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Matas Buzelis Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Straight forward2
  • Start date Start date
maybe a generational lithuanian talent. summer league is often misleading but he looks really good
 
Love how Buzelis moves, very soft legs, can really move, smooth. He will still need to add lean muscle, but he looks very nice out there, floating like a stud through the court. His D seems to be great too, at least in those situations when he's chasing down and blocking timing. We didn't have such piece ever defensively (well, offensively too TBH, even though 18yo Arvydas Sabonis was even more special offensively, but still different position). Comparison with Kirilenko is not that bad defensively. 4blocks, 2 steals is nice. 2 way beast, but off course he needs to polish that three. There's enough of fundamentals in his shot so I think he should be at least decent. Looks really really good. First season he will be still a bit too soft, but he should not put on any stupid weight as JV did and semi-fucked his upside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tukkZkJXxCs&ab_channel=ChicagoBulls
 
Hepcat said:
Summer League is just a circus. It's something to be ignored.
Click to expand...

It is not a circus and it shouldn't be ignored.
It is a way for prospects to show off and for us to not die of boredom in the summer.
 
The hype around Buzelis is growing. He ain't perfect or anything yet, but it's not hard to see he's oozoing with potential than no other prospect in this draft is. Those handles, smoothness, size, explosiveness. I personally see more handles and fluidity and skill out there than I even expected. At times Buzelis looked too passive and too off ball orientated previously in the G League, now he turned to different mentality. Give me the ball and I'm on the scoring mode. That's we need. We are trash with that basketball that we played in PR. On other hand, Matas will have to continue to work extremely hard to reach his at least 80% potential. He talks a lot recently, hope he will back this up in regular season as well. First season not gonna be easy, it would be nice if Bulls would really tank and would give him complete green light in the second half, like 30 minutes per game.

Giddey and Buzelis will eventually be one of the most dynamic and fundamentally sound white duel in basketball :D Off course, if both will be bricking the houses during the games it won't look that nice. But fundamentals and length, OH MY GOODNESS.

https://x.com/hoopshype/status/1813245358446608817
 
Svajunas said:
It is a way for prospects to show off ....
Click to expand...

Yes, "show-off" is precisely correct. But not in the context of team play which is the key to winning basketball.

Svajunas said:
...and for us to not die of boredom in the summer.
Click to expand...

Given the struggles of the Men's team these past seven years, I can sympathize. But I still prefer the Youth tournaments, the 3x3 events and my own CFL with some baseball thrown into the mix.

;)
 
Hepcat said:
Yes, "show-off" is precisely correct. But not in the context of team play which is the key to winning basketball.



Given the struggles of the Men's team these past seven years, I can sympathize. But I still prefer the Youth tournaments, the 3x3 events and my own CFL with some baseball thrown into the mix.

;)
Click to expand...

Where did that team play get our NT this summer? In todays basketball it is not that important anymore. Talent > teamplay in most cases.
There are individuals who can simply take over the game. Team play can't do that.
​
 
Keep in mind that a tiny country in Lithuania needs team play to maximize results given the small pool of talent compared to other much larger countries!

:eek:

I still think the LKF (supported by the State) should make baby bonus payments to the mate of any LKL (or better) player who sires offspring. Lithuania needs to produce more basketball talent yet I don't see how this will happen with the population declining unless this is given some stimulus/encouragement.

:(
 
Buzelis raw, not polished yet as a player, but roars with potential and edgy competitive attitude, plays with a swagger. It will take 2 years at least for him to develop into a real PRO, but I think he can be a force for the NT already in 2027 WC:


Buzelis plays with an edge


Summer league play can be ragged and is more about process than results. Numbers matter less than nuance.

So while Buzelis certainly needs to improve on his 33.7 percent shooting, including 21.4 percent from 3-point range, the first-round pick drew widespread raves for his competitive edge and not-afraid-of-the-moment play.

He threw down monster dunks, some in traffic, including two on Saturday. He stared down opponents. He talked trash. He sought out contact, getting to the line 27 times. He also played all five games, a rarity for a first-round pick these days.

And while he obviously needs to build strength and fill out his frame to more properly play through contact, the fact he didn’t back down from much of anything throughout summer league spoke volumes.

Defensively, Buzelis showed strong instincts with shotblocking and a willingness to switch onto smaller players on the perimeter. He has said becoming a two-way force at the next level is his goal. He blocked 10 shots in summer league.

“When I’m on the court, I want to kill you,” Buzelis said on a recent appearance on the Bulls Talk Podcast.

It showed.
​
https://sports.yahoo.com/4-takeaway...18.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 
From what I read Buzelis should get really good role right away with the Bulls. As I understand, position 4 is thin and he may camp there a lot (just taking shots from the corner), he should play some 3, likely having some opportunities to operate with the ball a little bit. Mainly I think he will be finishing in transition and from open corners, and maybe attacking close outs here and there, but I would see him mainly scoring in transition first year. Later on his on ball presence should increase.

