2023 Lithuanian NT

[Shawshank]

Dinosour expert

you yourself shouted here Maciulis is ale evil in 2014 and dont need to take him anymore now he saying what a fantastic defender Maciulis was in 2015 and what great defence that 2015 Nt played.

Go and read what nonsenses you were writting about limited 2015 team . Only shows how limited your understanding of basketball if you need 7 years to understand those dudes could play

Maciulis wasnt doing no shot blocking at all and he is not center. Ofcourse 1m98 forward can move his ass its not a miracle,but stop asking same things from 2m10 body.


Do you even understand diffrence between Maciulis,Smit type body strenght position defence and what kind athletic defence is played by Draymond,Adebaya,Garuba or same Hayes ?


All im said that Domas is better defender than Gudaitis. Stop putting words i didnt say. I still dont hear argument how exactly Gudaitis is better in defence?


Listening taking top 10 tallents of lithuania you dont need to be some genius to predict that. Everybody talking about same names in all podcast.You arent the only who can see that (like you like to imagine)


My arguments always not that they arent tallented ,but they wont help men NT till turn 23 and get some brain,experience.

i dont believe playing 19-22 kids in playoofs can help NT to win medals. Im sorry but that what i learn watching basketball for 20 years and coaches desicions only supports that.


Untill i will get diffrent info and examples i will say same thing : Its your fantasies that bunch of 19-22 kids can help NT in winning againts battled tested euroleague/nba players.


Including same Giedraitis did he help NT with anything in 19-22? No he didnt. Can he help 23 and going further ? Yes. But i never argued that he cant after turning 23

But you dont get this point.This is all my argument top 10 tallented kids can help one day NT sure,but not in ridiculous timeline you predict here.


You predict Giedraitis will be in NT in 2021 and when will make Nt in 2024 come here and make proud joy dance : i told you all

thats what kind level predictor you are dinosour expert

[Straight forward]

Yeah, 20 years ago I also said something that wasn't true. What a sensation! At least now I don't push Normantas for the crunch time of senior NT

With Maciulis to me it's always hate and love relationships. He was up and down in the NT. But in 2015 he was huge. I never claimed otherwise.

I think you don't realize that both Green and Maciulis are 198cm bro And Tubelis is not 2.10cm, he's 2.06cm. You never able to follow to details precisely. My point is not that Tubelis will ever be as good defensively as Green/Garuba, my point is that he has better agility and latter quickness than typical sturdy/big PF. He's a big PF with very good latter quickness, but I doubt you even get this. I bet you read this paragraph like - "he's comparing Tubelis with Green" - again

I'm not sure Domas even now is better at p'n'r defense than Gudaitis. But maybe.

I noticed D. Giedraitis special traits in U19 (2019) and I realized he has special maturity for his age and real talent. At that point no-one was seriously talking about him. Only me and maybe few other people understood that his maturity is not far away from Jokubaitis. And if not some injuries he probably played for Zalgiris even earlier.

The same way people in Lithuania barely understand that Tubelis is a very solid/good defender which might be a game changer for us in the future, but no-one talks about it. For the first time Pakenas raised the question about his D, never heard it before. Liths usually are pretty blind to intangibles unless it's some freakin' Ulanovas who plays hundred years in Zalgiris.

No-one cares when one makes the NT. You don't even need to pretend that you remember my projections via timing. My asking was to involve D. Giedraitis to windows and camps. That opportunity was missed by our federation/coaches when he played for Estudiantes and later injuries stood in away. The most important question whenever those players will become true NT material long term.

From young players (Sederis is not young) D. Giedraitis, Tubelis and Sirvydis are the next pieces that are basically reaching NT level. While Tubelis and D. Giedraitis are super natural fit and highly needed (defensive guard and defensive big), I rarely talk about Sirvydis cause the timing is horrible for him. He's an offensive wing and we already have Brazdeikis, Grigonis and even never delivering R. Giedraitis here. So even if Sirvydis migh be ready, we simply don't need him ATM. Brazdeikis is better and we take Brazdeikis in his position.

But integration of D. Giedraitis and Tubelis can be super spot on.

[Dreamcatcher]

I rarely talk about Sirvydis

Actually you've talked 100 times about him. Just saying.

[Straight forward]

Actually you've talked 100 times about him. Just saying.

I mean, I'm not pushing him to NT. Not a good timing. 2/3 position is too crowded and we specially don't need another offensive piece with suspect D there.

[LuDux]

Actually you've talked 100 times about him. Just saying.

Technically speaking, he talked once and then repeated it 99 times

[Straight forward]

Grigonis has been struggling this season thus far and now he faces issues with back injury. I think his participation in WC might be in jeopardy.

