2023 Lithuanian NT

[Straight forward]

Asia probably means crappy broadcasting time for us:

https://twitter.com/FIBAWC/status/1592248987914231808

[LuDux]

You are referring to Magic? FOA, he played in 1990 and 1995 seasons. SOA, how Magic is not modern? He's modern by all means. He actually was ahead of time like 2-3 decades. Now it's the trend to have tall PGs who can do it all in terms of the skill (except maybe shooting) as Penny Hardaway, Simmons, Livingston Doncic, Ball, Giddey and so on. Now this trend is stronger than ever.

90s Magic was one of the best shooters in NBA
1989-90 NBA Player Stats: Per Game | Basketball-Reference.com

[Straight forward]

OK, so after nice and cal celebration yesterday I have to say few things.

Except Kuzminskas there was no single player of NT level on this team. Not a single and no-one is even close. Blazevic and Velicka might reach it one day, but not today.

That might be the problem for the February window also. It is meaningless, while all relevant youngsters who might be really relevant for 2023 NT are not available. So we will more or less waist the opportunity to get most wanted players to test. These are, IMO, 4 in the first place - Tubelis, Sirvydis, D. Giedraitis, A. Marciulionis.

I think federation should knock Wildcats door for the opportunity, but I doubt they would release Tubelis as they have the game in Feb 25. I would actually try to do the same with A. Marciulionis and S. Lukusius if federation would make a try.

Knowing these circumstances I would go for something like this from those who will be available:

Zemaitis, Velicka, Normantas
Valinskas, I. Sargiunas, M. Rubstavicius
Kulboka, Radzevicius
E. Zukauskas, P. Murauskas
Blazevic, Echodas

Not the best utilization of our young talent, but still a chance for guys like Velicka, Blazevic, Murauskas, Rubstavicius to get their feed wet.

[Straight forward]

Good talk on possible 2023 roster of Pinkerolas podcast. Basically I agree with Pakenas position, but also others made good points too. Ulanovas, Sedekerskis, D. Giedraitis IN. We need defense. Then we must see what we have with Tubelis. I think Kleiza, just as many, don't really understand his defensive capabilities. I'm OK going with Gudaitis if Tubelis is not ready, but Tubelis is different modern animal at defensive end. He can switch, he can provide agile help defense, he can steal the ball and he can chase down guards. So to me it's great if we can choose between Tubelis/Gudaitis. Guys didn't mention Marciulionis, but I would have him in the camp too. There's no doubt he's already one of the best defensive guards in the country. Let him show his physicality in the camp. Jokubaitis and Lekavicius wouldn't have easy trainings Also, I totally agree with Kleiza regarding Buzelis. If we can have him, let's take him whatever the f...is his current level. Just take him. Even if today he can't ball, too soft - take him. That's how you do with once in 50 years kinda super prospect, you take him and hope that one day he'll lead NT. Why keep some E. Zukauskas, or Zemaitis at the end of the bench - let's have there M. Buzelis. And, oh, I totally agree R. Giedraitis should go. Enough of soft, non defensive, non providing players in the NT...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T50dQk0rmZE&ab_channel=15min

[Shawshank]

Pakenas opinions looks very amateur type and changes fast he hears Vysniauskas/Kleiza diffrent opinions in that podcast.

I was saying here again and again a year go NT need more defence,but after watching eurobasket i realised we simply have very chaotic main players that doesnt fit that well together.

1 or 2 good defenders as role players wont change face of NT main 9 players what type they are.

Im ok some Tubelis/Buzelis being 12th men as Domas was in 2015 as project for the future. Either way NT results will be decided by top 9 players.


I would do anything to try convince Ulanovas to help NT and be our closing minutes PF . To have plan B with tottaly diffrent game style compared when Jonas+Domas together.


My PF rotation would look : Domas starts 1st and 3rd querters and plays PF around 15min , Kuz plays 15min as PF and Ulanovas plays last 4-5 min as PF

I lost believe in those uleb PF Bendzius/Zukauskas/Masiulis coaches tried manny diffrent of them with no results. Miracle wont start happening uleb players wont start outplaying euroleague players in fiba competions.

[Hepcat]

Velicka isnt playing so far interesting.I have feeling after rewatching game versus France coaches didnt like 5 tournavers in 22min and chaotic,wild playmaking that affects entire teams offence.

Thats not what coaches need in away game from desicion makers.

Except Kuzminskas there was no single player of NT level on this team. Not a single and no-one is even close. Blazevic and Velicka might reach it one day, but not today.

Not the best utilization of our young talent, but still a chance for guys like Velicka, Blazevic, Murauskas, Rubstavicius to get their feed wet.

