2023 Lithuanian NT

[Straight forward2]

Jokubaitis+Brazdeikis+Valanciunas such lineup wont make stops even if you Pippen and D.Green near them.

I rather see Dimsa start and Brazdeikis comes in as 6th men like Maksvytis did alot this season .When Valanciunas goes to bench,Brazdeikis, comes in and gives offensive boost

Last 5minutes Jonas dont play,Brazdekis play.I dont wanna see them together on the floor.

When Maksvytis looking back to EB now I'm sure he's not happy about his decision to cut Dimsa It was such a crazy idea when you look at it now. We can see that Brazdeikis and even R. Giedraitis (even worse than Brazdeikis defensively) was trying to guard Franz Wagner when he dropped 32. That's because Germany had other dangerous guards which Butkevicius tried to check (Maksvytis overall made huge mistake not putting Butkevicius on Wagner from the start). Maksvytis had to at least take Dimsa and not to let go Sedekerskis.

Maksvytis was really tried to blow against the wind trying to stop best perimeter players with Brazdeikis, Giedraitis in EB. One Butkevicius is not enough. There should be also Dimsa and D. Giedraitis and maybe Marciulionis already.

It's very important how D. Giedraitis, A. Marciulionis and specially M. Rubstavcius will develop in upcoming 2 years. Rubstavicius will likely be first true 2 ways player to emerge. Well, maybe together with Tubelis. D. Giedraitis and Marciulionis are more of defensively minded, but with time their offensive talent will be visible too.

The problem with current NT that we don't have quality 2 ways players. Lekavicius, Jokubaitis, Grigonis, Brazdeikis, R. Giedraitis, Sabonis, Valanciunas, Kuzminskas are all offensive players. Players Butkevicius, Sedekerskis, Dimsa are primarily defensive. Probably the only serious 2 ways player is Ulanovas and he's not interested in playing...

Dimsa and Butkevicius can play D, but it's not like they are capable to run the team offensively...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zud7TNa9OVI&ab_channel=FIBA-TheBasketballChannel

 

[Giannis34GOD2]

From what federation head said few days ago there 3 reasons why Sabonis is not sure about playing: Hand injury healing problems,new baby comming and Domas want new contract to feel safe playing for NT.

Domas himself in interview said a week ago: Its unclear how his hand will heal asked about NT


Overall what im seeing/hearing i would say 70% he wont play in world cup just too many ifs



How about Giannis? Any doubts comming from his camp?

Hope that he can re-consider... But i will not mad at him if he begs off... He actually needs rest... Lithuania's road to Paris will be more harder this time w/o arguably the best player...

 

[LuDux2]

Echodas out

Teams are releasing rosters and yesterday Maskvytis said that on Monday they will put dots on I's, so, any hour now

My Worst Case Scenario NT'2023 Overly Extended Roster: Valančiūnas Motiejūnas Gudaitis Birutis Kairys Tubelis Bendžius Sedekerskis Kulboka Kuzminskas Žukauskas Radzevičius Sirvydis Butkevičius Varnas Rubštavičius Normantas Jogėla Dimša Giedraitis Velička Žemaitis Kariniauskas Jokubaitis Marčiulionis

 

[Dreamcatcher2]

It's crazy that JV is going to be in NT 16 summers in a row (including youth NT). It's even 17 because he was in U16 NT when he was 15 y.o. in 2007. He didn't make impact there though. Anyway, how much dedication, strength, passion and health/luck in order not to have a single injury were needed.

 

[Hepcat2]

To have lock down true guard defenders as Dovydas Giedraitis could be game changer for us...You throw him at Brown, you throw him at Schroder and he will make their life more difficult.

Uggghhhh. Heaven forbid Dovydas Giedraitis being anywhere near Lithuania's national team this summer.

 

[Hepcat2]

When Maksvytis looking back to EB now I'm sure he's not happy about his decision to cut Dimsa It was such a crazy idea when you look at it now.

