Quarter-finals: Russia vs Lithuania

[macleopard132]

Considering the tremendous disrespect and arrogance Russian press has shown towards Lithuania, i almost wish we'd win solely for the reason of teaching those pricks a lessons. I mean, who the f*ck do they think they are....

I hope we'll win, but i'm not betting on it. Whatever the outcome will be, it will not be the end of the world, as we'll either get to the semis or get rid of Kemzura. I do think he's a good, smart coach, but i also he think he lacks balls and charisma and is unable to lead a team with so many strong characters.

What puzzles me are his remarks about Jonas, that he needs this or that... I mean you need to do that, you need to calm him down, assure him and give him confidence - after all, you're the coach and he's an overgrown teenager.

What do you mean a smart coach? He has nothing to say during timeouts!

I can say that our team gave a good fight today. But again, we lost due to turnovers. Nice seeing Jonas and Kalnietis step up! Great performance at the end!

I think that if there was more effort from our players - especially Kleiza, who's been snoozing in the last 2 games - we would've won the game today.

Those who carried the team:
* Kaukenas
* Songaila
* Kalnietis
* Valanciunas

Those who were off:
* Jankunas
* Kleiza
* Pocius
* Jasaitis

Too many players were off today.

 

[Dtown2]

I know my Lithuanian friends disappointed, but they put up a much better fight than I was expecting, every time Russia hit them with a dagger they kept coming back. The semifinal streak comes to an end, but it was incredible while it lasted. Still for a team that is rebuilding they managed to qualify for their 6th straight Olympics something unheard of in Europe outside of the two old powers Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, so a lot to be proud of.

 

[Darknemo20002]

Kleiza was terrible today, Saras was no better. kalneitis looked bad in the first half and then godly in the second, but it was his mistake and missed threepointer that costs us the last hope.

Songaila, Valanciunas, Kaukenas and Kalnietis (in the second half) were our best players today. Our leaders Kleiza and Saras stank up big time.

 

[Khalid802]

Congrats for Russia and tough luck for Lithuania... Lithuania worked very hard to keep the score close but every time there were uncalled for turnovers that killed their chances especially at the end along with some missed FT's as well...

 

[LTbotd2]

We should forget olympic and other medals until we get a decent pg and coach. Russia is a better team and has by far the better coach. Deserved win and i hope they can get a medal.
And thank God there won't be those fucking 5-8 place games.

 

[Lietuvis2]

Fuck Jasikevicius I have lost all respect for him. Fuck Kemzura you need to get another job as you can't coach for shit!

 

[Shawshank2]

we lost,its painfull...But life goes on,Our team tryed as much as they could,but those tournavers in important moments was huge.After this championship i understood how much Javtokas big body mean for us inside in defence...Right now we have huge hole in defence,i just hope robertas will not retire atleast 2-3 years from now,until JOnas will learn positioning inside and get some muscles.Today our most two important players Kleiza and Jasikevicius let us down...
Ok Russia was stronger and good luck in semifinal.You can beat us,but you can kill lithuanians love for game of basketball...We gonna comeback...

 

[Dreamcatcher2]

Ok, we lost. It's not a problem. The problem is, we don't have a coach and pg.

R.I.P. our National Team?

 

[Marty2]

With twin brothers I think our chances would be much higher in this game. But it was only one of many Kemzura's mistakes. This year's teams result is logical,they didn't showed their basketball all summer, so after the game I don't feel a big sad. Congrats to russians you deserve to win a medal. Big thanks and respect to Songaila - I always belived in this guy and never questioned about his talent despite his age, also to Kavaliauskas and Kaukenas. The biggest disappointment of this OG was Jasikevicius - he sucked almost in every game. Majority of players were played under their true potential.

 

[macleopard132]

Ok Russia was stronger and good luck in semifinal.You can beat us,but you can kill lithuanians love for game of basketball...We gonna comeback...

Yes, I think next year, we're gonna rule. That is, if we get ourselves a new coach (Kurtinaitis, preferably), retire Jasikevicius (thanks for your efforts, but we don't need slow turnover machines anymore) and Kaukenas (thanks for your efforts too, but we need better defenders at your position), and include young, fast players (Motiejunas, Dulkys, etc). It's up to the Federation to remove Kemzura, or for Kemzura to honorably retire.

 

[Hepcat2]

Still for a team that is rebuilding they managed to qualify for their 6th straight Olympics something unheard of in Europe outside of the two old powers Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, so a lot to be proud of.

Still very, very disappointing for Lithuanian fans. Team Lietuva did not beat a single contender these games and the streak of semis has come to an end. Where the game was lost today was shooting. Making only fourteen of forty from two point range was simply too low.

In hockey they say that if you want to win in the playoffs, your best players have to be your best players. Well today Rimantas Kaukėnas and Darius Songaila, two old veterans, were Team Lietuva's best. But Linas Kleiza or somebody else had to step up and at least match their performance. But it didn't happen.

