Domantas Sabonis thread

[Shawshank]

NT didn't look better without Domas. NT played also attractive basketball in 2022. It has nothing to do with that. What it has to do with attractiveness? Sabonis playing very aesthetically pleasing. His passing, his terrific play within the flow and so on.

Last 4 fiba main tournaments LTU participated:

no Domas

2017 LTU 4-2 won group stage and lost Greece in 1/8
2023 LTU 6-2 won group stage and lost 1/4 to Serbia

with Domas

2019 LTU 2-2 didnt qualified from 2nd group (Sabonis missed last group game and LTU won finishing 3-2)
2022 LTU 2-4 lost to spain 1/8


10-4 without Sabonis
4-6 with Sabonis


We can say draw was easier or harder.But shouldnt nba all star player make our NT alot better and compensate more chalenging draw?

[Shawshank]

Sabonis defensively yes he was PF always near JV,but offensively he was playing bully ball like center and they changing each other you post i post up.

Dont need to picture like lithuanian coaches was making Domas like shooting PF putting near 3 point line,thats wasnt even close what was the game plan.

NT had entire play in 2022 where Valanciunas goes to 3point line and tries to pass inside to Domas from there. Saying that ltu coaches wasnt trying to put Domas in good positions is simply not right.


in 2022 game 1 and game2 vs Slovenia and France plan was Domas gonna get the ball inside ,attack from there and Domas failed to deliver over Yabusele and Muric and coach before Game 3 openly said to media : plan A didnt work,we gonna try plan B and Valanciunas had 30+pts game versus Germany getting similiar type touches.


I dont remember Domas having even one 20pts game in fiba .He simply dont have offensive scoring skills for small courts and those double teams, otherwise makes no sense how nba all star playing in every game 25-30min and didnt have even one 20pts game in 5 fiba tournaments he played.

[Toruko]

Well, the best what Maksivytis (I hope I wrote his name correctly) can do is to split Sabonis and Valenciunas. Sabonis should start and Valenciunas should come from the bench. Starting with two bigs doesnt work anymore. If then Sabonis cant deliver, there will be no excuse. JVs time has passed. He was very valuable in the old days of bb but now the faster your big the better.

[Straight forward]

FOA, Sabonis can't show that he's a better player playing next Valanciuans. He was trash in OKC, a rookie season, when they tried to make a stretch 4 out of him. Only when Indiana let him play at 5 and Turner was spreading the flour with threes, he became a player than he is naturally is. If you want Sabonis to deliver, give him starters minutes at 5. It's a must. You simply can't ignore that. He's not some kind of position-less player. He either dominate at 5, or he's meh in any other position...

Second, Sabonis' teams were less talented and thinner than that Raptors which eventually won NBA. I do think that Kings fought well with GSW last year and I think they will fight even better this year.

NT didn't look better without Domas. NT played also attractive basketball in 2022. It has nothing to do with that. What it has to do with attractiveness? Sabonis playing very aesthetically pleasing. His passing, his terrific play within the flow and so on.

The fact is Sabonis is a better player now and he should be given a chance to play entirely in his position. Everyone understands that.

[Shawshank]

That Sabonis is better player than Valanciunas i agree.


But thats why im repeating when Domas will show everyone that he is nr 1 lithuanian player? It shouldnt be coaches desicion,its should be clear to anyone and happen automatically.

But new summer comes and again Valanciunas scores and grabs more rebounds in less played minutes.Thats ridiculous and blame Sabonis himself and not weaker player Valanciunas for outperforming him. He had enough chances at C alone too. Like playing minutes indicate.


I dont see answer why Sabonis teams always loses in first playoofs round in all levels?

Why NT in 2017 and 2023 played better looking basketball without Domas? and both times won their group stage.


Are we sure team can win in playoofs if your 1 or 2 leader is non shooting leader that prepared team leaves him wide open and cuts passing lanes ?

[Straight forward]

Show me where such non shooting, ball dominate elite passing center style worked vs any prepared playoofs defences?

Its works regular season or friendly NT games vs unprepared opponents

JV was better in Youth BB, it's a fact. Sabonis surpassed JV on NBA court, it's fact. JV's teams (Raptors) were superior than Sabonis' teams (Indiana/Kings). Sabonis can achieve something now with Kings cause they already got some experience and the team getting better. What you overlook that Sabonis braught Kings to playoffs after 17 years.

JV has been better than Sabonis on FIBA courts, but Sabonis was playing off his position a lot. Also, we should have in mind that the last time Sabonis played a knock out stage game, he had 20eff (vs Spain). JV had 6eff. And JV in 2023 WC knock out stage had 13eff as the main figure while Sabonis wasn't even around, which is meh...

I simply project that NT would be the best off we if play Sabonis at 5 entirely and wouldn't even care too much what's happening with JV minutes. In my opinion we already late with this decision and that's the best interest of national team seeking the best outcome. I may be wrong, but that's how I see the situation.