Great news is that Lonzo Ball seems to be coming back. Giddey and Lonzo are great facilitators and unselfish. If both healthy, Buzelis could not play anywhere better. The team rebuilds and have 2 of the best PGs in the league who are unselfish. You can't ask for better scenario. They just have to get rid off chucking Zach Lavine is that's possible. Other than that Buzelis is in perfect situation to star his NBA career. Not like Domas, who would be forced to shoot threes all season and look how Russ ballhoging all the time.
 
He good. He can really be a difference making piece in an NBA team, just his shot needs to come around, especially for the FIBA games it is crucial.
 
Buzelis shot looks smoother than it looked 2 years ago. He had more rigid fixation in his shot previously, now all the form is much smoother. I don't think he will be a good three point shooter (I think he might be 32-34% kinda three point shooter), because he doesn't have long range, but he can be a deadly mid and closer range shooter. Specially those closer to the basket jimmies when he fades away can be deadly. Durant zone basically. With that he can be a killer and going hard to the cup for dunks and power lay ups.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_WM8QsSMU-/
 
That seems to be spot on, can't wait to see how Matas will be coping with his first year. Expect some huge slumps, but also some massive games. Probably at the end of the season if Bulls will tank, he could go for 30mpg for a few months if lucky. Other path, Bulls competitive, reaching playoffs and he's dealing with smaller role, but learning in more competitive and winning environment. Both paths are legit, but I think at this stage it would be the best to play as much as possible. I would love to see Bulls trading Zach Lavine and focusing on new pieces. To me this is the same intrigue as with JV when he made debut with Raptors, if not bigger.


Matas Buzelis: Rookie Expectations and Potential with Bulls

By BVM Sportsdesk

Matas Buzelis is entering his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls after being drafted 11th overall. While he has high expectations to start and impact the game immediately, the current roster dynamics may hinder his minutes initially, as the team is likely to start three guards. Patrick Williams, who has been considered undervalued despite a hefty contract, is expected to take the starting power forward position over Buzelis. However, Buzelis possesses versatility, capable of playing both forward spots, which likely guarantees him significant playing time regardless of starting status. Ultimately, while he may begin as a bench player, there are avenues for him to potentially secure a starting role as the season progresses.
By the Numbers
  • Matas Buzelis was drafted 11th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
  • Patrick Williams has hit over 40% of his career 3-point shots, compared to Buzelis, whose shooting remains a work in progress.
State of Play
  • The Bulls currently plan to start three guards: Josh Giddey, Coby White, and Zach LaVine.
  • There is uncertainty about Williams' starting position as he has underperformed but is expected to start due to recent contract investments.
What's Next As the season unfolds, Buzelis has the potential to surpass Williams in the rotation, especially if the Bulls make trades that alter their current lineup structure. His playing time and impact could increase based on team performance and adjustments in roster dynamics.
Bottom Line Buzelis enters the league with significant upside, suggesting that while he may start as a bench player, his skill set and potential could lead to a pivotal role on the Bulls, depending on how well he adapts and the team's evolving needs throughout the season.

https://bvmsports.com/2024/09/11/matas-buzelis-rookie-expectations-and-potential-with-bulls/



​
 
Watching him play gives generational talent vibes instantly. How far he can go with it at the highest level still a question though. But dude has all the variety of ways how he can punish the opponents with that size, agility and athleticism.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_ltviyyEqZ/
 
OK, one plus for president Nauseda. Previously was talking some BS about naturalization, now he does something positive to NT. There's a lot of chances to see Matas in 2025 it seems. JV was positive about it, now his parents are accept invitations of president. Very positive. Most likely he suits next summer:

https://x.com/LithuaniaStrong/status/1836946787468194071
 
Good news on Buzelis. He standing out and looking good Bulls scrimmages. That is playing with actual NBA PLAYERS.

Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis apparently can play,” Mayberry wrote. “It was one thing for the 11th pick to impress in summer league, but the word out of minicamp sessions is the 19-year-old is holding his own in team activities. Buzelis has impressed with his passing and ability to attack the rim.”​

I think this Bulls scenario will be perfect for him. Giddey won't be ball hogging, the same Ball won't too. The best scenario for a rookie to play for not selfish NBA team.

Oct 8 first pre-season game. Should be interesting.

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfe...tas-buzelis-reportedly-impressing-at-minicamp
 
Gotta love playing with Lonzo Ball and Giddey. Really you wouldn't find more pass first PGs duet in entire NBA. This might be game changer for Buzelis as a rookie season goes. They will find him cuts, they will feed him in transition. Can't wait to see how he will look in pre-season. We didn't have high flyer like him for a long time. Saras could lob Javtokas pretty hugh, now KJ will be lobbing Buzelis and a bit Tubelis. Sabonis and Krivas can't leap very high, specially Krivas dude :D I actually think eventually Butajevas will be serious candidate to in the NT.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DAore79xzCB/?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_7ZRinFY6c&ab_channel=widey158
 
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