2024 Lithuanian NT

[Straight forward]

Actually Grigonis played 20minutes against Australia in 4finals. He didn't score, but played good D. The problem was not only nerves, but he had injury before the tournament and that affected his performance as well (BTW the problem was that JV sucked balls in that game while he had to give us 20pts, also Seibutis and Maciulis underperformed too, but overall off course Australia was at different level back than and our NT got demoralized after Spanish knockout). Siska and Songa played well though as a rookies. Mindaugas Zukauskas as a rookie in 1996 Olympics was also pretty good in limited playing time, shooting 52% from the field and giving 4ppg, being primarily defensive player.

Notice one thing. Most new talent came under Garastas and Kazlauskas. Tier 1 coaches. The ones who have balls to make a push and change. If Jasikevicius had been coaching NT for last 10 years, there would be much more 22yo and younger talents making NT. Now Jasikevicius would be perfect cause we have tons of new talent coming. We need competent coach who could properly cope with it. Kazys is horrible at it.

[Italian Pride]

Hi guys, actually what is your most probably roster for the preolympic tournament?What do you think about Italy?With Gallo, fontecchio and di Vincenzo i think Will be 50/50 game, are you agree?

[Straight forward]

Hi guys, actually what is your most probably roster for the preolympic tournament?What do you think about Italy?With Gallo, fontecchio and di Vincenzo i think Will be 50/50 game, are you agree?

Jokubaitis, (Marciulionis/Lekavicius)
Grigonis, Brazdeikis, (D.Giedraitis/Dimsa)
Ulanovas, Butkevicius (Buzelis or Sirvydis since Buzelis most likely won't show up)
Sedekerskis, Kuzminskas (Tubelis/Bendzius)
Sabonis, Valanciunas

Something like that. Bold ones are locks, they will be in if healthy and invited. That's the best case.

I would say Lithuania is more fundamentally sound, consistent and more balanced team. Italy more streaky and more dependant on shooting. Lithuania has more balanced in and out game and no-one on Italian roster is even close in terms of decision making of Jokubaitis. Italy has however more shooting forwards and bigs (Galo will play at 5 a lot, IMO). If Knicks dude Donte will be there, it give an offensive boost for the Italy, but again Italy doesn't really have answers for Sabonis, JV and even keeping Sedekerskis away from the glass. If our guards will deliver offensively (Grigonis having good season and Jokubaitis and Brazdeikis should be at least half of step better than they were in 2023), Lithuania will have an edge, IMO. For LTU the key is to establish good D and not to let Italians to find their shooting streak. For Italy the spacing and open looks are the keys as well as pushing the tempo, now allowing Lithuanians to gather defensively.

Italy has that ability to play like crap here and there and to exceed in some games. Lithuania's presence is much more equal and consistent. A Lithuanian team won't miserably choke anywhere, the presence will be there and I see an improved version of 2022 roster which was close taking down the champs.

To me Lithuania is slightly > Italy

[Shawshank]

main top 9 locks i agree


End of the bench 10-11th places role players will be choosen from:

R.Giedraitis 10,5pts euroleague player
T.Dimsa 7,1pts euroleague player
D.Giedraitis 4,5pts euroleague player
Lekavicius 4,5pts euroleague player

Sirvydis 18,9pts uleb player
Kariniauskas 8,1pts uleb player
Normantas 11pts uleb player


Tier 1 Dimsa and D.Giedraitis would be my choices.

Tier 2 R.Giedraitis,Sirvydis,Kariniauskas will have chances too.

Tier 3 Lekavicius and Normantas i dont see it.


12th place will be big that will get Maldunas/Echodas 3 minutes or DNPs role.

[Straight forward]

I'm telling you Kariniauskas can't help against elite teams. I was saying that last summer and it turned out to be true. It's a waste of time. He can't do it. Marciulionis at least would provide defense at the very least. Kariniauskas can't give anything against disciplined prepared elite teams.

