2023 Lithuanian NT

[Straight forward]

Bogdanovic, Guduric, Nedovic, Marinkovic still elite backcourt generally, but the loss of Micic may cost Serbia a lot if Nedovic will be bricking, Guduric won't find his facilitating groove. In that case it's generally a question how to slow down Bogdanovic a bit. Obviously Serbia would still be huge favorite against us, but losing Jokic, Micic and their best combo forwards is still big hit, specially knowing that Serbia tends to choke even with super stacked rosters. Previously the mission seemed nearly impossible, now it's getting more interesting:

https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1683489194457329672/photo/1

[Shawshank]

Serbia can be possible opponnets only if they beat Italy in 2nd group.Otherwise Italy could be on our way in 1/4 stage


Without Jokic,Misic that not given Serbia gonna beat Italy.

Serbia lost to Italy already twice in 2021 and 2022 in critical elimination games .Its looks like Italians 2020s 5 men shooting lineups is problematic matchup for huge size Serbians.


Serb vs Italy was similiar mathchups like LTU vs Slovenia in 2021 and 2022. Size vs shooting.

All 4 games was won by shooting NT



LTU attention should be on Greece. If this NT 2023 makes 1/4 stage that already achievement for this roster

Nba most listen podcaster Windhorst yesterday said he dont see how Bucks will allow Giannis to play after having surgery 1 months ago.

Nba rehabs takes forever ,but ofcourse if superstar will demand playing they will have no choice but to agree. Bucks surely will try to convince Giannis to make full rehab

[Straight forward]

Yeah, good point, it could very easily be Italy which is underrated and their young talents are getting better.

I'm almost sure that Giannis won't br available and that will make 50/50 game for us pretty much.

Shooting is definitely important and that's one of my concerns about next LTU generation. I like Jakucionis jumper though at 1. He takes some super high level shots of the dribble and the form looks nearly perfect. So far 45.5% in U18 and previously showed huge strides of shooting in ANGT. A lot will depend how good such shooters as Rubstavicius, Lelevicius, Indrusaitis will be. We know that Jokubaitis and Iggy are not great shooters. And how much shooting Buzelis and Murauskas can bring at forwards positions (I see them as starting 3 and 4). My concern is that I don't see Macijauskas, Siskauskas, Karnisovas kinda shooters and it would be about time to have such breed. I think my money now are on Jakucionis and Rubstavicius as potentially most reliable three point shooters. Sirvydis is streaky. Pretty good, but not great.

[Straight forward]

Augustas Marciulionis cut again showed that Maksvytis doesn't have long term vision. He just tries to survive this day somehow. Partially that's understood, NT didn't win anything for long time, he already failed with LTU NT 22 (results wise), so maybe going with experienced player makes more sense, but it also shows that his ambitions are lower than say youn Kazlauskas. He always was looking 1 or 2 steps forward, he understands that next summer the will be tournament and then next summer. If I'm Maksvytis, I'm asking my self how to fix certain issues of NT. We don't have a back-up PG. We don't have high level back up PG. In Olympics if we will make it, that's gonna be a problem. At 2 we have Grigonis and Brazdeikis. At 3 we have Sedekerskis, Butkevicius, maybe even Ulanovas will want to play for the last time. At 4 we still have Kuzminskas, Sedekerskis and even Sabonis can play few minutes there (a lack of true versatile 4, but some high level pieces). At 5 we have plenty of options, but lack of defensive 5.

So my main concern for 2024 and 2025 is how to establish back-up high level PG who can run the team properly. That's why Marciulionis' cut is illogical and short sighted.

How to improve position 4 and to find defensive 5. It's good that Tubelis is invited cause he can fill both of problems to certain extent potentially.

In 1997 Kazlauskas took 21 Jasikevicius, while Maksvytis now failed to even test Marciulionis in the main camp even though it's obvious he looked very good in reserve NT. That's the difference. I like Maksvytis, but he is not that personality who can truly lead LTU basketball long term. He doesn't have such huge personality as Kazlauskas. At some point I still hope Jasikevicius will coach NT. He has that big personality. He can make bold decisions, take responsibility, risk. One day Jasikevicius will speed up integration of such young talents as Jakucionis, Indrusaitis, IMO. To be honest hiring Jasikevicius in 2025 and giving him all next Olympic cycle would be great. He would have plenty of talent which should be pushed to leaders roles or integrated as role players and obviously he's the best option to do that. My only concern with Jasikevicius that he may overdo with system and will ask too much discipline. In NT the basketball always should be liberal enough.