Both of them are good rebounders but Sabonis is the better rebounder. He has the instincts and moves faster. He is a natural rebounder such as Steven Adams or Enes Kanter etc. I dont know if he is one of the best of all time but he is one of the best in the entire NBA

Agreed.

[Toruko]

Both of them are good rebounders but Sabonis is the better rebounder. He has the instincts and moves faster. He is a natural rebounder such as Steven Adams or Enes Kanter etc. I dont know if he is one of the best of all time but he is one of the best in the entire NBA

[Shawshank]

Again excuses excuses... When 30th best nba player Domas will take some responsability for letting 120th best Valanciunas outperform him again and again in less played minutes? He had alot of chance at C alone ,Nt didnt become better.

NT without Domas both times in 2017 and 2023 if anything looked better from eye test and become group winners.With Domas NT never won even a group stage,forget playoofs game


Team achievements not individual. Can you even read?

All time greats is those which individual stats was bringing his team to achievements


Valanciunas have 2 medals with NT,Won everything in youth, His nba teams have won 3 playoofs serries and once made conference finals


Sabonis team achievements?


with youth nt wasnt making out of the group mostly or lost in first round

In Ncaa loosing in first rounds

in NT loosing in 1st rounds

in nba loosing in first rounds and zero playoofs series wins



Show me where such non shooting, ball dominate elite passing center style worked vs any prepared playoofs defences?

Its works regular season or friendly NT games vs unprepared opponents

[Straight forward]

Here's the deal. Why I find shawshank's argument inadequate. JV had tons of tournaments where he played entirely (all minutes) in his natural position. There was no single tournament as such for Sabonis. I say, give him that. Let him play the 5. If he will suck and will be worse than JV, we will simply witness that JV is a better player in FIBA court. That's actually realistic scenario cause Sabonis surely doesn't feel that comfortable in FIBA. But it's also a fact that Sabonis never had such opportunity yet and that's pretty crazy. He came to 2022 Eurobasket as 2 times ALL STAR. And in 2024 he most likely will come as 4 times All Star and 2 times All NBA guys and he still won't get that luxury to have a single tournament when he can play entirely at 5 I simply want to see what Sabonis can bring for LTU NT playing 28mpg at 5 entirely. I don't think it's that crazy thing to ask for 4 time All Star. JV already had 8 tournaments like that. Sabonis can have at leas one, I think

[Straight forward]

Be nice. He is your countryman and he never attacks you personally.

Some people prefer such language. I give him that. It's his choice. He doesn't need no defenders.

[Toruko]

Some people are so dumb that they can't understand that to put Sabonis at 4 is the same shit as to put JV at 4. It's the same nonsense. Sabonis is way worse at 4. JV would be trash at 4 anywhere. The same with Sabonis. When JV is comfortably play all his minutes at 5, he has huge advantage against Sabonis who is forced to spend more than half of his minutes outside his natural position. If you don't understand this, you're an idiot. But you're more of pathetic homer, than an idiot. Go figure why Jokic was so meh in 2019 WC.

Be nice. He is your countryman and he never attacks you personally.

[Straight forward]

Some people are so dumb that they can't understand that to put Sabonis at 4 is the same shit as to put JV at 4. It's the same nonsense. Sabonis is way worse at 4. JV would be trash at 4 anywhere. The same with Sabonis. When JV is comfortably play all his minutes at 5, he has huge advantage against Sabonis who is forced to spend more than half of his minutes outside his natural position. If you don't understand this, you're an idiot. But you're more of pathetic homer, than an idiot. Go figure why Jokic was so meh in 2019 WC.

[Straight forward]

Domas have nothing to show (...)neither in nba.

Your homersim again is so funny Compare JVs achievements in NBA and Sabonis.

JVs:

• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2013)

Domas:

3 All Stars games
All NBA third team
NBA rebounding champion

[Shawshank]

2019 Sabonis 6,3reb in 24min player X 8,8reb in 22,5min

2021 Sabonis 8reb in 27min player X 9,5reb in 22min

2022 Sabonis 7,3reb in 29min player X 10,5reb in 28min

2023 Sedekerkis 7,3reb in 23min player X 8,8reb in 21min



Im simple man i see repeating pattern and i make conclusions .I not interesting for your lame excuses.

All star level player should come and dominate and not searching for him personally perfect situation to play well.


For top 30 world players every situation should be easy to adapt and dominate playing lower level players.

He can be outscored and outrebounded by 125th best nba player every single summer or wont be able to post up and score on players like ulebs PF 2m02 Muric types or 2m01 PG Doncic


Enough excuses for all star player its time for him to come and ball like all star should at his peak 28 or shut up forever about his greatness



Looking at his teams successes Domas have nothing to show: neither in youth,neither in college,neither in NT,neither in nba.

Not a single all time great become one with just individual stats.

[Straight forward]

And I guess Eugene Omoruyi and Anfernee Simons are better scorers than Jokic, if we follow this great logic...

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/points-per-minute-leaders-this-nba-season