You've been name dropping Arnas Velička for three+ years now and I keep hoping he'll emerge as a national team talent but I'm now wondering whether it's a vain hope.

That might be the problem for the February window also. It is meaningless, while all relevant youngsters who might be really relevant for 2023 NT are not available. So we will more or less waist the opportunity to get most wanted players to test. These are, IMO, 4 in the first place - Tubelis, Sirvydis, D. Giedraitis, A. Marciulionis.

Dovis Giedraitis still? Is he injured or just not capable of cracking the ?algiris roster? (And no Giedraitis didn't star for Lietkabelis last year. He was alright but that's it.)

I think federation should knock Wildcats door for the opportunity, but I doubt they would release Tubelis as they have the game in Feb 25. I would actually try to do the same with A. Marciulionis and S. Lukusius if federation would make a try.

Is Simonas Luko?ius now expressing a desire to play for Team Lietuva? Has he said anything to the press or Basketball Lithuania? Because last February he very clearly indicated that his choice was to play for Germany.

[Straight forward]

1 or 2 good defenders as role players wont change face of NT main 9 players what type they are.

Depends on how much D.Giedraitis (this week he should step on the court) and say Tubelis are ready. Spain NT nicely showed that mixing in defensive role player as Diaz can be very nice add. Or playing Garuba who is not even scoring at all, but he can pass and play D. So we'll see, but generally LT NT exactly lacks another guard who can truly guard and modern defensive big.

Ulanovas off course can be used at 4, but not against any-one. Would you throw him against Giannis, Zion, Banchero, Porzingis/Smits, Markkanen? Well hardly. Ulanovas is too undersized. We have to realize that even in EL he faces worse competition than he would face in WC. Size + talent is deadly. I'm OK with Ulanovas finishing games at 4 if the matchup is containable, but essentially we need real size, real toughness, real athleticism and Tubelis is our biggest hope, IMO, in upcoming few years (and maybe, but just maybe Sedekerskis too). But then again Ulanovas attitude towards NT has been sissy...I'm not counting on such attitude much. He has no Maciulis or JV, Kuz inside him...Those set example how to represent NT...Ulanovas is actually a cancer for the NT. Recently he spread that sissy attitude towards NT. It's good that Grigonis joined NT 2022 cause at some point I thought these 2 friends opened completely new chapter of NT history - "I don't give a f..." kind of chapter...It can spread very quick if such dudes will brag publicaly about how they doubt about NT...

I think D-Mo and Ulanovas made the most harm to NT recently with their attitudes and doubts towards NT and all their "IDK, maybe, we'll see, I'm not sure". I would seriously consider to to shut them down. They would make more long term damage than short term benefits with their carriage. Spread the word of Kuz, not Ulanovas...

[Shawshank]

Zalgiris using Ulanovas at PF againts everybody in last 5minutes so far .Barely anybody is playing big in last minutes on elite level.

If PF is too big/strong there is always Domas option and maybe Sedekerskis.


Pulkovskis and k.net also right article about 2023 NT and his conclusions was simple take 12 nba/euroleague players and agree with him enough of those dreams how uleb level players will come and help in real games (even if they fit position wise) .Thats not happening we seeing that fiba tournament after tournament.

Proffesional article by person who follows basketball closely .Author asked same questions i asked here what happend between coaching staff and Sedekerskis last summer that he didnt even came to main camp ?

I better play undersized euroleague level SF like Kuzminskas/Ulanovas at PF and risk than play those true but low level PF from uleb.


Ule is not cancer by character like Dmo,he is just person who puts his career longevity before NT.

Ulanovas if anything is helping loockeroom with leadership,but it seems he dont want to play in summers.Thats why i wrote convincing needs to be done with him.

He is piece NT simply dont have and need badly. Nr 1 upgrade to 2022 team is Ule no doubt if we talking about winning now players.

Kazys waited till last minute his desicion in 2022 i get why looking at 2022/2023 zalgiris in euroleague.

[Straight forward]

In EL there's no Porzingis, Wemby, Zion. Domas will be used at 5 to finish games. I'm ok with Ulanovas at 4, but in some cases he would have zero chances to match big elite PFs and won't be played. We either have to go with Gudas/Domas or Domas/Zu against such opponents.

[Straight forward]

Or mix in Sedejerskis who has serious size and physicality.

[Shawshank]

In EL there's no Porzingis, Wemby, Zion. Domas will be used at 5 to finish games. I'm ok with Ulanovas at 4, but in some cases he would have zero chances to match big elite PFs and won't be played. We either have to go with Gudas/Domas or Domas/Zu against such opponents.

We played elite team in eurobasket nobody beat in game endings us with size,they beat us with mobility and skill.

