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Svajunas2
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Hepcat, food for thought.
most of Lithuanian basketball podcasters and analizes agresija that taking Dimsa over Dovydas was a mistake.
We are talking about Kleiza, Gecevicius, Purlys and others. Dude get out of your bubble
most of Lithuanian basketball podcasters and analizes agresija that taking Dimsa over Dovydas was a mistake.
We are talking about Kleiza, Gecevicius, Purlys and others. Dude get out of your bubble
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Hepcat2
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Okay. Could be. It's anybody's guess now. But!!! That selection was hardly a factor in Lithuania losing to Puerto Rico. And hardly a reason to heap further abuse upon the coach. You mentioned yourself that the loss was due not to Lithuania's defence but was due to Lithuania not being able to score. The players simply couldn't take what Puerto Rico was giving them.
You could be right about the bubble. Kleiza, Gecevicius, Purlys and the others have been outside the bubble. Meanwhile I've been within the bubble on this forum listening to Straight forward ceaselessly tout Dovis Giedraitis (and a select few other players) for years while heaping scorn upon every Team Lietuva coach for passing on D. Giedraitis. I'm the one who's therefore had it up to here when it comes to hearing that D. Giedraitis is a lot better than appears to an arm's length observer. Had I not been subjected to so many over-the-top accolades for D. Giedraitis, perhaps I wouldn't now be such a sceptic.
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Hepcat2
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It's ironic though. Puerto Rico's game plan was to stay back in the paint on defence to neutralize Lithuania's height advantage (as much as possible) but in so doing daring the Team Lietuva players other than Marius Grigonis to shoot the three. Had Coach Maksvytis and the Lithuanian players been told of Puerto Rico's game plan prior to the game, I'm sure they would have just looked at each other and said "Okay. We'll just have to make our share of the shots they give us." Well they didn't. And that was it, game. set and match.
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Shawshank2
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stats from 4 qualification games
Grigonis 23min 17,5pts+3,8ass. on 58% and 46% shooting
Sabonis 26min 12,5pts+9reb on 64% and 57% free throws
Jokubaitis 21min 8,8pts+4ass. on 40% and 42% shooting
like it was easy to predict they were top 3 in scoring,but i was expecting way more from Sabonis at 28 and more from Jokubaitis.
10-12th players ended being Dimsa,Sirvydis,Tubelis by played minutes.
Like i said history says and it repeated in 2024 youngsters wont help in pressure games in olympic summer.
Grigonis 23min 17,5pts+3,8ass. on 58% and 46% shooting
Sabonis 26min 12,5pts+9reb on 64% and 57% free throws
Jokubaitis 21min 8,8pts+4ass. on 40% and 42% shooting
like it was easy to predict they were top 3 in scoring,but i was expecting way more from Sabonis at 28 and more from Jokubaitis.
10-12th players ended being Dimsa,Sirvydis,Tubelis by played minutes.
Like i said history says and it repeated in 2024 youngsters wont help in pressure games in olympic summer.
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Straight forward2
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You're making the same mistake again and again. Players and not history show up on the court. You beg for stand out individuals, but trying to shove them into tight, rigid (false) schemes and formulas. You want results, but you don't get it that it's about talent. Age won't win you anything. And doesn't. Grigonis choked in all key games. Jokubaitis delivered in all key games (2022 Spain, 2023 Serbia, 2024 PR). Sabonis also choked to certain extent, but he was injured and out of shape and players missing threes didn't help either.
Your problem that you don't get that it's not about age, but about CAPABILITIES and LEVEL. That's all. Your scheme works only when the team is filled with only solid and mediocre players. True standouts deliver early and that's exactly the breed we need. And that's exactly what Buzelis, Jakucionis are f.e.
If we would look at Olympic qualification 1992 we would see that 21yo Karnisovas was one of the keys. Because he was that talented. No-one gives a f... about players age if he's a real deal. He simply goes and cooks out there. Because he can, and no-one would look at his passport. When we look at 2003 EB qualification, 22yo Macijauskas was already among the big leaders, dropping 28 against Bulgaria, 24 against Switz and Turkey (overtime) 29. And those teams had Siska, Jasikevicius, Stombergas.
The problem with LTU basketball has been that we lacked SUCH LEVEL players as Karnisovas, Macijauskas and such. That is all. Nothing more happened at all. You have a true stud, he would deliver early. We simply didn't have such level players for a while and thus shitty results. Now we have at least 2 players as true studs and they will deliver sooner rather than later. In 2027/2028 both Jakucionis/Buzelis will emerge among the leaders.
