Domantas Sabonis thread

[Straight forward]

Sabonis is not a good defender, but he's much better than JV still. It's hard to find worse defender than JV today in the game at 5. Sabonis takes a heavy lift for Kings offensively. He's one of the most active players on the game, playing 34min. That takes a bit from him too, but generally he never was and never will be a good defender.

You really just fooling yourself thinking that prime Javtokas wouldn't be great for the NT in terms of defense. He was rock solid defender and adjusted to various situations really well and could block shots and defend p'n'r really well. I would seriously consider to get rid of both JV/Domas for prime Javtokas. Sabonis in FIBA can't show his best offensive traits to full extent. He is born for wider NBA court. There he can dominate. When we will have plenty of players who can score, all you want to have is something like Javtokas. You don't get much better white defensive center than him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfusdhHWIGM&ab_channel=hoops4lifedotcom

You better listen to Kalnietis. He thought Javtokas was bigger key than Kleiza.


– Kokia bus rinktinė be Kleizos ir Javtoko? – Viskas labai skirsis. Linas buvo tas žmogus, apie kurį sukasi visas žaidimas. Jis rinkdavo didžiausią komandos taškų dalį, o Roberto netektis yra dar skaudesnė. Tai yra žmogus, kuris cementuodavo visą gynybą. Man keista, kai žmonės to nesupranta ir kalba, kad čia nieko tokio. Jei kas atsimena, kaip mums sekėsi Londone be jo, tai turėtų suprasti, ką komandai reiškia Javtokas. Tiek komandos, tiek žaidimo prasme.

Daugiau: https://www.krepsinis.net/naujiena/m-kalnietis-zmones-nesupranta-koks-javtokas-yra-svarbus-rinktinei/241376?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=txt&utm_campaign =copy-txt

[Shawshank]

https://twitter.com/SiddharthNBA/status/1718313060870537367

https://twitter.com/baby_face_goat/status/1718118319272902933

2days ago and we are trying to win with such defence last decade ?

Best nba rebounders nitghmare is not even Curry is Looney that killing him on the boards every time they play . Also Looney started to cross Domas up with the dribble too this season


No doubt 00s centers like Javtokas or E.Zukauskas would stop Curry pikenrools right ?

[Straight forward]

Sabonis is set for another ALL NBA season.

BTW, last season Sabonis made history. He became the only player who matched Wilt Chamberlain's record 1966, when he averaged +19ppg, +12rpg, +7apg, on 60% FG. The only guy after Chamberlain...Not even Jokic or Giannis could do that. That's impressive.

BTW, last three seasons only 3 players averaged 15pts, 10rbs, 5as in the NBA. And that's Giannis, Jokic, Sabonis.

Really hope to see Domas doing this for the NT players in 2024. He just feeds shooters and everyone around. So much fundamentals. I think Sabonis will have even better season. He's super confident now and super precise. I think he will even improve his numbers. Strong as a bull, or ox. IDK about the PO, but no-one stopping him in regular season. He will be cooking.

https://twitter.com/KingsNationCP/status/1717353330739949677

Sabonis is 27yo. Next 3-4 years should be his best seasons in his career. I hate that FIBA gap in 2026. IMO, we'll have good chances to contend in 2026-2028 stretch with still prime Sabonis, but that 2026 off year is a bummer.

[Straight forward]

Sabonis is fully healthy and no surgery was needed. This way it took more time to heal, but he avoided surgery. Kings might go deep into playoffs this season, IMO. Hope to see Domas in Olympic qualification tournament though.

https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/1708980408220782895

[Straight forward]

Dude, Kings will be interesting next season. Last year's rookie Keegan Murray dropped 41pts in the Summer League. Best shooting rookie ever last season. He can bring much more in PO next season. Sabonis is posed for another All NBA season. Fox just 25yo, so only getting close to his prime as well as well as Monk and Huertel, and they add EL MVP Vezenkov who I think offensively can be a nice role player and they still can add something in the off season. Last season they had the best offensive rating in NBA. They can really exceed offensively next season and maybe even to get to the finals of Fox and other guys will play some D too.

https://twitter.com/DXContent/status/1676821864134459393

[Straight forward]

Stojaković - 2004 All-NBA second team

Dragić - 2014 All-NBA third team (I just saw you have Dragić on the list)

Detlef Scrempf - 1995 ALL-NBA third team

Yeah, I mentioned Dragic. But I did miss Stojakovic and Schrempf.

[Serbian_Layup]

Domantas Sabonis officially made All-NBA third team! That's history, first Lithuanian to do that. No doubt Arvydas could do that under right circumstances (joining NBA sooner), but it's Domas who finally made it.

It's really rare occasion that European would be named as All- NBA:

92/93 Drazen Petrovic made third team.

00/01 Dirk Nowitzki third team

(later Dirk had his second, third, first again, and so on in next 10 and so years)

08/09 Pau Gasol third team (later makes second team couple of times)

09/10 Tony Parker third team (later will become second)

12.13 Marc Gasol makes second team (later will make even first!)

13/14 Goran Dragic third team

13/14 Jaokim Noah first team (even though he's Cameroonian basically)

16/17 Rudy Gobert second team (later third)

17/18 Giannis makes second team (later will become first and second team, but Nigerian guy basically)

19/20 L. Doncic first team

19/20 N. Jokic second team (later first)

22/23 D. Sabonis third team

So if I didn't miss any-one, only 12 European players yet made All- NBA Team. Only one Petrovic in 90s. In 00s only Dirk, Pau and Parker. Since 10's the number increasing.

Today top 4 Europeans in NBA is Jokic, Giannis, Doncic, Sabonis. I think Makkanen and soon Wagner, Banchero will be candidates next.

