskas, Sabonis and I can see such guys as Jokubaitis, Marciulionis, Rubstavicius, Murauskas, Tubelis being dedicated all the time. And the good news we gonna have deeper talent pull this decade. So when there will be absences it will be easier to substitute it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOhnrcbnHas&ab_channel=BasketNews․LT
 
If you are going to miss that many players, then a smart move IMO would be to test Jokubaitis by giving him the keys of the team and see what he can do.
Secondly, adding 1-2 most talented players and giving them playing time might also pay dividends for the future. Obviously, you can't go with like 5-6 young players, no coach at this level of competition would do that no matter how talented they are. However, there is a possibility to build something for the future if chances to compete for something are really slim.
 
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