Ąžuolas Tubelis thread

[Straight forward]

Can't wait to see Tubelis balling for Neptunas. Now I definitely turning on Neptunas. I was about to do that anyway to see what's with Sargiunas, but now there's no doubt at all. IMO, Rytas made a good decision allowing him to play big minutes with Neptunas instead of trying to add him to their roster at this stage of the season. Masiulis is looking pretty good this season and Azuolas surely just needs to play a lot in this stage of career. BTW, I think next season will be the last season when he will play in Rytas. After that some-one will buy him and pay Rytas a buy-out, IMO. It may happen even after Neptunas' season. But we have to see him play PRO first. PRO is PRO, it's different than NCAA nevertheless.

[Straight forward]

Not the strongest opponent, but Tubelis with 29eff in 19min. of action in first LKL game (well, realistically his second). Despite 4 blocks and one impressive chase down, he was a bit careless defensively and made some mistakes. He doesn't have perfect motor offensively, at times simply not motivated enough to play it. But when he gives his 100% effort, good things happen. At 4 he lacks lateral quickness, but at 5 he should be decent/solid. Offensively he needs a good chemistry with a point guard to show his best, but even if there's zero chemistry now, Tubelis still managed to be effective offensively. It will be interesting how good he can get offensively. IMO, he should play more like bully ball, but it doesn't seem he's much interesting in adding a lot of muscles. He's pretty tough and athletic naturally, but for EL level he will still need to add muscles. Liked how he slipped between two defender with a sort of hop step to create his own shot. He will need to combine mobility with strength to be effective EL scorer.

[Straight forward]

Here's Tubelis 4 blocks highlights. Active hands. He always looks for deflections and he has good timing with those quick hands. It may turn into personal fouls sometimes, but that's what you want to see. Also he can chase down guards, cause he has great leaping ability out of movement (not so much from two feet from the stance). Positioning wise he will still need to improve defensively, but he has solid IQ and he can get much better at that with time. I'm already eager to see how Tubelis (5) and Sedekerskis (4) frontline will look defensively.

https://twitter.com/BasketNews_lt/status/1726677747202965706

[Straight forward]

Tubelis looks good. Specially when he shoots threes like that. 5/8 in three games. 62,5%. Surely not sustainable, but he shoots with confidence. Rytas will have a strong player next season. And Neptunas really lucky for this season. Once they will realize how to use him the best and some chemistry between players will be established, he can dominate even more. Just feed him, and very little opponents can slow him down in LKL.

It's interesting that 21yo Sedekerskis was 14,1eff guy for Neptunas. 21yo Tubelis is going for +20eff. Now we see that Sedekerskis upside always was high nevertheless, interesting how Tubelis game will transit to EL and what kind of player he will be at 25.

[Straight forward]

Now, if you think that Tubelis is another random LKL player, you are simply lost yet another time. That's your normal condition, bro Unfortunately. Even last year, Tubelis was top 5-7 NCAA player per production, per efficiency if to go deep into the stats. IMO, if current Tubelis would play for say Liekabelis, there's a good chance he would be MVP of LKL. He could easily snatch a role in Zalgiris in EL this season.

Not with Lietkabelis, but with Neptunas it's definitely the case. I doubt things would be much different in Lietkabelis if Tubelis unleashed for +20min. Yet our coaches continues to suck. The last one what I really respect is Kazlauskas. He would never shit his pants to test the all talent we have. They had to take Sedekerskis to Eurobasket 2022 at the very least (realistically he had to be in 2021 OQT). Tubelis had to make 2023 WC and Marciulionis had to be in the camp. I am almost certain than Maksvytis made a mistake for not finding a space for D. Giedraitis in the roster, strictly for defensive reasons, specially since Butkevicius was out. You throw him at Bogdanovic (or Avramovic), and it may be a game changer, or help a lot. I will remind that Kariniauskas scored 0pts and went -15 +/- in the game against Serbia.

Maksvytis can't handle the processes of the NT. He is simply uncapable of working with full talent pool, doesn't even understand it. The fact that he didn't even wanted to test Sirvydis in 2022 also adds to it. He's a decent coach for a club where managers build the team, but he is sucking as NT coach who should be able to absorb all the pieces and to understand how to select the best ones, which young players must be integrated, which vets should be left aside. Maksvytis was plain horrible with this so far. And his famose Griciunases (missed 0/8 FTs in some BB desert, maybe Poland, this week), Cizauskases, Maldunases rave won't ever be surpassed.

[Straight forward]

Damn, Tubelis single-handedly brought a win for Neptunas in 4th quarter. Was having meh kinda game before 4th quarter and then totally exploded, ending up with 33eff. Grabbing 15 boards in 24 minutes is huge. LKL is barely a competition for him. No NBA, but he's a real deal talent.

[Straight forward]

So Tunelis is flat out MVP of LKL with 25.25eff and he made Neptunas a winning team instantly. If you ask me, Rytas fans wish to see Tubelis balling in Vilnius next season is becoming less realistic. With that kind of performance, either Zalgiris or other EL club might want to hook him already.