Stojaković - 2004 All-NBA second team

Dragić - 2014 All-NBA third team (I just saw you have Dragić on the list)

Detlef Scrempf - 1995 ALL-NBA third team

[Straight forward]

Domantas Sabonis officially made All-NBA third team! That's history, first Lithuanian to do that. No doubt Arvydas could do that under right circumstances (joining NBA sooner), but it's Domas who finally made it.

It's really rare occasion that European would be named as All- NBA:

92/93 Drazen Petrovic made third team.

00/01 Dirk Nowitzki third team

(later Dirk had his second, third, first again, and so on in next 10 and so years)

08/09 Pau Gasol third team (later makes second team couple of times)

09/10 Tony Parker third team (later will become second)

12.13 Marc Gasol makes second team (later will make even first!)

13/14 Goran Dragic third team

13/14 Jaokim Noah first team (even though he's Cameroonian basically)

16/17 Rudy Gobert second team (later third)

17/18 Giannis makes second team (later will become first and second team, but Nigerian guy basically)

19/20 L. Doncic first team

19/20 N. Jokic second team (later first)

22/23 D. Sabonis third team

So if I didn't miss any-one, only 12 European players yet made All- NBA Team. Only one Petrovic in 90s. In 00s only Dirk, Pau and Parker. Since 10's the number increasing.

Today top 4 Europeans in NBA is Jokic, Giannis, Doncic, Sabonis. I think Makkanen and soon Wagner, Banchero will be candidates next.

[Straight forward]

That's pretty nice:

https://twitter.com/EuroBasket/status/1653701531072360449

[LuDux]

So Sabonis shot FTs in POs 57%. Broken by Warriors? Not necessarily, he shot them 53% in last 6 RS games, despite shooting 74% after injury, few % better than before injury. New injury/complication? Would explain worse distance shooting in POs.or could be random noise

[Shawshank]

This series is something and entire nba world has huge respect for Kings team. Most young teams like tonight Grizzlies makes to bed in away elimination game,but KIngs was opposite not a single doubt i saw in Fox or Monk eyes

Sabonis got in faul trouble and KIngs coach put 5 shooters on the floor and Warriors was shocked because there were nobody they could risk on anymore and Kings guards start killing 1 vs 1 with drives inside when Looney/green couldnt stay inside anymore

Wouldnt be suprised seeing Kings coach trying that 5 shooters lineup on the floor again it really worked in game 6


Anything can happen in game 7. With such wild scoring teams impossible to predict anything


2nd round oppoent Davis is beasting in inside defence.He averaging over 4,3 blocks and 13,7 rebounds in this playoofs and his lenght was nightmare for young jumping grizzlies

Second in nba playoofs blocks is Embiid with 2,3 blocks.to see ridiculous diffrence

[Straight forward]

Damn, Domas having rough series. He got fouled out even at home. He shows "let me play" But Kings got to 7 game! My prediction panned out. Now I don't really see Kings taking it, but it has been hell of a series. To be honest, It's ambivalent now, I want Sabonis to feast in the second round, but I also want Sabonis to have surgery of his hand soon enough that he can be ready for WC.

The draw of WC today! Can't wait to see what are we facing in the 1 round and specially who we face potentially in the second.

[Straight forward]

It's such pity Kings jumped on champs. It's not over yet though. Great experience for Kings. If they keep this team for next season, OMG...I mean Fox, Monk getting closer to their prime. Guys like Keegan Murray and Huerter will be even better. Sabonis will either be even a bit better or the same beast. It will be crazy offense next season...and they already had the best offensive rating in NBA history this season. D. Mitchel also will be better (only 24yo and already nearly great at both ends, the only really good defensive guard Kings have). Maybe some back-up defensive center could be a great add to this team. It's not ever, but it's scary to think about next season. They may be truly be the best team in the NBA.

[Shawshank]

Domas really gave shit and fought hard in game 5,but his offensive shooting limitation + Looney/Green he has his hands full in this series

Even Giannis have similiar shooting problem and it comeback to hunt him in 2023 playoofs.

Giannis had 38+20 in game 5 and everybody talking only about his shooting

Thats non shooting comes to hunt especially in last 5minutes of close games .



It will be very difficult for Kings to forget this 2 close loses in game 4 and game 5.


Lack of experience in those critical moments of games thats what decided such close series.

WIth Kings crazy shooting it wouldnt shock me Kings somehow win game 6,but that warriors will collapse both in game 6 and game 7 (like Kings did in gm4,gm5) very unlikely

[Straight forward]

I would also lean towards this. Interesting how far Maksvytis will push for it. But basically best Lithuania's players are 5 offensive players - Domas, JV, Grigonis, Jokubaitis, Brazdeikis. It's specially problematic with JV. Knowing this it's really hard to make NT a defensive team. Main problem is that we don't have defensive 1 and 5 and Zalgiris had in Evans and Hayes or even Smits at 5. Also Lithuania doesn't have defensive 4, but I believe it can be fixed more or less with Sedekerskis. He's our Hayes Davis, on his way to be such as him.

You can't play Dimsa at 1 for longer stretch. We would be toothless offensively. In short stretches some Grigonis or even Iggy may initiate offense with the ball, but it doesn't work for longer stretches. Lithuania with Jokubaitis at 1 and without him are 2 completely different teams when it comes to offense.

Certain improvement only available, but lack of defensive 1 and 5 will hurt. Sabonis is a bit better than JV in pick and roll defence, but no by miles. So when you have Jokubaitis and Sabonis guarding pick and roll we still have a problem.

In the future A. Marciulionis and Tubelis attempt to guard pick and roll would be so much more efficient. Or I would even go radically small with Sedekerskis at 5.