Domantas Sabonis thread

[Straight forward]

But he started to do this not so long time ago. Like couple of years? I embraced much bigger amount of time - basically all his career since he debuted in NT.

Nope. He has been doing that for 8 seasons in NBA already.

[Shawshank]

Enbas podcast even Domantas fan is saying stats 20+20 is looking like monster type game,but when you watch game there is very seriuos problem that nobody is defending him near free thrown line.

In regular season marathon with no preparation flying from arena to other teams dont take attention to detail they just play basketball


Playoofs will start and we will see same problems like we saw in fiba and nba playoofs.


Domantas is 20pts average offensive players right? Im telling u right now Kleiza was 3 times more dangerous offensive player with his 10pts nba average. Even Valanci8unas is more dangerous offensive player and thats why he always averages more pts in fiba.

Change any coach he wont fix problem ,if team leader that has ball alot is alergic to even look at the basket being wide open 4 meters from baskets.


Its real weakness unlikely any coach will be able to hide it and prepared opponnets gonna hit in that place again and again

[Shawshank]

Best lithuanias rebounder of last 15 years outrebounded best world rebounder in less playing time again like manny times before.

Valanciunas 22min 12reb Sabonis 29min 10reb


This season Pelicans beat small ball Kings style 4-0 and mainly because they dominates underbasket as a team like Looney did in 2023 playoofs vs Kings .

Tonight 51-25 in team rebounding. Game slows down in playoofs,loosing rebouding so badly kings small,skilled guards like Fox better score 40pts and Monk 30pts to overcome such beating under the glass.


In 4 matchup between Jonas and Domas cold stats says: Sabonis played every time more minutes but only in 1 from 4 game grabbed more rebounds than Valanciunas did in less minutes.

I already shown cold stats from NT reboudings of 2019-2023.


best lithuanias rebounder > best worlds rebounder in this area according to stats.

[Straight forward]

Rebounding won't be a problem at all in 2024. Lithuania will top OG at rebounding, just as Lithuania topped Eurobasket 2022. Now it's even more dominant with Sedekerskis. Heading forward, Buzelis playing at 3 and Rubstavicius at 2 will only increase LTUs rebounding dominance. And those long athletic wingspans from 2 to 4 (Rubsta, Buzelis, Sedas) will also give LTU defensive thickness and a lot of deflections. Put Marciulionis at 1 and you have really good defensive unit 1-4, which also can ball offensively. So that's promising.

But my problem is, we suck defensively at 5. OK, rebounding is a part of good thing, but in pick and roll situations both JV and Sabonis are nearly equally vulnerable. JV off course more, cause he even got more slow with time. But Sabonis also specially vulnerable there (he's a bit better in ISO defense higher compared to JV). This is the only huge problem for LTU heading forward, as we will have everything else needed, IMO.

The bad news that Tubelis is really inconsistent defender, lacking a bit of instincts and better lateral quickness. He chase down game is amazing, he can really thrive there, but he's struggling with close outs, with the consistency of motor and so on. Sometimes he is simply sleepy and unmotivated to work hard. He tends to save energy for offense at D end you have to make 100% reads to do that, and for Tubelis it's not the case, at least ATM.

Now Krivas shows huge strides at both ends as a rookie and he underplayed actually. He gets a lot credit, and his awareness in the D end is pretty good. When JV will retire, Krivas will bring that elite rebounding, nearly in the same fashion as Valanciunas. That's good. Good that he will also play better pick and roll defense and not much worse ISO post defense. The problem is that his ability to step out will also be limited, just as JVs. He will be slightly better at it, but not much. Nevertheless, I think Krivas impact will be slightly more positive than JVs overall, because defensively Krivas will surely be superior and offensively he can also be very good with more ability to play within the flow which is huge problem for JV. JV is a tempo shutter and a ball stopper. You have to play through him and shut down your tempo and ball movement to get the best of him. Krivas knows how to adjust to the flow much more naturally, that's why I welcome his 10-18mpg presence in the NT, probably starting with 2027.

What I would like to see is the 5 with absolutely non questionable mobility for modern basketball and natural defensive instincts. This would make LTU super hard nut to crack. But there's no such player ATM. I will want to evaluate Raupelis and Butajevas progress this summer though. They are interesting mobile bigs potentially.