 

[Straight forward2]

I'll just quote Kvederavičius words after the game that i think is exactly spot on:

"Life goes on. These Olympics is history already. We should make conclusions, to make right decisions and to start new Olympic cycle with clean and calm conscience. We didn't prepare that well this time"

If our current never "losing" and "never having a bad result" federation will keep Kemzūra as a head coach, I'll have a very hard time following my favourite team in the world.

Fuck it. I'll put it straight forward - bring Kurtinaitis on the stage!

 

[Gytaz2]

Ok, we lost. It's not a problem. The problem is, we don't have a coach and pg.

R.I.P. our National Team?

We managed to rebuild a few times already. The PG problem is real, but we managed to win bronze in 2010 with only Kalnietis. And in a few years who knows... I'm actually excited because next year we'll truly start rebuilding and have a totally new team. And young teams are hungrier. It will be time for JV and D-Mo to dominate. Hopefully...

For me this was one of the most frustrating games to watch this year. So many stupid turnovers... Well, at least Jonas had a good game.

 

[Hepcat2]

Songaila, Valanciunas, Kaukenas and Kalnietis (in the second half) were our best players today. Our leaders Kleiza and Saras stank up big time.

Precisely correct. Until Kalnietis came to life later in the second half, neither Šarūnas Jasikevičius nor Kalnietis was doing the job at PG leaving coach Kemzūra in a bind. There was a gap the size of the ocean today in the efficiency ratings of Kaukėnas, Songaila, Kalnietis and Valančiūnas and that of the rest of the team. The other players just didn't get it done at all today and you can't beat the Russian team with just four players.

After this championship i understood how much Javtokas big body mean for us inside in defence...Right now we have huge hole in defence,i just hope robertas will not retire atleast 2-3 years from now,until JOnas will learn positioning inside and get some muscles.Today our most two important players Kleiza and Jasikevicius let us down....

Ok Russia was stronger and good luck in semifinal.You can beat us,but you can kill lithuanians love for game of basketball...We gonna comeback....

All true.

 

[Hepcat2]

I'll put it straight forward - bring Kurtinaitis on the stage!

Other posters though say Kurtinaitis is a clown. I just don't know. All I know is that a coach should be hired with a four year contract to build for the next Olympic games.

And the Lithuanian basketball program must somehow develop centers and PGs, even if it means genetically cloning Arvydas Sabonis, John Stockton and Steve Nash. Any ideas on how these latter two fellows could be lured to Lithuania? And how about Šarūnas Marčiulionis? Does he have any children?

 

[Darknemo20002]

Other posters though say Kurtinaitis is a clown. I just don't know. All I know is that a coach should be hired with a four year contract to build for the next Olympic games.

And the Lithuanian basketball program must somehow develop centers and PGs, even if it means genetically cloning Arvydas Sabonis, Dick Stockton and Rick Nash. Does Šarūnas Marčiulionis have any children?

Who are Dick Stockton and Rick Nash? Are they by chance relatives to John Stockton and Steve Nash?

 

[Straight forward2]

Other posters though say Kurtinaitis is a clown. I just don't know. All I know is that a coach should be hired with a four year contract to build for the next Olympic games.

Kurtinaitis won two Eurocup's trophies in recent years. He's coaching high quality team and wasn't fired contrary to Kemzura (whatever reasons there was). Kurtinaitis made a star from Gecevičius who killed all Žalgiris' team - the core of current NT. I agree there should be a discussion - for example why shouldn't Kazlauskas be on radar? But I also 100% sure, new coach should start new Olympic cycle.

 

[Hepcat2]

Who are Dick Stockton and Rick Nash? Are they by chance relatives to John Stockton and Steve Nash?

Dick Stockton is a sports announcer and Rick Nash is a very good hockey player with both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Team Canada. While Rick Nash would be a very useful fellow to clone as well given his athletic skills, I was indeed referring to Steve Nash and John Stockton. Sorry. It's bad enough when I don't know what I'm taking about but it's worse still when I don't know who I'm talking about.

 

[Hepcat2]

Kurtinaitis made a star from Gecevičius who killed all Žalgiris' team - the core of current NT.

I take it you mean Gecevičius played very well in a game that eliminated Žalgiris' from a Euroleague competition?

But why does Kurtinaitis arouse antipathy in some quarters? Please be objective. I just don't know.

 

[madmax2]

I take it you mean Gecevičius played very well in a game that eliminated Žalgiris' from a Euroleague competition?

But why does Kurtinaitis arouse antipathy in some quarters? Please be objective. I just don't know.

most probably because he's an opinionated dude with strong leadership skills - complete opposite to soft and clueless Kemzura...there is no way he would tolerate Jasikevicius and Kleiza's effort which they displayed today in the most crucial game of the last 4 years. He also knows that basketball teams have centers too, not only undersized PF's, pretending to be them. In other words, he can trully coach a team, while Kemzura just makes excuses and pretends to know how to do it...