2024 Lithuanian NT

[Straight forward]

Good talk on NT from these guys as always. I will say few things that I noticed:

Purlys (not word by word): "Augustas was passing well last year in reserve NT, but he still lacked the shot, now he improved that possibly" Yes, but Kariniauskas last summer also didn't have a shot. Kariniauskas could never shoot generally. He shot 7 thees in 8 games which means he basically doesn't shoot , he made 3 threes in whole tournament. So why are we taking double standards? Look how Kariniauskas looks now in playoffs of LKL. Complete trash. 0,5eff, 3tos, 2,5as. Vet dude has more turnovers than assists. It's pathetic. He can't play nor LKL, nor Eurocup. And such trash already made NT fucking twice. Amazing.

I agree with guys that Lekavicius just to vulnerable defensively open target. Yes, Kariniauskas against slower guards has much more D, cause he has bigger size and more contact. But against agile guards Kariniauskas is absolutely useless. They blow by him like a wind. I think Kariniauskas is the most overrated LTU player ever. Like OMG, we still talking about him. He can't freakin' play against Neptunas. Hello.

I agree with guys that if Butkevicius is not 100% ready we should take either Sirvydis or R. Giedraitis in his place (I would without single doubt take Sirvydis). Purlys took R. Giedraitis which seemed very strange to me (he called him reliable shooter, well...we seen that in the NT...). I also agree with Purlys that Ulanovas should play at 4 now mainly. And I agree with both Gecevicius and Purlys that Tubelis should go as combo and D-Mo should stay at home.

I think back-up PG should be the decision between Lekavicius and Marciulionis and I personally have Marciulionis ATM, while Lekavicius is my B plan.

Mine and Gecevicius/Purlys final 12 are very similar, we just disagree on 1 player. Here's mine:

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

And there's only 2 conditions (ifs): if Butkevicius is not 100% ready, I take Sirvydis. If Marciulionis shows obvious signs that mentally he's not ready, take Lekavicius.

Where Maksvytis will most likely fail and he almost named that in press comf already - he will take D-Mo in. 3 big centers in post center era. And he most likely will ignore good looking Marciulionis. I just hope that he wouldn't be crazy enough to cut down D. Giedraitis. That would be the fail of the decade. He already has sensational fails with cutting Sedekerskis in 2022 and D. Giedraitis in 2023, but if he cuts him now, that would be total mental illness territory...

Pity for Sirvydis who is balling like crazy now with 24ppg in playoffs, but if Butkevicius IN, he will have to rest this summer. In 2025 he will be one of scoring leaders when there won't be Grigonis most likely, but now it's still probably makes more sense to go with vet Kuzminskas. We have to give respect for him and his trigger has been great in both 2022 and 2023 recently.

PS: The way Tomas Purlys is thinking, I want him to be NT coach one day. I don't know about the tactics, but he seems to be spot on with roster's selection. And OMG Maksvytis is sucking at this like I could never imagine. The way Purlys understands contemporary BB and how he selects the rosters, I always almost always like. I want him to win U18 gold this summer and to get hired in LKL somewhere. Maybe he can grow into decent coach. We need that kind of thinking coaches. He's not your typical oldschool provincial as Maksvytis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq8Wie6owDY&ab_channel=O%2CDangau%21

[Straight forward]

"My parents both played pro basketball in Lithuania, they really gave up their dreams to come here and make a family so I really want to represent where they came from and Lithuania basketball is a religion and you know we trying to win a gold medal, they might qualify for Olympics this year so it's really exciting"

"I mean their fan base is crazy, they like bleed basketball, bleed Lithuanian basketball, I really want to help them as much as I can, even if I don't play, even if I play 5 minutes, I'm representing the country that I am originally from"


First line probably shows that Buzelis doesn't see himself in qualification tournament ("they"). I think it more or less overlap with his NBA draft and all. He could come only when there's 5 days left till qualification or so if I'm not mistaken, so I think it's out of question. But the second line is most important. It shows that he understands situations and sees pretty well his current status. He doesn't imagine that he would come now and be big star. He just expresses that will to represent LTU regardless the role and that's great thing to hear. His attitude is good.

And he said top 3 players that he watches are Franz Wagner, Paul George and Andrey Krilenko. I mean you get the sense dude is not your random "I like Kobe and Jordan" kind guy which is sign of maturity as well and sign of rather developed self-reflection.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/espns-jonathan-givony-and-lottery-prospect-matas-buzelis/id1470466331?i=1000655893226

[Straight forward]

Kariniauskas in LKL playoffs: 3 games, 2,3to, 1,6as, 0,3eff.