But you yourself had nothing but sneers for Tomas Dimša until this past 2022-23 season. You always raged against Dimša taking a spot on Team Lietuva in place of one of your personal favourites such as Arnas Velička​. Nor is it the case that his play leaped to a higher level this year. His past season was up to par, no more, no less. Yet because he's with Žalgiris now, all of a sudden your opinion of Dimša has improved dramatically.

​

 

[Straight forward2]

Oh, NO! Hepcat went through the STATS!

 

[Straight forward2]

So far USA looks beatable. Not complete roster though, but seems that they won't have superstars, true superstars. Anthony Edwards will probably be their main guy offensively, but I would dear to say USA doesn't have a single deadly shooter yet which means mixed zone might be an option against them at least for a try, specially if we will be playing with JV. I think the key will be to have absolutely disciplined defense, specially transition defence (that's where JV incredibly hurts). Stopping their fast brakes is the key cause guys like Haliburton and Edwards are unstoppable in this regard. But if you slow down USA, smaller half court offense won't be all that smooth, IMO. Specially that guys like Haliburton has only U19 WC experience.

On the negative size, Haliburton is a great defender and he will put a lot of pressure on Jokubaitis with his size and length. Also Jaren Jackson Jr. is the best defender in the NBA. So when USA have good defence at 1 AND 5 it gives them a good basis for success. Jaren Jackson could be challenged a little bit in pure ISO post defence though. JV is bigger and stronger.

Nevertheless, I think Lithuania can challenge this USA team unless some big names will be still announced. 3 spots left. I feel like they won't be very good shooting team and many most players are inexperienced to run FIBA half court offense. If you slow them down, you have a chance.

If Greece won't have Giannis, Lithuania even without Grigonis and Sabonis, can more or less equally compete, IMO. With Giannis is off course different story.

 

[Dreamcatcher2]

Oh, NO! Hepcat went through the STATS!

He's right. You treated Dimsa the same like Normantas now more or less. And mentioned Velicka as some sort of decent alternative tons of times.

 

[Straight forward2]

He's right. You treated Dimsa the same like Normantas now more or less. And mentioned Velicka as some sort of decent alternative tons of times.

Yeah, and in 2010 I was pretty high on Gecevicius...

Every month, let alone every year provides new data. Dimsa today and Dimsa a year ago are 2 different players. There's a reason why Maksvytis cut him last summer. He really looked bleak and out of shape last summer and he got cut. That helped him to play with a chip on his shoulder and EL games hardened him well. At first he looked a bit lost with time he really became a valuable role player. Thus he reached that level of role player for the NT, legitimate one. I don't see (at least yet) it with Normantas. He's not there if ever. It can happen or it may not, we'll see. To me Dimsa is more skilled, more coordinated, more consistent with the decision making and defense (in terms of scoring both equally streaky though).

Regarding Velicka, yes, I also was higher on him a year ago than now. Mainly his TOs and inability to reach new level of maturity in terms of game control and the decision making is what concerns me. It's not like he declined, simply couldn't reach another level. He's not there yet, IMO. When he played in WC qualification he made 5 T0s in 22 minutes. Too wild yet. That doesn't mean that he won't be ready later.

Hepcat was right about things that you wrote, but he's surely not right thinking that I prefer Dimsa only because he's playing for Zalgiris now, or that D. Giedraitis is trash, or that I pick players according to my personal partiality. Hepcut simply sneaks in and checks the stats and has no clue what so ever about actual player's level.

PS: Dimsa is one of the cases when my projection was incorrect. I didn't see him reaching the level that reached this year. IMO, he surprised not only me, but many people.

 

[Shawshank2]

Dinosour expert was telling me with Butkevicius NT plays 4 vs 5 in offence.His defence is just solid,but only versus right matchups

I told him look at his not scared eyes in his rookie 2019 tournament.That dude has character of captain,such type can help in those emotional Nt games


I can say same things now look at Normantas tough eyes.That dude can help in pressure type games.