[Straight forward]

OK, I've seen enough. Sedekerskis had to be in the 2022. Maksvytis made a mistake not tying up with him. I don't care if he makes some mistakes reading the defenses from time to time. He hustles and bangs like a lion defensively. He can go head to head with beasts like Smits, he can move at perimeter. It was obvious mistake not to have him when we lack defense by all means. I like his physicality, like his effort, like how he can play without the ball.

[Shawshank]

I want Ulanovas+Butkevicius play last 5 minutes of close games over everybody in NT 2023-2024 over Grigonis/Brazdeikis/Kuzminskas/Giedraitis and so on.

Those 2 simply makes winning plays on both ends of the floor and makes very little mental mistakes + always forces opponnets to shoot tough shots.

Playing those 2 together in last 5 minutes would be good start not to lose all game endings like in 2022.

[Straight forward]

I want Ulanovas+Butkevicius play last 5 minutes of close games over everybody in NT 2023-2024 over Grigonis/Brazdeikis/Kuzminskas/Giedraitis and so on.

Those 2 simply makes winning plays on both ends of the floor and makes very little mental mistakes + always forces opponnets to shoot tough shots.

Playing those 2 together in last 5 minutes would be good start not to lose all game endings like in 2022.

R. Giedraitis name shouldn't be even mentioned...This has to stop...He is complete rubbish in the NT. That's has to be openly and clearly addressed. I even look at EL games and in most times I hate his basketball. Sissy, even stupid at times defense and super opportunistic offense. I wouldn't have him anywhere on my team.

Well, Butkevicius has been finishing games for LTU. If his open three against Germany went in, maybe our EB story could been different.

The problem is Ulanovas is not very much interested in playing for NT. I hope he can give us something this Olympic cycle, but he will be 31yo this summer and already on the "we'll see mode" for few years now. Not a piece to rely on him long term.

And we still need proper piece at 5. Love Sabonis, and I think he can dominate the game, but I would prefer some-one like Hayes, Smits to close games.

Also we have issue with our key guards. I'm OK with Jokubaitis (and I think he will be better next summer), but Grigonis is fragile and Brazdeikis is wild. I see only Jokubaitis as a starter and no brainer piece at 1 down the stretch. I have no idea who should play at 2. Grigonis has been struggling down the stretch in EB. Too soft end both ends of the floor and couldn't get what he attempted.

Today I go with this down the stretch:

Jokubaitis
?
Butkevicius
Ulanovas
Sabonis

Jokubaitis

[Shawshank]

Sabonis,Ulanovas,Butkevicius doesnt matter about their stats in that game they must be in last 5 minutes of close game simply for defensive reasons.

Last 2 places Jokubaitis/Lekavicius/Brazdeikis/Grigonis

Grigonis most likely will be 4th player in most cases for coaches. Marius can be PG for little streach too if coach gonna see that our wild PGs dont control the team.


High quality mature Pg like Evans shows biggest diffrence between Zalgiris and LTU NT in game endings. Guards is deciding game endings.

Both zalgiris and LTU NT players is fighting very hard for 38min,but in order to beat other elite team guards must finish game ( outplay/outhink their perimeter opponnet in last 2 minutes as desicion maker with the ball)

[Straight forward]

[B]

High quality mature Pg like Evans shows biggest diffrence between Zalgiris and LTU NT in game endings. Guards is deciding game endings.

The main reason is Zalgiris' defence.

In terms of decision making Evans is not more matured PG than Jokubaitis. And he will never be as good. His advantage is athleticism at both ends. Position 1 for us is not a problem cause Jokubaitis upside is tremendous. Sure as 21yo he couldn't yet truly take over, but he's a higher level player than Evans. In the future it won't even be close. Evans probably would have zero chance to get any minutes in Barsa. He's not a decision maker, not a facilitator, there's a lot of spoilage in terms of passing/decisions. And we can only speculate what kind of numbers and impact current Jokubaitis would have for Zalgiris getting 26min. I have no doubt Zalgiris would have more offense, specially in terms of facilitation and decision making. I personally think Jokubaitis would be more precious piece for this Zalgiris who has strong defenders in all the positions basically and lacking more talent offensively. Evans is good, but you got a little bit lost if you think he's higher level player than Jokubaitis/Grigonis. Evans is exceeding with his shooting recently, but I doubt he can keep it up. I hope I'm wrong though.

The problem with NT that we always have to suffer with our no D offensive bigs...We can't make stops. Zalgiris has wonders with strong defensive units.