I don't mind seeing Maksvytis working next cycle as well if he will continue to improve, but with him the improvement of our talent will be slower. F.e. last summer he blew with Sedekerskis (and didn't even test Sirvydis) and I think Sedekerskis could even play some 5 for super small line-ups defensively. This summer he refuses to test good looking Marciulionis. He's not a coach who would optimally absorb.

[Shawshank]

I believe Serbia without Jokic,Misic is better matchup than Italy for ltu nt.

With Serbs it always close physical,dog fight type game that can go either way. Valanciunas will feel like fish in water versus them and in such style



Italians gave seriuos fight for France 1/4 in 2021 Olympics

Beat in 1/8 Serbia and had won game in 2022 1/4 vs France and manage to blow 4 pts lead in last 30seconds


I wouldnt be suprised Italians finally winning 1/4 game,they were knocking on that door last 2 summers



Right now with info i have from Gre,Ltu,Ser,Ita bracket side if i need to choose one who will make semifinal. I would bet on Italy.

They simply have by far best shooting NT from those 4. Other 3 NTs are simply below average on shooting.


Only Giannis In would change my pick

[Straight forward]

I wouldn't be so high on Italy. They are good, but streaky. F.e. they lost to Ukraine in Eurobasket 2022. There's no chance at all that LTU 22 ever lose against Ukraine...Never. We were too good. While Italy if shots not falling can be in trouble. Also have in mind that LTU NT was scoring 5pts more per game than Italy in Eurobasket despite their shooting and we played against top opponents all the time basically while they were going against Estonia, Ukraine, Great Britain. Italy is dangerous and streaky NT, but not so consistent and fundamentally sound as the best NTs. On other hand, their young players are getting better and can raise them to next level. Banchero loss hit them badly cause they need his dominance inside. Serbia any day is much more fundamentally sound, but they often can't deal with themselves in terms of mentality.

Italy is Italy...As always...when they shoot well they are good, but overall not as consistent and reliable NT as top contenders.

[Straight forward]

My eyes caught 1997 roster of LTU. A start of new Olympic cycle. Kazlauskas starts his NT career as head coach. And what does he do? He brings tons of NEW talent. Maybe he had no other options, but he never had any doubts about testing new talents, always was doing that. 3 players were 21yo and even 5 players were 23yo. So basically he took 8 really young players. The oldest players was 29. You can make all sort of insights about that, but it's very interesting historical data. We know that at the end Kalzlausaks was right, he won medal in 2000 Olympics with Jasikevicius as the main player. Never underrate and try to slow down real talent if you have one. ATM, I see that with Maksvytis we missing missing some opportunities. Sedekerskis had to be in 22. Why not to give Marciulionis 12th spot of the roster knowing that he really standout as pure PG.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EuroBasket_1997_squads

[Shawshank]

Kazlauskas 2013-2016 every summer tried new guards and next summer again new.No continuation

Kazlauskas gave chances yes,but if player sucked one summer after that coach didnt even invite that guard next summer to camp.


It wasnt like he took raw kid in 2013, three years patiently waited and by 2016 he become top 7 rotation player like u suggesting here

That not how top 10 NT level operates .Player show result now or see ya



Ulanovas asked about NT: * I didnt say im retiring from NT* . Its clear what tournament he has in his mind maybe playing.

[Straight forward]

Kazlauskas 2013-2016 every summer tried new guards and next summer again new.No continuation

Kazlauskas gave chances yes,but if player sucked one summer after that chance ,coach didnt even invite that guard next summer to camp.


It wasnt like he took raw kid in 2013, three years patiently waited and by 2016 he become top 7 rotation player like u suggesting here

That not how top 10 NT level operates .Player show result now or see ya



Ulanovas asked about NT: * I didnt say im retiring from NT* . Its clear what tournament he has in his mind maybe playing.

That's the difference. Kazlauskas always had the hunger and seen meaning in testing new talent and to make sure NT are not missing anyone. Now I see Maksvytis easily letting go Sedekerskis, not too interested in really refreshingly looking Marciulionis facilitating culture. That's not good, IMO.