R. Giedraitis already wasted 3 tournaments (2019, 2021, 2022) and he would waste another one.

I like how Trinchieri started D. Giedraitis, Butkevicius, Ulanovas against Rytas. That's very spot on and I would be looking for that in summer as well. If Marciulionis would happen not to be ready, we would need Grigonis at 1, IMO. I would throw Jokubaitis, D. Giedraitis, Butkevicius, Sedekerskis, Sabonis starting line-up and Grigonis, Brazdeikis, Kuzminskas, Ulanovas, Valanciunas as a back-up line-up. We can't play with scrubs anymore. Our rotation should be legit and such level players as Kariniauskas who can't even play in Eurocup solidly, should be miles away from NT. It's not a trash garden or something.

[Shawshank]

Im telling for 100th time Kariniauskas helped alot againts Usa and Greece and was solid backup overall in 2023 tournament.If you didnt watch the games cant help you.

Coach will invite him to camp believe me,im not for taking him to olympics,but coaches will search for experienced playmaker for 8-10min especially if they wont see Dimsa/Giedraitis as PG.

Entire nation was shouting and screaming at Kariniauskas last summer.Coach didnt even move took and play him in world championships and coaches ended up being right doing that.NT had best team results in years with funny enough that uleb playmaker having best +- on entire team.


Sirvydis also sucked in 2023,was our worst guard worse than Dimsa,worse than Normantas,worse than Kariniauskas. Sirvydis had good uleb season and will be invited.Giedraitis had good euroleague season and also will be invited even if sucked in 2022. Thats how it works.

Coaches by their actions shows they dont mind wasting roster spot with 10pts euroleague player with hope maybe he can deliver atleast in 1 game.Thats all coaches need from 10-12th bench players.

[Straight forward]

I need a PG who cal help in the knock out stage against elite teams. Greece was not elite, USA game was meaningless and pressureless, they also didn't do any scouting. Against Serbia we saw who is who. We need defense, athleticism from position 1. Kariniauskas can't bring anything and he didn't in the most important game of WC. Live with that.

[Toruko]

I need a PG who cal help in the knock out stage against elite teams. Greece was not elite, USA game was meaningless and pressureless, they also didn't do any scouting. Against Serbia we saw who is who. We need defense, athleticism from position 1. Kariniauskas can't bring anything and he didn't in the most important game of WC. Live with that.

If you think that Marciulionis can stop Micic or similar level player you are deeply mistaken. Shawshak is right. He is not that good and he will probably never be.

[Shawshank]

You again are wrong understanding 10-12th players roles. I already told you n times 10-12th players gets DNP in playoofs.What you dont get it?

Playoofs is all about top 9 players. 10-12th players role to give rest in group stage for main players.In playoofs coaches will go all in with top 9 players.

Brazdeikis sucked even more vs Serbia and ? nothing ,its just one game and serbians dogs locked every single our guard.So all of them from 2023 is unplayable now by your logic?

Look how players looked in entire tournament and stop cherry picking one game. Vs Greece it was 100% elimination playoofs game too.


To beat Serbia NT need Jokubaitis,Brazdeikis way better games and Grigonis will help.Not search for answers at 10-12th bench players and blame them for not beating silver medal winners.

[Straight forward]

I will reply to both of you, Toruko and SS

FOA, SS makes mistake thinking that in do or die elite games some kind of pure back-up PG won't be used. Most likely it will be used and Maksvytis will need one. He could try to throw either of Grigonis, Dimsa, D. Giedraitis at 1 (SGs), but none of this option is very effective and I would prioritize Grigonis from this trio obviously. But most likely Maksvytis won't do it, he again will use pure PG be it Lekavicius, Kariniauskas or Marciulionis. And that's the problem, we need legitimate piece here.

SS the difference between Brazdeikis/Jokubaitis and Kariniauskas is that former guys proved themselves plenty of times against elite teams previously, both NT and club competition. Kariniauskas never did it (except a fluke against uncoached and clueless USA against which Lithuania was super relaxed). That's the difference. Nor in club, not in NT he can't do it and he doesn't do it. Brazdeikis dropped 17pts against Spain in 2022, Jokubaitis added 13pts and 5 assists, f.e.