I would super excited to see Marciulionis and Tubelis re-united in Rytas, but well now I think some-one will buy him out.

[Dreamcatcher]

It seems Rytas by loaning Tubelis saved Neptunas' season.

[Straight forward]

Tubelis 3pts shooting so far in LKL/KMT - 45.4% (15/33). Sustainable or not? 10 games already passed.

[Straight forward]

Tubelis 3pts shooting so far in LKL/KMT - 45.4% (15/33). Sustainable or not? 10 games already passed.

Tubelis keeps it up. After 12 games (LKL/KMT), he has 17/37 which is 45,9%. I believe he can be a solid shooter. His mechanics are non standard, but I trust his shot more than Sabonis/JV. Hoever you look, 12 games stretch is a serious stretch and he delivers. And he shoots 3 threes per game which is pretty nice.

Imagine Tubelis at 5 shooting something like 38% with 2-3 shots per game in the NT and his future EL team. That would be money. Opponents would have to step out and respect his shots and this would stretch the floor nicely for his own drives (which he is good at) and for others off course. Tubelis at 5 may be the answer that I expected from pre-injury D-Mo. Before that fatal injury D-Mo was shooting 38% for Rockets and was No.1 with stat in the team. And then his back collapsed.

I believe with Tubelis at 5 we can play ridiculous offense. Not only he can run as deer, but he also can stretch the floor and attack his man face to the basket, as well as he can post up from any position in the court basically. With Sabonis and Valanciunas it is well known that the spacing won't be perfect, specially with JV it has been horrible. But Tubelis may offer new things here.

I really want to see Tubelis/Sedekerskis playing the 5 in the NT for certain stretches, backing up Sabonis. That's the future of basketball and Tubelis may offer us what we need at 5 offensively. Defensively we won't be great at this position anyway. Actually I'm thinking we might be better defensively at 5 with Sedekerskis, than with Sabonis. So we need a coach with balls who wouldn't be afraid to experiment and make NT modern again.

[Straight forward]

Maksvytis tried to leash Tubelis as much as he possible could while he clearly was the best big man on the roster, but Tubelis sitll was able to show some good sides of his. In 2024 he's generally irrelevant, or just a deep bench piece at 4/5 (assuming Domas, Sedekerskis, JV in). But in 2027 I think Tubelis will be a back-up for Sabonis in the NT. Tubelis seems like more universal and swift Gudaitis in a way and hopefully with a three point shot. This season in LKL he has been shooting 44% with 3 attempts per game. Imagine if Tubelis settles down being consistent 36-38% shooter. We can throw him at 5 and to have all shooting team as now Germany often has or Serbia with Jokic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khJ8qMnjN1w&ab_channel=CBCSports

And Tubelis now is generally MVP of LKL. So how bad is NCAA currently? Tubelis was a beast in NCAA, but he instantly translated that to PRO. He is the MVP of the league playing outside Zalgiris, that's pretty clear.

[Shawshank]

Tubelis last 6 games 2 from 13 3point line with akward looking shooting mechanism. Looking at his free throw % its says me he wont be good shooting big.

MVP lkl most comming from average lkl teams where leader usually some big that plays 30min and combines his pts+reb with good eff. and barely ever from Zalgiris and Rytas.


LKL season MVPs

2010 Dimsa
2011 Kieza
2013 Orelik
2014 Palacios
2015 Kavaliauskas
2016 Sulskis
2017 Diggs
2018 Birutis
2019 Geben
2021 Fridrikson
2022 Buva
2023 Caver

How manny of those lkl MVPs where best lkl players or made some impact on fiba tournaments?

Those 2020s lkl and ncaa is really low levels basketball competions compared Euroleague and Nba

what kinda level competion is that when 10-14th best euroleague team won LKL like 14 times of last 15 years?


I dont remember many examples where some lkl teams leader from 5-8th best lkl team would help LTU national team in main Fiba tournament

When thats happens is true underdog story

[Svajunas]

Dude is making 1.1 3pt shot per game on 35% and you are calling him bad shooter.
All the haters can't admit that they were wrong about him. They all screamed that he can't shoot.
Now those idiots are actively looking for some stretches or shooting mechanics, they desperately need confirmation
to their false claims....
Soon we will see posts about JV having another racist coach.

[Straight forward]

Tubelis shoots even better than that this season when KMT games counted. He's not a good shooter, but he can be decent or even solid shooter. He's not hesitant as JV or Sabonis. His open court speed and three point shooting are 2 interesting traits. He would load 10 threes if needed, that's different mindset that JV/Domas, and Krivas, Raupelis. Butajevas shoots threes though. That's our best centers and Zalgiris 2 dude who I don't remember the name now. But he's traditional and doest shoot. Azuolas will be effective 4/5

[Straight forward]

Tubelis with a monster game, 49eff. And close win for Neptunas. He literally carrying the team being 21yo. This makes Maksvytis look extremely stupid. Amazing that Tubelis didn't make a single TO in 34 or so minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkvdbkNhUqg&t=1s&ab_channel=BasketNews%E2%80%A4LT