Normantas may get 5 fauls in 10minutes,but he will put his body in front with no doubts even if Giannis type will come and try to buldozer his way through multiple defenders

Butkevicxius,Normantas never will be Siskauskas or Macijauskas.But can they be M.Zukauskas,Krapikas defensive type role players ? yes.

 

[Straight forward2]

Yes, turnovers and 5 fouls in 10 minutes is exactly what NT needs...Butkevicius totally dominated in LKL playoffs before making NT in 2019. Super impressive 21,1eff in PO. That year he actually had his best LKL season with 16eff per game. Normantas so far only showed you the eyes that you liked, that's all. 7,5eff in playoffs, 11eff in the season. He has been trash in LKL playoffs and some key mistakes in do or die game.

 

[Hepcat2]

Hepcat simply sneaks in and checks the stats and has no clue what so ever about actual player's level.

'

I'm not a masochist. Checking on Dovydas Giedraitis' "progress" once a week is about as much disappointment as I can handle.



Nonetheless, pickings at guard look pretty sparse for Team Lietuva again. Let's see, at PG there are:

Rokas Jokubaitis (though still a backup Barcelona)
Lukas Lekavičius (though his lack of size is a liability on defence)
Margiris Normantas (maybe but then who else?)
Arnas Velička (emergency replacement)​

Then at SG there are:

Marius Grigonis
Tomas Dimša (defensive specialist)
Matas Jogėla

And at SG/SF:

Rokas Giedraitis
Ignas Brazdeikis
Martynas Varnas
​
Anybody else?



​

 

[LuDux2]

only showed you the eyes that you liked

​​​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4vyiCG83vY​

 

[Straight forward2]

Sedekerskis IN. In the highlights he looks like NBA player. I think he will be better Kalinic and he may have sort of Lucic or Nigel Hayes career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fidg5tLV7gQ&t=3s&ab_channel=MickeyMickeal

Now let's see if Sabonis and Brazdeikis will join.

 

[Shawshank2]

LTU NT head coach said: There is less than 50% that Domas will play,but until there is hope we gonna wait


if head coach says its less than 50% such diplomatic answer is clear to me what that means

 

[Straight forward2]

The way I see LTU players depth chart (not being super strict in order, but overall marking true NT material, IMO):

Domas, JV, Grigonis, Jokubaitis, Ulanovas, Brazdeikis, R. Giedraitis, Motiejunas, Sedekerskis, Butkevicius, Kuzminskas, Lekavicius, Gudaitis, Dimsa, D. Giedraitis

To me these players are legitimate EL players at least. I seen them playing quality minutes as legitimate role players. We can ask questions whenever Tubelis, Kulboka, Sirvydis and some others are EL material or not yet, but the fact is we don't know. Today krepsinis.net posted that D. Giedraitis is 26...how? Who are better other than those who I mentioned above? Hypothetical players who never played in EL (let alone playing well in knock out stage) and never played entire 4th quarter for Zalgiris in the most important game of the season? Come on...We see Birutis barely cracking rotations in LKL finals.

Another thing...Susinskas, Jogela, E. Zukauskas, Olisevicius are better than Azuolas Tubelis...OMG...people are so naive and so lost in terms of evaluation. Current Tubelis would be among LKL MVPs playing for clubs like Vilkai, Juventus, Neptunas or even Rytas. There's literally no players of his profile in LKL, except Smits. No-one would contain him. I don't know if he's definitely reached EL level yet, but there's no doubt he's better than scrubs mentioned above. I actually have nearly zero doubt that he's already 5th best center in the country after Domas, JV, D-Mo, Gudaitis. He would go hardcore on Echodas and I predict he would prevail.

LTU journalists, coaches and others are as usual lost. No ability to make those ranking properly. Last year they put Iggy at 12th spot. While he was 4th in scoring in EB.

Are Echodas, Radzevicius, Normantas, Birutis, Orelikas, Bendzius, (Kulboka, Sirvydis maybe, IDK, not sure) are better than D. Giedraitis and Tubelis? Fuck no. Specially such fundamentally sound and already proven at PROs guard as Giedraitis. How the best perimeter defender and terrific decision maker can bet so low?

