Preparation Games for Eurobasket 2011

[madmax]

The game against russians emphasized our chronic and neverending issue - turnovers, which are haunting us for decades now. There is no way we can dream about any medal if we are gifting so many chances to our opponents. Russia on the other hand are looking good and Kirilenko is everywhere, rejecting shots and cleaning up the boards. This game just proves that yesterdays performance was more of a fluke than logical result...

[Darknemo2000]

Valanciunas had the worst game in terms of FT today. he looked almost as bad as Javtokas from FT line.

On the other hand he still scored 13 points and grabbed somewhere around 11 or 12 rebounds.

[AiwiTo]

After this game I can say that Javtokas, Songaila and K.Lavrinovic is very big factor in this team. Jonas, Marijonas, Darjus and Paulius is not the main material of this team. They are just bench players. All the respect for Jonas, but he cant play 25+ minutes, we need his energy, but elder players experience is irreplaceble here. Im a little bit happy what we lost, because after such a games we can see problems much more, than like after yesterday game.

[LTbotd]

Oh, and if somehow D.Lavrinovic won't be cut from this team... He's such an useless player both defensively and offensively

[Picek]

out of all teams playing friendlies so far Russians look the best out there..
a serious gold medal contender..
maybe even the second one after Spain..

[Debord]

There are only three possible explanations for the Turkish fiasco.

a) They are working too hard on trainings, emphasizing physical strenght and they forgot about tactical preparations. That would explain low input, slow tempo, no hussle really.

b) The coach has no authority and the real leader is Hidayet. That would explain why he hogs the ball 3/4 of the time, and why he is taking so many forced 3pt shots. For me, this is the most logical explanation, as this coach is just a joke for such a big name team and not appropriate to jump in Tanjevič's shoes.

c) The Turkish team is so confident in themselves, they don't want to show any of their plays to public. I really doubt thought, that they would try this tactic and that it would actually pay off. I think they will be much better at the championship, as I still consider them as a medal contender. But surely this low motivation performances are ought to show it's consequences sooner or later at the tourney.

The real answer is probably a mix of all three options. Turkish team lacks real effort at the moment, looks tired and perhaps even over-confident and lacks both mentality and tactics, which is definitely a result of bad coaching.

It really is quite something different, the approach of the Turkish and Greek team which is slower, with less transition in contrast to plays of Spain, Lithuania, Slovenia and Russia also, who all showed a great emphasize on speed of the play at prep games. It seems like especially Turkish team is relying heavily on combination of "deadly" outside shooting (so far, it's been deadly only for them) with it's size and strength in the post. Greek team however looked brilliant today, but for them, this was a low quality preparation game, actually one not even worth having. It's best for them to forget it as soon as possible, as it is not a solid confidence builder, since it's based on a lousy performance by the Turks.

Great analysis!

I gotta add one more thing. the coach has showed very poor performance at introducing new talents like enes, dogus, furkan to the current squad so far and waitied for all the injured guys to come back in great shape which is highly unlikely.

It was a tough decision to put him on charge, very big gamble by the turkish federation. If turkey fails to perform this tournament, they will have to learn living with the image that turkey only wins medals at home.

And yes turks have to apologize to greeks for turning this game into nonesense.

[hustlerlt]

After this game I can say that Javtokas, Songaila and K.Lavrinovic is very big factor in this team. Jonas, Marijonas, Darjus and Paulius is not the main material of this team. They are just bench players. All the respect for Jonas, but he cant play 25+ minutes, we need his energy, but elder players experience is irreplaceble here. Im a little bit happy what we lost, because after such a games we can see problems much more, than like after yesterday game.

I agree with you about Jonas,because he's not able to play a lot of minutes and he showed it today.He missed a lot of FT's which doesn't happen very often,but at least he did well rebounding the ball.Also our defense is horrible without Javtokas.I really like Jonas,but he definitely isn't a defensive presence that Javtokas is.