Gudaitis is not good pikenrool defender,with every year getting slower and slower.He will be attacked in same way like Jonas is. He has no chance after switch against elte fiba guards.

Porzingis/Markannen types they becomes centers in last 5 minutes.

If Nt like France/Serbia gonna put huge dude at PF that means they play big in such case we gonna put 2 best lithuanians players together. We have answer for huge opponents lineups. LTU NT need answer for small ones.

Euroleague by level is stronger. If player can survive in defence clubs with 5 skilled americans , that player will surely survive in defence defending Nt with only one skilled american per team.

[Straight forward]

We played elite team in eurobasket nobody beat in game endings us with size,they beat us with mobility and skill.

Gudaitis is not good pikenrool defender,with every year getting slower and slower.He will be attacked in same way like Jonas is. He has no chance after switch against elte fiba guards.

Porzingis/Markannen types they becomes centers in last 5 minutes.

If Nt like France/Serbia gonna put huge dude at PF that means they play big in such case we gonna put 2 best lithuanians players together. We have answer for huge opponents lineups. LTU NT need answer for small ones.

Euroleague by level is stronger. If player can survive in defence clubs with 5 skilled americans , that player will surely survive in defence defending Nt with only one skilled american per team.

Nobody? Oh, really? It's not like JV and Sabonis are good defensively against anybody. Maybe against some Radiljuca, Marjanovic duo

Our main problem that Sabonis and Valanciunas are simply bad defenders. They would get hurt both in and out and JV is absolutely horrific at p'n'r. Maksvytis tried to end the game Slovenia and that was bad decision. Overall in that game Tobey dropped 24pts and was MVP of the game. Then Wagner attacked JV relentlessly. Also Sabonis and Giedraitis. All bad defenders. Then Willy was doing whatever he wanted against us in 8finals. Even posting up on JV/Domas. He was more efficient than both JV and Sabonis, 25eff. He was a huge problem for us even in Malaga in exhibition game.

We don't have elite inside defense and we have horrific p'n'r and perimeter defense by our bigs. Basically it would be better for us to finish games without both JV and Sabonis. Even offensively Domas did some stupid things in the clutch - like elbowing Doncic, or some unsportsmanlike fouls and so on. Sabonis is not very reliable player down the stretch. A bit less of pain in the ass defensively than JV, but still a problem.

If we could finish games with Tubelis at 5 and Ulanovas (or Sedekerskis) at 4 I'm all for it. But we won't do it cause it's too early for Tubelis and we have offensive stars (who unfortunately don't bring wins). Well, I'm still have some hope with Domantas, I think with each FIBA torunament he learns something and his numbers slowly improving, and he's not so vulnerable defensively, and his last 3 EB games were 30, 16, 20 eff games. But I'm sceptical even about Domas, he's not so good fit for Lithuania NT as say Javtokas was, I don't even talk about Valanciunas...He's a butt naked target out there in the battle field.

Yes, to some extent you are right we should worry about mobility more than size, but we need both against elite frontlines. Basically in EB we didn't even face elite offensive bigs except Wagner who dropped 32 on us. But just solid centers as Willy, Tobey dropped +20 on us. When we will face Porzingis, Giannis, Wemby, Zion, Markannen and so on dudes, then we will have even different story. Or imagine Porzingis and Smits ending the game for Latvia. Will Ulanovas really can contain any of them? I don't think so. Again, we should definitely try this and we will if Ulanovas will play, but there will be teams who can bring both size and mobility and then we will have a problem.

Gudaitis still better at p'n'r D than both JV and Sabonis, IMO. He's a bit slower, but his D fundamentals are much better. But I doubt he'll be there, he's an injuries bag.

Another thing. Garuba's rebounds was the problem. That's why I want not Ulanovas, but some-one who can move and read defenses like Ulanovas, but yet having a size of Tubelis/Smits. That's what you want. Mobile defense is not only about agility, but about agility matched with toughness/athleticism/size/rebounding presence. Ulanovas ain't no have the latter things.

When we will have at least close pieces to such guys as Garuba, D. Green, R. Smits, K. Hayes and such then we will have real modern defense - off course matching them with good defenders as Butkevicius, D. Giedraitis, A. Marciulionis. Now we simply had horrific defensive team - both bigs and guards. And one shouldn't be a genius that we must start fixing it.