And, most importantly, you missing my point, Toruko. I prioritize Marciuliomis because I know one thing. He would play better defense. Flat out, from day one, any minute, any moment, better defense. Pure fact. This coming 100%. IDK if Marciulionis will slow down Micic or not, I know at least that he will provide much better attempt than Kariniauskas. Fact. He has chances to cause trouble. Kainiauskas has not, defensively. Even if Marciulionis would provide as much as Kariniauskas offensively against elite teams, meaning he would privide nothing and would be useless, I would know that Marciulionis give me BETTER DEFENSE. My thesis is that guys like Marciulionis and D. Giedraitis can bight opponents legs like bulldogs literally and that's what we need from role players. ATM Jokubatis, Grigonis, Brazdeikis won;t prevail by talent and offense against Micic, Bogdanovic, Avramovic, but we can put our selves in competitive situation if we offer pesky D and guys who can truly stay with basically any guard, even elite ones and challenge them to certain extent, meat their intensity. This would still mean a loss most likely, but at least having annoying, grinding, capable defenders put us in much better situation. I don't won't to see toothless Lithuania again, let's at least provide a proper hustle and meat the opponents at D end. D. Giedraitis is ready for it definitely and I have little doubt that second best perimeter defender in the country after him is Marciulionis. Now, at the very this minute. Just watch it. BTW, Giedraitis felt comfortable defensively in EL by day one. Defense never was an issue. Offense was. He may reached new level this season, but previously he also was elite. Even ACB with Estudiantes he already was.

[Shawshank]

If our best guards sucked versus Serbia how can understanding fan ask anything from bench guard that havent even smelled similiar level competions.? And he using that one game as only argument way ale Kariniauskas sucked

No he didnt sucked in 2023 .Kariniauskas was 2014 Juskevicius beautiful underdog story.That helped NT not little bit but alot and clearly more than in one game.

Helped way more than your Sirvydis did in his role

[Straight forward]

If our best guards sucked versus Serbia how can understanding fan ask anything from bench guard that havent even smelled similiar level competions.? And he using that one game as only argument way ale Kariniauskas sucked

No he didnt sucked in 2023 .Kariniauskas was 2014 Juskevicius beautiful underdog story.That helped NT not little bit but alot and clearly more than in one game.

Helped way more than your Sirvydis did in his role

Relax, we have different visions. I think Marciulionis should be in, you think not. It's OK to have different opinions.

Nevertheless, you miss that Jokubaitis scored 13pts, 9as and 15eff in that game. He couldn't change things, but he didn't particularly sucked too. Kariniauskas had 6,7eff in the tournament and mainly because of one game against USA. Against Greeks for example he was scorless and had 3eff, despite playing 18min. Against Serbs he played 12mpg and scored again 0 and 2eff. You can count how much he added in the knock out stage I think. Juskevicius delivered 13eff against FRA in small final, legitimate knock out stage game and we nearly won it. That's the difference.

BTW, Kariniauskas assists ratio in Eurocup this season was 3.5as and 2.2 tos. That's trash, however you look that's horrible. 18yo Marciulionis in CL had 2.6as to 1 to ratio in 14min which is way better than Kariniauskas, let alone current version of Marciulionis.

Look, we won't know until Maksvytis will give Marciulionis a chance. Only then we'll see. But I'm usually spot on on evaluating players and I see Marciulionis as superior. I am 100% sure he's way better defender (at any possible level) already, no question. And I think with his athleticism, toughness, aggression and low dribble he's already sharper and more useful offensively. Whenever I'm right, only time will tell if Maksvytis will unleash Marciulionis in the camp and not lay the red carpet for Kariniauskas as he did last summer.

My vision is that we can improve our defense sharply giving such players as Marciulionis, D. Giedraitis, Butkevicius 10-15mpg against any opponent. We need to stay physically relevant we need to give answers to elite teams intensity. We can't win with offense and talent ATM. We barely win anyway, but we can improve our chances this way.

Sirvydis comparison is lame and inadequate. It's different positions. Maksvytis simply gave back-up spot for Kariniauskas without any competition which was very stupid as usually. Sirvydis had to fight with D. Giedraitis, Jogela for the spot and then Brazdeikis, Dimsa, Normantas was his competition while Kariniauskas just easily farted without any preassure taking back up PG minutes for granted. Kariniauskas had a consistent 15min role. Sirvydis in some games didn't play, in some showed up. Completely out of hand comaprison.