Tell me that Maksvytis is not a cancer for LTU basketball, please?

[Shawshank]

Brazdeikis declined invitation because of injury problems.

Valanciunas unlikely to play and his play or not will be decided on June 17 according to Balciunas.

D.Giedraitis wasnt choosen by coach. Coach said he was choosing between Dimsa and D.Giedraitis and decided to invite Dimsa,

Dmo and Birutis coach said agrees with 3rd center role.



Im suprised D.Giedraitis wasnt invited to camp.

Yes his offence sucks and super passive offensively,but still he is best small guards defender and Puerturico have such guards. But coach worked with both of them and have his vision

[Svajunas]

SF will haunt Maksvytis for choosing Dimsa over Giedraitis for years ....

I kind of have to agree with SF here. I don't see anything where Dimsa is substantially better than Giedraitis, but I can see where Giedraitis is much better then Dimsa.

[Shawshank]

Rumours is that Italy lost Fontecchio if thats true Puerturico became main opponent for LTU NT in qualification.

[Straight forward]

I'm proud of myself of avoiding burst of cursing after I read Maksvytis choices...I see the man who walks into an open fire voluntarily (again, but this time the fire is really open and visible to others), but I can't do anything. All I can do to then to be indifferent as possible not to become as insane (or blind/ignorant) as that person himself.

[Toxicity]

Rumours is that Italy lost Fontecchio if thats true Puerturico became main opponent for LTU NT in qualification.

It's official.

Good Luck 4 the Olympics!

[Shawshank]

It's official.

Good Luck 4 the Olympics!

Is there a chances Divicenzo will play in qualification?

[Toxicity]

Is there a chances Divicenzo will play in qualification?

I don't think so... he has not the passport yet.

If available, Darius Thompson could play (recently acquire italian passport) but i think the chances are not that high...

[LuDux]

SF will haunt Maksvytis for choosing Dimsa over Giedraitis for years ....

Idiots gonna idiot

[Straight forward]

Oh, Mister still the slave of my opinions. Tremendous addiction, I know. Hard to overcome.

[Straight forward]

If Puerto Rico 3 scoring midgets will fuck up Maksvytis hard in the ass it will be 100% logical consequence of all this incredibly stupid and pathetic Olympic cycle. Hands down, I knew Maksvytis is conservative coach, but that he would make so many mind blowing bullshit in 3 years...He transgressed everything, the worse nightmares. It's like he's doing everything possible for this to happen. With whom he will stop Alvarado? Howard? Waters? Three deadly midgets. Dimsa can't even stand against 203cm Sirvydis who cooked him all over in LKL semifinals. I mean I never was so angry about the decision. At least he could say something, like look Dovis this and that, but no, he said I just took Dimsa instead of Giedraitis. Period. Dude's delusional. Even if he will pass way less talented Puerto Rico, it's like he tries to give them the best possible chance to take us down. This stretch with Maskoliunas and Maksvytis is like...OMG, total insanity, we're in such a shitty situation coaching wise that it's hard to even describe. I think Purlys face says it all. Dude just tries to smile witnessing madness.

I never realized we're that kind of losers in terms of coaching and such pathetic provincials. Cutting D. Giedraitis, inviting R. Giedraitis, taking Dimsa instead of Dovis, taking 4 big lumberjack centers (assuming JV in), is all bullshit (the idea is to take third lumberjack just in case one lumberjack goes down is totally nuts, IMO).

I would keep any redneck away from NT with all honesty. Provincial? GTFA out here. We just can't continue to ride with narrow-minded people as the head coaches. Maksvytis is trash and we witnessed it with the first day when Trinchieri took the job out of his hands. It was TOTALLY different level, different planet, from the scratch, day one.

Foreigners, or normal contemporary coaches as Jasikevicius or the ones like Purlys who ever heard about spacing, guards, small ball, defence and such things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej7WzudjLbU&ab_channel=O%2CDangau%21

[Shawshank]

Kazys had them both on same team for 1,5 years. He knows them well and what fits him better what he want to do.Either way we are talking here about 5th guard and 5minutes playing time or guard that will be cut either way.


For me more interesting how main guards who will play 25min will defend those puertorico midgets i have no clue.


From candidate list 2 best perimeter defenders is Dimsa and Grigonis. Dimsa most likely gonna get cut how coaches explained that last candidate spot he choosen between 2 zalgiris guards.



Likely 2024 LTU Olympic backourt: Lekavicius,Jokubaitis,Grigonis,R.Giedraitis,Sirvyd is


4 of those guards had seriuos problems defending lkl guards. Only one Grigonis maybe is average defender on good day when his back feels right.