In 2024 Jokubaitis as 23yo was the best player in the key game. And even he is not that good of a player as Karnisovas/Macijauskas and such. He can be elite PG of EL one day, but he won't be 20ppg EL player for contenders as those 2 were. We need that breed to bounce back as BB force. And that's why I'm optimistic cause Jakucionis and Buzelis is that kind of breed. Hands down, you either have that kind of TALENT (and it will tear apart all your schemes) or you don't. We didn't for a while. Banal story as fuck.
Your problem that you don't get that it's not about age, but about CAPABILITIES and LEVEL. That's all. Your scheme works only when the team is filled with only solid and mediocre players. True standouts deliver early and that's exactly the breed we need. And that's exactly what Buzelis, Jakucionis are f.e.
If we would look at Olympic qualification 1992 we would see that 21yo Karnisovas was one of the keys. Because he was that talented. No-one gives a f... about players age if he's a real deal. He simply goes and cooks out there. Because he can, and no-one would look at his passport. When we look at 2003 EB qualification, 22yo Macijauskas was already among the big leaders, dropping 28 against Bulgaria, 24 against Switz and Turkey (overtime) 29. And those teams had Siska, Jasikevicius, Stombergas.
The problem with LTU basketball has been that we lacked SUCH LEVEL players as Karnisovas, Macijauskas and such. That is all. Nothing more happened at all. You have a true stud, he would deliver early. We simply didn't have such level players for a while and thus shitty results. Now we have at least 2 players as true studs and they will deliver sooner rather than later. In 2027/2028 both Jakucionis/Buzelis will emerge among the leaders.
In 2024 Jokubaitis as 23yo was the best player in the key game. And even he is not that good of a player as Karnisovas/Macijauskas and such. He can be elite PG of EL one day, but he won't be 20ppg EL player for contenders as those 2 were. We need that breed to bounce back as BB force. And that's why I'm optimistic cause Jakucionis and Buzelis is that kind of breed. Hands down, you either have that kind of TALENT (and it will tear apart all your schemes) or you don't. We didn't for a while. Banal story as fuck.
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Shawshank2
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i said before tournaments youngsters usually dont help in olympics summer.
Sirvydis and Tubelis didnt help in 2024 olympic summer and end up being 10-12th players.
I didnt make no mistake my prediction knowing history was very correct. It repeated once again with yougsters
Grigonis was by far best player in 2024 summer it wasnt even close.
There are reason why Scariola puts Diaz and box in one on Grigonis in 2022
There are reason why puerturco trapped Grigonis and puts Alvardo on him
Coaches clearly saw who was main perimeter lithuanian player in group stage and acted putting special defence on him
Because dissapointments for me was Sabonis and Sirvydis in 2024 summer.
Sirvydis and Tubelis didnt help in 2024 olympic summer and end up being 10-12th players.
I didnt make no mistake my prediction knowing history was very correct. It repeated once again with yougsters
Grigonis was by far best player in 2024 summer it wasnt even close.
There are reason why Scariola puts Diaz and box in one on Grigonis in 2022
There are reason why puerturco trapped Grigonis and puts Alvardo on him
Coaches clearly saw who was main perimeter lithuanian player in group stage and acted putting special defence on him
Because dissapointments for me was Sabonis and Sirvydis in 2024 summer.
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Straight forward2
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No, no, no, by far best player DON'T CHOKE in key games. Grigonis choked in 2019 when the most crucial game came, choked in 2021 vs Slovenia, 2022 vs Spain and and 2024 vs PR. By far best players do not choke in the key games, that's all. Grigonis failed and did it tons of times in the NT. He actually always failed. Because it's a about the key games. Oh, he was guarded right? 
Come on man. Grigonis has been a trash, was putting up numbers against the trash, but against first athletic team under pressure he collapsed as he always does. That's the story. At least he took responsibility in press conf.
Why do you even bother to praise Grigonis? It was disaster that we put him at the spot. Stupidiest decision ever. We choked, failed, we sucked a cock and we didn't qualify. What do you don't get it here? It's a disaster.
Grigonis chucked us up to a loss with his usual 3 made field goals out hundreds in the key games...