From Sabonis, I just expect being more solid, settled down, playing within the proper pace, not missing wide open lay ups, being more efficient and precise with his action. He was a bit off his rhythm in the NT thus far, and he just needs to show that recent improvement. He doesn't need to score a lot, just move the ball, set quick good screens, dominate inside when there's opportunity, provide that athleticism. I want 16ppg, 10rpg, 7apg from Sabonis in 2024 with slightly improved defense. That would be really good contribution in FIBA for Sabonis.

[Shawshank]

But best lithuanias rebounder still outrebounded best worlds rebounder in less minutes like manny times before.

Yes rebounding will not be a problem .Domas plays or not best lithuanian rebounder always makes NT top 5 rebounding team in fiba.


But when those bigs is playign with mediocre euroleague backups that cant close no games.Good rebounding wasnt enough to beat elite NTs that have guards providing 20+pts performances in critical games

[Toruko]

Sabonis was horrible!

[Svajunas]

Omg you haters are horrible. Picking his worst games to point out, but are quiet when he is dominating.
Don't understand this hate. Well in Torukos case he is obviously suffering from small dick syndrome.

Anyway, Sabonis seems to be picking up after slow start, will be interesting to see how far this team will go.

[Straight forward]

Anyway, Sabonis seems to be picking up after slow start, will be interesting to see how far this team will go.

He's crazy right now. Prime Hakeem numbers since new year. In 5 games, 25ppg, 15rpg, 9as, 1.4stl, 64% FG, 75% 3P.

He's proving that he's the best third center in the world after Jokic and Embiid ATM. Some speculate that it's Bam/Sengun/Gobert, but it's Sabonis at the moment. In the future Sengun will likely surpass Sabonis, but now he's one of the best in the game. I hope he can find a good streak in the NT too. Once he's in the zone, he's unstoppable, but he also has some calm stretches too during the season.

Domas sends the message for some fellows here:

https://twitter.com/thatl0calguy/status/1744878294686921198

[Straight forward]

So Sabonis just needs to push Tatum from 6th position and there will be the justice in the NBA, LOL

https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-jan-12-2024-edition

[Straight forward]

Sabonis will be an ALL- STAR for 4th time. Who could thought he will achieve so much while being 16yo? He will also become ALL-NBA for second time, IMO, which is even more impressive. There's not many Euros who did it several times. He is close to become third center ever to average 8 assists per game, now he stands with 7.9. He had a good game against GSW.

Interesting reflection of coach Brown on Sabonis shooting. He shoots 40% this season with 1 attempt. But Brown doesn't exactly want Sabonis to shoot more. Here's why. Just give Sabonis 4 shooters around him and allow him to role and crash the boards:

https://twitter.com/MattGeorgeSAC/status/1748161970820485197

[Shawshank]

Domantas Sabonis will be worst jump shooter in entire 2024 LTU Olympic team

To make 40% practise shots when opponents don't even comes 3 meters near him on very low volume isn't fooling no prepared team

Sabonis is center version of Westbrook.

Dominant regular season triple double run and in playoffs his jumper is guarded like he would be amateur from the street and their teams exits in first round

[Straight forward]

According to this Sabonis is one of the best anchor bigs defensively in the NBA:

https://twitter.com/The_BBall_Index/status/1751802349419688394

Sabonis now the only player in NBA history to have these season stats:

19/12/8 60%

I never thought that Sabonis will get really close in terms of assists to Jokic, but now he's just 0.9 point away.

[Straight forward]

Career high 26rbs for Domas. Still leading rebounder in NBA, 7th in eff, 7th in assists, leading in double doubles with Jokic, second in triple doubles (he has 12, Jokic 14), All NBA dude for sure.

Besides, only Wilt and Sabonis provided 20pts, 26rbs, 5as, 90% FG game in NBA history.

However you look at it, Sabonis is unique player. Despite his underachievements so far in FIBA and NBA PO, he turned out to be special player. I just want to see at least few really strong appearances with NT and it should start with 2024. Maksvytis hope is not stupid enough not to put Domas in the best possible situation.

[Straight forward]

So Sabonis is 5th by MVP odds, but no ALL STAR. NBA coaches screwed this time:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/mvp.html

[Shawshank]

LTU NT results with Sabonis playing in main fiba tournaments

2019 2-2
2021 failed to qualife to olympics
2022 2-4

2019-2021-2022 tournaments Sabonis played most minutes than any other lithuanian player


LTU NT with Sabonis not playing

2017 4-2
2023 6-2


Building plan how such non shooter star will be nr 1 team option i dont believe in such plan on fiba courts