Our backourt offensively they are very meh compared to elite 2024 fiba guards and defensively 4 of them is just bad defenders even on lkl levels.

How to win with such backourt i have no clue. They cant close no games and can defend no elite guards


Puerturico NT is possible to beat with just offence,but in Olympic games no chance

[Straight forward]

Oh, no, let's not right down D. Giedraitis as your random scrub. He has been playing 16mpg in EL and since Trinchieri took over he probably played around 20mpg. The key moment here that when Italian came, soon Giedraitis started to play tons and Zalgiris was winning everything basically and Giedraitis was stopping the key players. Like literally. In other words, he's not 5mpg NT player. In some games, like against PR he could be the main guard basically, cause he would check Alvarado and Howard all game long. Just don't try to cover Maksvytis. It's insane decision literally. You need defense and you cut your best defender - idiotism. Nothing short than that. I will put it other way. Except Sabonis, Jokubaitis, Grigonis,(and maybe JV, but less so when Domas in) cuts, it wouldn't be more idiotic move than to cut D. Giedraitis. He is literally what NT badly needed against PR. Just complete no brainer. Like it hurts the eyes even how obvious it was. All 3 guys in that video I shared above had D. Giedraitis in their rosters. It's PRO player Gecevicius, PRO coach Purlys. This move is insanity, let's just openly say. Giedraitis has been elite defender in EL, elite. Nothing short than that. You cut him before going against PR? Idiot, full time idiot. Even if Maksvytis will win that game, still it will be probably the most idiotic cut of all time. Only maybe the cut of Kaukenas in 2004, Sedekerskis in 2021 and 2022 are close to that. So Maksvytis already has at least 2 most idiotic cuts in LTU BB history and he managed to do so in 3 years span. It's nothing short, but amazing. Add his complete bullshit like "Cizauskas is marginalized without a reason" and all that jazz....I simply can't call him other ways than just an idiot. Really. I tried, I really hoped he could develop, he could learn, adjust, grow, but it just continued to get worse. He learned nothing. NT in the game against PR needs D. Giedraitis more than Sedekerskis, Ulanovas, even more than healthy Butkevicius. Cause he's the best defender in the country when it comes to pure small guards. Period. Maksvytis made the most idiotic decision ever. And will remain so, because it's a fact.

F.e. imagine Fill Jackosn cuts Jordan from 7 game of the final against Jazz. Pipen and Kukoc has an amazing game and bulls still win the title. Would that justify coach's decision? No, it would still be most utterly idiotic move ever. D. Giedraitis with his elite D is a Jordan going against PR. Literally. Against PR the defense is most important cause these midgets can score flat out, like they can get hot and destroy you. We seen how Howard destroyed real. Offense not gonna be a problem. Other han Alavarado who is elite on ball defender and will cause a lot of pain for Jokubaitis' handles, I think Lithuania will climb all over other with their size and athleticism. Even Alvarado is a midget and can be punished nearer the basket. But they can shoot and score the lights out if you let him. That's why super sticky, elite defender as D. Giedraitis was likely even No.1 player in terms of importance in that particular game.

That reporter said very true thing. Now BB community just shrugs it's shoulders, like it's insanity, but let's wait. If Maksvytis going down with it, I can't just imagine that. Giedraitis was stopping fucking EL elite players literally. Video's with his defense was created just to show what he's doing at D end. And you your self talked about how Giedraitis is no brainer fit for qualification. So don't try to cover the fat-ass. Dude's insane, after this I just have zero space to somehow justify him. He wasted all the credits possible. That booing of the crowd was just an illustration if it. Dude lost it. Just how he lost the process of handling Zalgiris, at the end he lost it in the NT. Literally he couldn't do more bullshit than that.

Now look at Dimsa's defense on Sivydis, just notice who guards Sirvydis. Dimsa is missing cutters all the time. He has been doing that playing for the NT against Poland and Estonia. He always lost with cutters. Last 3 games with the NT of Maksvytis. He gets swept by Latvia. He wins the game against weak Poland. And he loses against Estonia. Dimsa really struggled defensively against Serbia, Latvia, Estonia. He struggles in LKL semis and Maksvytis sitll takes him and not elite EL defensive guard D. Giedraitis. Hands down, case closed. I made my point and everyone who has any sensibility understands that have been fucked. Maksvytis screwed the Olympic cycle and made huge damage to upcoming one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XSNkjaz4xc&ab_channel=DeividoSirvyd%C5%BE iofanai