Come on man. Grigonis has been a trash, was putting up numbers against the trash, but against first athletic team under pressure he collapsed as he always does. That's the story. At least he took responsibility in press conf.Why do you even bother to praise Grigonis? It was disaster that we put him at the spot. Stupidiest decision ever. We choked, failed, we sucked a cock and we didn't qualify. What do you don't get it here? It's a disaster.
Grigonis chucked us up to a loss with his usual 3 made field goals out hundreds in the key games...
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Straight forward2
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Grigonis is the worst lead guard/perimeter leader in LTU basketball history. Off course it goes on the crappiest coach of LTU history Maksvytis too. Cause he had to emphasize Jokubaitis more, but he failed with it.
1992-1996 - Marciulionis
1997-1999 - Karnisovas
2000-2008 Jasikevicius/Macijauskas/Siskauskas
2010-2017 Kalnietis/Kleiza
2019-2024 Grigonis
Hands down the biggest choker and the worst lead guard ever. That's the reality. It's partially on coaches and on bad stretch talent wise, but it's a fact. The weakest lead guard ever. Knowing how beasty Kalnietis was turning on with NT jerseys, it's no-one even close. Lithuania won't ever again have such a weak lead guard/perimeter no1 option. That's the reality. Girgonis never had to be in these shoes in the first place. Actually 100 hundred old Kalnietis was still better than him in 2021 against Slovenia. The thing is that limited role player as Grigonis (soft, slow and merely shooter) never had to be taken into that situation. Horrible.
The good news this worst stretch of LTU basketball is over. New coach will put Jokubaitis where he should stand, he will put Brazdeikis where he should stand, if Buzelis will come he will put him where he should be. This insanity with Grigonis is over. At least I hope new coach will have enough of brains to realize that. 5 choking tournaments is enough trying to make a leader out of limited role player.
1992-1996 - Marciulionis
1997-1999 - Karnisovas
2000-2008 Jasikevicius/Macijauskas/Siskauskas
2010-2017 Kalnietis/Kleiza
2019-2024 Grigonis
Hands down the biggest choker and the worst lead guard ever. That's the reality. It's partially on coaches and on bad stretch talent wise, but it's a fact. The weakest lead guard ever. Knowing how beasty Kalnietis was turning on with NT jerseys, it's no-one even close. Lithuania won't ever again have such a weak lead guard/perimeter no1 option. That's the reality. Girgonis never had to be in these shoes in the first place. Actually 100 hundred old Kalnietis was still better than him in 2021 against Slovenia. The thing is that limited role player as Grigonis (soft, slow and merely shooter) never had to be taken into that situation. Horrible.
The good news this worst stretch of LTU basketball is over. New coach will put Jokubaitis where he should stand, he will put Brazdeikis where he should stand, if Buzelis will come he will put him where he should be. This insanity with Grigonis is over. At least I hope new coach will have enough of brains to realize that. 5 choking tournaments is enough trying to make a leader out of limited role player.
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Toruko2
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Finally, you have understood!
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Straight forward2
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Finally, you have understood!
When I didn't understand that? I always claimed at best Girgonis upside is borderline elite EL player. But it appeared he's just above average role player for top clubs.
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Shawshank2
Guest
Dinosour expert is loosing his mind more and more with every year because most of predictions goes nowhere and his brain is exploiding because of that
Yeah ofcourse fiba coaches is putting their best defenders and double team biggest lithuania choker ever and chooses to risk on other ltu players leaving them wide open all game long
Grigonis played tournament with 17,5 pts stats with 58% and 46% in 23min
Jokubaitis played tournaments with 8,8 pts with 40% and 42% in 21min
But somehow Grigonis is biggest choker ever and Jokubaitis is elite fiba guard Evans level in his fantasy world haha useless to argue with insanity
Yeah ofcourse fiba coaches is putting their best defenders and double team biggest lithuania choker ever and chooses to risk on other ltu players leaving them wide open all game long
Grigonis played tournament with 17,5 pts stats with 58% and 46% in 23min
Jokubaitis played tournaments with 8,8 pts with 40% and 42% in 21min
But somehow Grigonis is biggest choker ever and Jokubaitis is elite fiba guard Evans level in his fantasy world haha useless to argue with insanity
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Straight forward2
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Stop being pathetic fanboy. You're a grown up man. Grigonis sucked cock in the key game, OK? He was missing open shots. Live with that. He was TRASH. He was even benched in 4th quarter and Maksvytis went for full mode desperation playing Jokubaitis and Lekavicius together. You can't handle the truth.