[AiwiTo]

After 2007 semifinal, and after this 2 games i believe we can say that Russia is not our style team. Maybe because of Blatt, he is such a great coach.
Our defence is very bad, then one of our big guys trying to help somebody else, appearing a lot of free space in the paint zone, and we cant prepare normaly for rebounding.. and stupid mistakes like lavrinovic and jankunas made today..is just the most killing thing. you cant score, and they score against you - its like -4 in one attack.
I want to believe that Kemzura just doing his job now, trying to make 100% advantage from the preparation game. Not to win everything, but prepare 100% for championship (for example, keeping Kaukenas and Valanciunas one time in a court - what they can do if Saras is sitting, or keeping Kaukenas-Delininkaitis-Lukauskis-Jankunas-Petravicius on the court in very important time in the game (the end of 3 quater or start of 4, i dont remember exacly)).
Its good that yesterday we could see the potentional, and today the biggest problems again. Left 2 preparation games, and then Showdown will begin!

[ZizzitSlo]

Don't be too pessimistic, your team had two very hard games in two days and if they won both, they would take much less from this experience than they would if they would win. Turnovers are something to be corrected, but I think this will be fixed until the tournament and also during the first stage against the weaker teams. It's also a matter of confidence and pressure, which is quite huge now, when things will get started, it will be easier for all of your players. I also noticed that Javtokas is a very important part of the system for some organized plays and today's TO's can be a result of him not being around.

However, this was a huge moral boost for Russia and you made them much, much stronger. Taking a win from the locals in the new arena, where finals will be played is a huge thing. Also, they played last few minutes excellent, like a really experienced team, with great control of the game, even thought they had a crisis some 7 minutes before the end. Very good pressure by your team, however.

[Silvio]

Germany - Belgium after 3 quarters 49-49 tie
Germany free throws 9/17 = 52.9%
Belgium for 3 points 9/17 = 52.9%

[Joško Poljak Fan]

With Raduljica or Rakovic, why not ?


We can laugh to this post too:



Those two doesn't want to play for Slovenia, so they are not actually missing

No they're not missing they've got GPS locator on their cell phones

...and if you guys are actualy serious by saying you're missing Rakočević, than I guess I'd have to stop laughing at some guys claiming we're missing Bečirovič ... now, it's understandable why I can't do that.


Don't blame it on Arslan guys. He is the same guy as he has always been. his limitations are known, yet he doesn't suck that much that with him on court any team wouldn't be able to score more than 38 points.

Judging from the first two preparation games of Turkey, I most of all missed set plays that would make things evolve. Preldžić is really creating some oppurtunities with his one on one game, but you can't depend on that only and go with a 3pointer whenever there is a chance.


Russia seems more and more of a serious contender. It's a great coaching along, some players on their bench lacks self-confidence in their clubs even to throw more than 3 shots in 20 minutes, with their NT they seem like a different players.

[AiwiTo]

...Taking a win from the locals in the new arena, where finals will be played is a huge thing..

actually they played in Panevezys, where the Group games will be held. Lithuania will play here, and im happy what Russians wont do it here in Kaunas we will have advantage, if we will meet them there.This is only place, where could meet each other..

[ZizzitSlo]

actually they played in Panevezys, where the Group games will be held. Lithuania will play here, and im happy what Russians wont do it here in Kaunas we will have advantage, if we will meet them there.This is only place, where could meet each other..

My bad, sorry. Thought that it was a two-day opener in Kaunas, to provide as many people as possible to see the new arena.

Watching the game between Belgium and Germany at bwin right now. Last two minutes.

[iskoch]

Here you can watch Turkey-Greece game anytime you want...

http://tvarsivi.com/player.php?y=4&z=2011-08-19%2018:30:00

[Overthetop]

Here you can watch Turkey-Greece game anytime you want...

http://tvarsivi.com/player.php?y=4&z...-19%2018:30:00

I never need to watch such a game