BTW, Kazlauskas did a mistake not taking Lekavicius to 2016. Lekavicius didn't do well in 2015, but he obviously had good PRO career programmed in him. Kazlauskas thought Kariniauskas size and passing will help more, but he was wrong. Maksvytis will also be wrong if he will take him.

BTW, Jasikevicius really struggled in 1997...Only 25.9% from the field...Kazlauskas later will say "a lot of missed shots and some bad tournaments were needed till Jasikevicius became that Jasikevicius that we know" I'm rephrasing. There was no see ya to Jasikevicius

Ulanovas always "evaluating" his chances to play for the NT...

[Straight forward]

BTW, after 2016 Kazlauskas said "a lot of mistakes had been made". I don't think Kazlauskas ever made so many mistakes as in 2016. F.e. letting Lekavicius and Ulanovas go (one of the reasons why Ulanovas hesitant to play). Then that idea to be 100% ready to Olympic tournament which lead to complete brake down at the middle of the tournament. Playing Kalnietis for 40min in meaningless game against Croatia just before first knock out stage...I doubt Kazlauskas ever made so many mistakes in one tournament...

[Shawshank]

Giving chance once when there was nothing to choose from in pg position and believing in young players that not the same. Kazlauskas rotation was 7-8 players he trusted. All other NT coaches even trusted more in young players in playoofs than Kazlauskas ever did.

So who was on his NT in 10-12th place tottaly irrevelenat,it could me and u and NT results would be same in 2013-2016



In 2016 Olympics LTU NT wasnt even close to top 4. We can replay that olympics 10 times 9 of them Lithuania is not in semifinal

Usa,Serbia,Spain,Australia,France was clearly better and no young Lekavicius/Ulanovas would change that


Every tournament we can look back and see obviuos mistakes after its over,but in some tournaments critical coach desicions was diffrence in results like 2004 tournament

In 2016 olympics it wasnt some details. We simply were blown away by 2 semifinal NT.


That 2015 run with 2 point wins in like 5 diffrent games and was that 1 of 10 lucky replay cases.

[Hepcat]

BTW, Kazlauskas did a mistake not taking Lekavicius to 2016. Lekavicius didn't do well in 2015, but he obviously had good PRO career programmed in him. Kazlauskas thought Kariniauskas size and passing will help more, but he was wrong.

BTW, after 2016 Kazlauskas said "a lot of mistakes had been made". I don't think Kazlauskas ever made so many mistakes as in 2016. F.e. letting Lekavicius and Ulanovas go (one of the reasons why Ulanovas hesitant to play).... Playing Kalnietis for 40min in meaningless game against Croatia just before first knock out stage...I doubt Kazlauskas ever made so many mistakes in one tournament...

In defence of Coach Kazlauskas, he did mention at the time that he hated the way opposing teams were immediately taking advantage of Lukas Lekavičius' size disadvantage whenever he took the floor.

And did Edgaras Ulanovas not suffer a minor injury in South America right before the tournament resulting in Vaidas Kariniauskas being awarded the roster spot in Ulanovas' place?

And that last preliminary round game against Croatia was hardly meaningless. A win would have left Lithuania in first place instead of third in its group. That's a big difference.

[Hepcat]

AI don't mind seeing Maksvytis working next cycle as well if he will continue to improve, but with him the improvement of our talent will be slower. F.e. last summer he blew with Sedekerskis (and didn't even test Sirvydis) and I think Sedekerskis could even play some 5 for super small line-ups defensively.

I don't mind seeing Maksvytis working next cycle as well if he will continue to improve, but with him the improvement of our talent will be slower. F.e. last summer he blew with Sedekerskis (and didn't even test Sirvydis) and I think Sedekerskis could even play some 5 for super small line-ups defensively.

If you followed Lithuanian basketball as closely as you claim, you would know that Tadas Sedekerskis played his way off the roster last summer because he was tentative and afraid of making mistakes. That's not what a coach wants to see in a young player.

[LuDux]

1. Giedraitis Giedraitis Giedraitis!!!
2. ???
3. Y No Marciulionis!!??

[Hepcat]

Players invited are exactly the same as mentioned my Maskvytis as possible invitees two weeks ago. According to 15min headline this was decision by Songaila/

Hmmmmm. Strange the coincidence. I don't believe that it was. The present Lithuanian Basketball Federation has demonstrated a proclivity for lying. I don't like that.