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Straight forward2
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What kind of idiot actually would praise the dude who would choke up the qualification and 4 previous tournaments? LOL. Dude better go be pathetic else where. You obviously don't get it, that Grigonis is just a role player, never ever was anything more. It's big fucking disaster of Lithuanian basketball that some-one would have an idea to build around such player. It's a huge tragedy of our BB standards. Grigonis literally choked in ALL KEY GAMES of his NT career. Live with that.
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Toruko2
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If I had to choose between Grigonis and Jokubaitis I would choose Jokubaitis but both of them are Euroleague bench guys for Playoff teams.
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Straight forward2
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True. Jokubaitis will be (something) better than that in the future.
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zalias2
Guest
according to Tapinas apparently lithuanian players were drinking, partying and not taking the games seriously this olympic qualifier, this would add up with multiple basketball journalists hinting that the atmosphere in the locker room is a little bit too good, in particular Donatas Urbonas who, in the basketnews podcast after lithuania lost to puerto rico, kept saying that maybe some players feel too comfortable on the national team but when asked what exactly does he mean by it he kept saying that he doesn't want to expand. it would also explain why some players looked in such a horrible shape. extremely disappointing if true from both the team and journalists for staying silent about this, im guessing we'll start hearing about this more in the next couple of days now that an outside source leaked this information.
https://youtu.be/mUDICmB24vw?t=2219
https://youtu.be/oN7gvvFDG_c?t=799
https://youtu.be/mUDICmB24vw?t=2219
https://youtu.be/oN7gvvFDG_c?t=799
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Straight forward2
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I think the rumor about drinking was related to U20, someone was spreading that. Not the first not the last time if true. 90s greats were partying and winning. Kleiza and Saras were partying an winning. I see no problem here. We're not fucking China. This is just frustration after sucking cocks only. Can you actually blame Domas for a good working ethics? Come on, man. IDK, to me it's about the talent. If we build around total role player who wouldn't even play for PAO in the playoffs generally, what do you expect? That he would beat legitimate NBA players as Alvarado?
Truth is we have to spill on some fucking talent on court. Bring on Jakucionis for 2025 campaign already. Make PG section Jokubaitis, Marciulionis, Jakucionis. Put some damn talent at 2 with Brazdeikis, Rubstavicius, D. Giedraitis. Spill even more talent at 3 with Buzelis and Sirvydis. And let's do it. We will take few bruises in 2025, but we will be ready for some real hunt in 2027. This should be done.
Bring Jakucionis and Buzelits to the NT as soon as possible. That's the only smart thing Lithuania can do. Those lottery pick material with the ball in their hands means our basketball is in their hands.
Come on, man. IDK, to me it's about the talent. If we build around total role player who wouldn't even play for PAO in the playoffs generally, what do you expect? That he would beat legitimate NBA players as Alvarado?Truth is we have to spill on some fucking talent on court. Bring on Jakucionis for 2025 campaign already. Make PG section Jokubaitis, Marciulionis, Jakucionis. Put some damn talent at 2 with Brazdeikis, Rubstavicius, D. Giedraitis. Spill even more talent at 3 with Buzelis and Sirvydis. And let's do it. We will take few bruises in 2025, but we will be ready for some real hunt in 2027. This should be done.
Bring Jakucionis and Buzelits to the NT as soon as possible. That's the only smart thing Lithuania can do. Those lottery pick material with the ball in their hands means our basketball is in their hands.
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Dirtyh2
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I know that he has committed for Lithuanian NT but is there any kind of indications that he is actually interested to show up anytime soon?
I think next Eurobasket gonna be pretty weak as lot of older players are taking free summer. That why I think it's good time to bring those youngsters, even if they are not ready yet. And I'm more than happy that Finland has already done that process and Markkanen got his summer vacation this year (even though we were 2min away from OG without him). That's why we have change to be top4 next year.
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Straight forward2
Guest
Pretty legitimate chances to see him next summer actually. His answer was something like "Think I'm coming next summer", but off course you never now with first off season. Assuming he would have disappointing first season, he would want to work individually on his game. That was the case with Sabonis as well. Bulls GM is Karnisovas, so maybe this helps NT a little bit too. I mean he is coming, it's not like a question anymore, the question is only when.
Yeah, absolutely Finland has a nice and interesting generation. Not sure you can aim as high as top 4, but a good stage for you to add some younger pieces as Miro Little (already played for you), Veesaar.