[Straight forward]

Look at that 2 way presence. Dude's killing it at both ends. Steals, blocks, nasty reach outs, physicality. He's a stud. With Giedraitis they can field scary 2 guards defensively. People should realize some NCAA teams, elite ones as Gonzaga are more athletic and faster than average LKL clubs. Marciulionis having sensational season.

WCC Player of The Year
WCC Tournament MVP
WCC Regular Season Title
WCC Tournament Champion

https://twitter.com/CBB_Europe/status/1767848737534013596

[Shawshank]

Go to youtube and see Kariniauskas subs Jokubaitis 3 minutes left into 3queter ltu leads by couple points vs Greece.. Jokubaitis watching from bench how lead went from 3-4pts to 19-20pts lead and it was game over.

Kariniauskas played very well in Greece as playmaker . Those who watched games knows.

So explain how Kariniauskas with ale just one good game have 2nd best +- 6,7 score in entire team ? In game versus Usa NT barely won by couple pts.

So that +- was done in other games PG main job that with him team played well not hunt for individual stats.



After seeing how Sirvydis with 3 years around nba and g league expeirence sucked in 2023 fiba tournament

Why exactly do you think ncaa student that last 3 years played only versus 19-22 average tallent students will help men NT playing versus nba and euroleague tough and very smart dudes ?

Could tell me which top 10 NT is playing ncaa students in 2020s fiba tournaments?

[Straight forward]

After seeing how Sirvydis with 3 years around nba and g league expeirence sucked in 2023 fiba tournament

Why exactly do you think ncaa student that last 3 years played only versus 19-22 average tallent students will help men NT playing versus nba and euroleague tough and very smart dudes ?

Could tell me which top 10 NT is playing ncaa students in 2020s fiba tournaments?

Well, I didn't say Kariniauskas did everything wrong in WC. My point is that we met only one fully prepared elite team in WC and that was Serbia. Greece was trash. Slovenia thin and gassed out. Well, maybe also Latvia was elite and they swept us, but Kariniauskas didn't even played in that game. Their best player was Walkup who had amazing game for himself in terms of shooting and still it didn't effect the game at all, Lithuania swept Greeks without any problems. Greeks as usual bricked the ball and it wasn't really a team, they struggled all tournament wise. It was second rate team basically.

I see that Kariniauskas is not an option that we need as a back up PG, that's it. He can't sustain the intensity of Serbia, USA (A team), Canada, Spain, France and such teams. He's not an answer. The goal is to have a back up PG who can help against such teams. We don't know if 22yo Marciulionis would help, but we we surely know that Kariniauskas won't help. We already have a problem with Jokubaitis defense, why to have even slower and even worse one as a back up? BTW, Dimsa was playing with the ball a lot when Jokubaitis was resting and it didn't look well. BTW Motiejunas is unplayable in such games, literally unplayable, OMG.

Listen, Kerr Kriisa is a stud and he's playing in NCAA. He was putting some numbers in 2022 EB and Estonia is not a trash. As we seen Kriisa killed us with EL players as Grigonis in Estonia (friendly game) and later Estonia killed Ulanovas and Co. in windows. Marciulionis is one of the best PGs on NCAA. He's more ready than people think.

Maybe I'm overreacting on that game versus Serbia, cause Lithuania left too much in the game against USA and was gassed, and Serbia previously struggled with Italy. But the intensity of that game was the best example against what will you go if you want to WIN SOMETHING. It's doesn't matter if it's Serbia, Canada or Germany, but Serbia in that game provided that A intensity of well prepared, smart, fundamentally sound team. That's what you have to match if you want to win on the BIG STAGE. Kariniauskas simoply doesn't have legs and physicality for such task. He's too slow, too unathletic. So my thesis that Kariniaskas is a waste of time.

Sirvydis didn't suck in NT. He didn't shine, but didn't suck. Dude gave NT 5pts per 10min, playing completely off the ball and taking difficult shots of the stagger. What did you want, that he would give you 10pts in 10min? Come on, man...