I will put it in other words:

Hayes, Ulanovas, Butkevicius, Grigonis, Jokubaitis >>> Hayes, Ulanovas, Butkevicius, Brazdeikis, Evans

Evans in the NT wouldn't be more dominant than Jokubaitis was with 9,2ppg, 9,3eff cause such pieces as Sabonis, JV, Grigonis are around. In Zalgiris he's a number one option and has all the freedom.

[Shawshank]

Im not talking about upside... winning is done now not in 2025. Was Jokubaitis ready with his desicions to win close games in 2022? No.

Will he in 2023? Not sure. Rokas will be ready only around 2024-2025 to be clear floor general for 30min thats control his team... thats the problem.


Right now 2022 Evans > Jokubaitis both offensively and defensively.

Evans also is wild sometimes,but when he feels its diffrent individual level compared when Jokubatis feel it.

Jokubaitis wont be playing with Barsa if Not Jasikevicius . Dont need to picture like he is some elite euroleague guard now.

Evans playing way better for Zalgiris now than last Jokubaitis season is not even close.Evans will go to top 6 euroleague club next season if we will keep this play.


Its basically impossible for white genetics men to play Hayes/Draymond type defence. NT will never have such type big athletic defender unless we naturalise one.

For me there nothing to discuss Sabonis is miles better defensively than all best ltu centers right now Jv/Dmo/Gudaitis/Birutis/Echodas.

If we searching center who can play switch defence like afro athletes can to defend best fiba guards such center didnt existed in 30 years of LTU NT history.


NT problem was not only big defence but our guards is also very bad defenders.

Give Sabonis --> Evans,Smit,Ulanovas,Butkevicius around him he also would be make some stops for sure.

But Sabonis was alot in game endings with Kuzminskas,Brazdeikis,Jokubaitis,Grigonis near him yeah this lineup wont make no stops like in 2022

[Straight forward]

Did you see all clutch shots of Jokubaitis last season for Barsa? I didn't see things like that Evans doing.

I'm not sure who is better fit for Zalgiris. ATM Evans looks good and Zalgiris winning, but don't fool yourself thinking current Jokubaitis wouldn't be huge for Zalgiris this season. If I'm not mistaken, Zalgiris was offering starting spot at 2 for Jokubaitis even last season when Zalgiris tried to keep him, but he took Barsa's offer. Jokubaitis was in double digits with great decision making and winning clutch plays for Barsa last season when both Higgins/Calathes went down. He barely ever turned the ball over. Jokubaitis and Lapro carried Barsa as main guards and Barca remained winning everything kinda team. Would Evans be able to have that kind of stretch with Barsa? FOA, Jokubaitis is there in Barsa cause not many players can contain Saras' system. Saras needs the guy who read the mismatches and moves the ball properly, rotates correctly and so on. Jokubaitis even today is one of the highest IQ guards in EL, without a question. Today he would be very good for Zalgiris. I don't know if better than Evans, but there's no doubt he would score a lot, make plenty of assists, would move the ball like a stud. Evans has his advantages and maybe he's ATM is better individually, but Jokubaitis can play for Barsa, Evans can't. That's the difference. Would Evans feed JV, Sabonis better than Jokubaitis? No chance, not even close. Would he be taking all the shots instead of Grigonis in NT. Also no. Have the perspective. NT and Barca are different animals than Zalgiris. It's not like Evans is winning games for Zalgiris in clutch minutes. It's very collective effort and defence orientated effort.

It's not about to have some black atheltic defensive freak. I just want pretty agile dude with good defensive fundamentals (like Javtokas had f.e.). Sabonis has no solid defensive fundamentals. He's by all means offensive player. Do I hate his defence? No. Do I want better? Yes. Can we win with Sabonis at 5 down the stretch? I hope so, but we need different D to truly expect certain consistency closing games. Playing Sabonis at 5 at the end is really complicated. Not as ridiculous as with antient JV, but still it's not what we need to be a force.

[Straight forward]

I

NT problem was not only big defence but our guards is also very bad defenders.

Give Sabonis --> Evans,Smit,Ulanovas,Butkevicius around him he also would be make some stops for sure.

But Sabonis was alot in game endings with Kuzminskas,Brazdeikis,Jokubaitis,Grigonis near him yeah this lineup wont make no stops like in 2022

Sure. That's why we need to add more defensive players. I think Maksvytis understands that very well too. Specially now that he's having success with defensive team. He already addressed him self that he will be looking for more defence.

[Shawshank]

Sure. That's why we need to add more defensive players. I think Maksvytis understands that very well too. Specially now that he's having success with defensive team. He already addressed him self that he will be looking for more defence.

yeah defensive players but from highest levels euroileague/nba not defenders from students/lkl level leagues.

There is huge diffrence defend average lkl level players and defend elite players that punish every little misstep.