[Straight forward]

From what Balciunas says I think we won't see Buzelis yet in NT. It's more like Buzelis generally is open to play for the NT, but it's not the priority ATM. I'm fine with it. I think he should come once he's ready to play ball. I think the best chance is to see him either 2025 or 2026. Next season he will play in G League and will get drafter. High draft picks rarely play for the NT and I doubt Buzelis will be an exception, unless he would really feel ready and would have a goal to make it to Olympic games, but again it's unlikely. Then after first NBA season, I think it will be 2024/2025 season, most young players tend to dedicate off season to improvements (Domantas Sabonis did that in 2017). So realistically I would expect Buzelis to make a debut in 2026 or 2027.

It's OK, cause I find it hard time to squeeze in all the pieces that I see for 2023. That would be my line-up today and I would hate to leave out any of these pieces:

Jokubaitis, Lekavicius
Grigonis, Brazdeikis, D. Giedraitis
Ulanovas, Butkevicius
Sabonis, Kuzminskas, Sedekerskis
Valanciunas, Tubelis

For the first time in long years it would be ALL EUROLEAGUE level roster. I do believe that D. Giedraitis and Tubelis already reached EL level. OK, Tubelis maybe still should be tested, but my bb knowledge says that he would be effective at both ends with the small role for Zalgiris even this season.

[Shawshank]

Nba experienced starting 5 level bigs was making mental mistakes in pressure games and inexperienced 19 kid that plays all his life only again other kids wont make? Thats ridiculous

Its very easy to judge player after things already happend and imagine some fantasy theoritical player would do better. Thats barbershop level talk.

Gudaitis better at pikenrool than Sabonis? have you watched Gudaitis in last 2 seasons why he plays only 15min in euroleague and basically never in game endings? Because he cant play defence againts small lineups . Gudaitis is center that plays as starter in 1 and 3 querters for his size and never finish games.

Domantas is way faster,way more mobile than Gudaitis. I never saw more mobile true center in LTU NT history. That Domas cant stay in front of Shroders,Doncics,Fourniers because we ask impossible things defensively from 2m10 body. But as center Domas is very mobile .

Big can have best instincts they want ale Jokic but after switch 2m10 body better move their ass very fast or those elite guards gonna make them look very stupid out there.


I cant even think about white not afro center than can do things fast legs movement,challenge an the rim what Draymond,Adebaya,Garuba those undersized 2m00-2m05 types can do defensively in last 5minutes. Most of those best switchy centers in reality are PF position players with afro genetics both in nba and euroleague.

I dont believe LTU NT will ever have such type big switchy defender because of genetics. Atleast in first 30 years of NT never had such type defender.

Thats why i would do what zalgiris does play PF Ulanovas,SF Butkevicius in game endings. Thats best bet i saw working to some degree for last 5 minutes. NT defence cant take everything from opponnets,but thats the best bet.



Tubelis,D.Giedraitis played zero game in euroleague and saying they reach euroleague level with no prove that just one fan fantasies nothing more.In same way like ale Sirvydis is nba player.

We will see how Dovydas will look in euroleague soon. Its not given he will play better than some Dimsa there at all. Time will show.

[Straight forward]

Dude, relax Read my posts carefully. All I'm saying Tubelis has to be in the camp and my projection is that he will look pretty well, meaning he may snatch some little role. No-one saying that Tubelis will be playing in the crunch time next summer. If he makes the roster, it's already positive cause we have to push it to improve NT long term. There's many reasons why NT struggles since 2016, but non-existing defensive bigs is definitely is one of the main reason.

Dude, Sabonis is not a good defensive player. You can watch it however you want. Sure, after JV even Domas might look like a huge upgrade in modern BB, but Domas is not a good defensive player. Period.

But we already had our Garuba and D. Green! It was prime Jonas Maciulis. The things that he was doing in 2015 EB was super amazing. His defensive impact was absolutely ridiculous. He basically could guard 5 positions, was in great shape - strong, agile, athletic.

Off course, there won't be freakin' Leonard in Europe as a white guy, or even such as Garuba, Green, but there's the good news - Tubelis is pretty special for his size. You won't find many white dudes who would have shiftness and agility of Tubelis size. He will basically be able to guard 5-2 to same extent.

I also hope that Krivas, Murauskas, Buzelis will add good things for our defense.

Generally our situation is that - we have good defensive forwards, but we lack defensive bigs and guards.

About Zu and Dovis reaching EL level. It's only projection yet, but there're reasons why I say this. To you everything is fantasies till it knocks to your door When I was saying that 19-20yo Dovydas Giedraitis is a stud you also called it fantasies, but when he came to Lietkabelis you seen yourself that he is good. To you it take years to get to know with players, until they finally come to play in Lithuania or for Lithuanian NT. I'm your window to the world in your provincial shed, if you may .

BTW, D. Giedraitis already had quality games against Real type of teams two years ago already:

https://twitter.com/idprospects/status/1320796402906210307