As I understand they won't even include Rubstavicius and Marciulionis to the top 50... Speechless...

My summary - most people can't rank players. Maybe some of the guys can, but the average of votes makes this shit really out of hand.

I think the depth chart today is this:

Joku, Lukas, Marciulionis
Grigonis, Brazdeikis, R. Giedraitis, Dimsa, D. Giedraitis, Rubstavicius, Normantas
Ulanovas, Brazdeikis, Butkevicius, Radzevicius/Sirvydis
Sedekerskis, Kuzminskas, Tubelis
Sabonis, Valanciunas, Gudaitis/Motiejunas

 

[Straight forward2]

And students NT...OMG...sadder than sad...The last testimony of the great fall of Lithuanian basketball which basically ends with 96 (Domas not inclueded) and 97 generation scrubs.

Not a single...not even close...no NT material at all...Beručka is the best player out there...Amazingly poor...

In few years, starting with 98 and 99 generations such players as Jogela, Velicka, Masiulis, I. Sargiunas could theoretically make students NT and that will be an obvious sign of LTU basketball renesaunse.

https://twitter.com/ltu_basketball/status/1671097856235634688/photo/1

 

[Straight forward2]

Really hope that they will broadcast Students NT versus Reserve NT live...or that event would be open to fans. "NT memeber Zemaitis" vs Maciulionis would be priceless. Tubelis (if he's somehow there which I don't see) going against...who exactly? Would be very very interesting.

 

[Straight forward2]

Once Rutenis Paulauskas was a nonsense per minute machine in one of O dangau! podcasts...now finally they found proper substitution for him - Urbonas...For real, you won't find sloppier mouth in the whole planet...unbelievable. Kariniauskas for him is truer point guard than Jokubaitis, a guy with high slow dribbling, hesitant passing and slow decision making...Then he thinks Neptunas would take down top teams of NCAA teams, the ones that have Zions, Boncheros and such...He mentions Galdikas as glorious force that would stop those guys...OMG, Urbonas is unstoppable nonsense machine, so provincial, so narrow minded, incredible...Good riddance for Juventus.

R. Jarutis thinks that if Greece will have EB 2022 roster in WC 2023, Lithuania doesn't stand a chance. OK, it's logical to say that we would be huge underdogs, but couple of interesting things. Greeks beat Croatia only by 4 points. The same Croatia which beat Estonia only by 3 points, Ukraine by 5 points and lost to Finland. Also Greece defeated Czech Rep only by 6 points. The same Czecks which lost against Poland -15, and Finland -10. Also Greece obviously lost to Germany -11, which we were very close to beat and lost only by few last possessions accidents. In my opinion we would stand a certain chance even with B+ team (- Sabonis and Grigonis) against fully packed Greece. Obvious underdogs, but Greece wasn't entirely convincing in EB, specially that they faced only one truly strong team Germany in the tournament (with all respect to streaky Italy) and they lost it. To some some extent Calathes (if he's there), Sloukas will be one more year older...

Also, It's absolutely fantastic that Marciulionis included to reserve NT. I listen to podcasts and people really sleeping on him. Many thinks that well he kinda struggles in NCAA, he's out of the map. In my opinion he will open people's eyes. I'm almost sure that with D. Giedraitis he's the best perimeter defender in the country already. It's between those 2. Marciulionis definitely, it's not even a debate, has more facilitation skills (actually it's not even close) than Dimsa, D. Giedraitis. Maybe this summer it won't be all that evident at this level, but it's there and I think even now he should be capable to run the team more competently and consistently than guys like Kariniauskas, Velicka, Zemaitis. If Marciulionis won't make the team in 2023, he'll be legitimate candidate to make 2024 NT, IMO, specially knowing that Lekavicius is not getting better or younger anymore. I expect very positive impact in the reserve NT. He will be bullying people defensively already, IMO.