2024 Lithuanian NT

[Shawshank]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKntHC5DqcI&t=514s

last time we played for olympic ticket in south america arena where everybody was againts our players

I see only experience battle tested dudes that half of them was alphas by character: Kalnietis,Jasikevicius,Kaukenas,Maciulis,Kleiza,Ja nkunas, Songaila and they barely pull that win out.


Its very tough to play in such atmosphere.Forget basketball skills,firstly find players that wont lose their heads there.


Inexperience youngsters didnt help in 2012 and isnt helping in 2024 in hostile arena to win olympic ticket.Young players only will lose their heads and from fear will forget how to do anything.


We are not stopping Pueturico guards they will score because they will attempt more than 50% of peurturico shots .

Puertorico themselfs is wild ,small size and undiscipline team that plays bad and gamble type defence.We will score on them too.


Everything will be decided in 4 querter like in 2012. Which teams players will play smarter and will hold their composure better

Thats why im putting in last 10min only battle tested dudes like Kemzura did in 2012 critical game vs Puerturico

[Straight forward]

[URL]

Everything will be decided in 4 querter like in 2012. Which teams players will play smarter and will hold their composure better

I hope not. Cause Maksvytis losing all close games with NT and Zalgiris. Our best chance would be to play very disciplant defence from the beginning, but as we know Maskvytis moved away from defence. PR really is in much better situation closing games when they have Howard, Albvarado and even Waters. Natural scorers. We don't have a single player with elite ISO scoring game. Howard is elite cause he's able to drop 20ppg. Alvarado in EL would also score a lot. Super close game is a nightmare for us. We should prevail sooner somehow. And the best way to do so to establish unmatched discipline and defensive coherence. BTW, defence prevails. Youngsters can definitely bring defence. In 2012 the only youngster was JV and he had no defense. For youngsters to impact offensively is much more difficult.

If the game will be close, LTU will be much worse situation. FOA, Alvarado will put an amazing defensive presence on either Jokubaitis or Grigonis, depending who's being NO.1 guard that night, cause he's one of the best on ball defenders in the world, and then they have all those ISO midgets who can score. Maksvytis always clueless in the crunch time. I don't want to see close game. We have to have 12-14pts led with 3 minutes to go.

[Straight forward]

Songaila also could give only unstructured and chaotic answers why we don't see D. Giedraitis in the NT:

https://www.tv3.lt/naujiena/sportas/darius-songaila-apie-intriguojancia-rezervine-rinktine-nepaimta-giedraiti-ir-unikalu-sirvydzio-tipaza-n1342069

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTrsBTm4kQk&ab_channel=O%2CDangau%21

[Straight forward]

OK, so since today NT season begins (reserve NT) I will make this take on NT to see if our roster should be better compared to 2022. Sign < player improved, > player declined. = remained at the same level

Jokubaitis <
Grigonis =
Ulanovas =
Sedekerskis <
Sabonis <

Lekavicius >
Sirvydis <
Butkevicius >
Kuzminskas =
R. Giedraitis >/=
Dimsa >
Valanciunas >

I think 2024 should be superior team to 2022. Meaning we have some hope to win something even if we still obviously behind best teams. FOA, Sabonis, Jokubaitis, Sedekerskis, Sirvydis will be better that's a big push forward cause that's strong punch of talent. Second very important thing, 2 other key players in Grigonis and Ulanovas remained on the same tier and even Kuzminskas. The biggest decline are visible in Valanciunas, Butkevicius (mainly because of injuries) and Lekavicius.

So the improvement is way bigger than the decline. We also have 2 X factors - Marciulionis and Tubelis who may add to the improvement. Too bad we lost Iggy and his season been like that.

Nevertheless I see 2024>>>2022. And that's good. Our NT improving and we will keep it this way ever since some 2030, IMO.

[Shawshank]

2022 NT

Brazdeikis 2022 what he gave i dont believe Sirvydis/R/Giedraitis will give same production

2024 wont have Valanciunas in qualification

2022 Grigonis at 28 played his best tournament it will be difficutl to repeat.

2022 Butkevicius played his best tournament and was healthy . I dont believe Arnas will be that good and mobile in defence comming from injuries in 2024 being 32 old.



2024 NT pluses

Sedekerskis and Ulanovas will play

Jokubaitis will be better than 2022

Sabonis should play better 2024. History says it should be Sabonis summer at 28.



LTU 2024 qualification team without Valanciunas and Brazdeikis i dont see how they are better roster wise.


Opponnets strenght in 2024 clearly will be stronger than they were in 2022.

[Straight forward]

Improved (and present) Sedekerskis (who should be even better than 2023), Ulanovas and Sirvydis >>> Brazdeikis, Butkevicius (not to mention that Bukevicius may be in)

Valanciunas miss can be fully compensated by Sabonis if finally will play up to his abilities in FIBA. Truly convincing current sabonis maybe >>> than both JV and Domas in 2022

Opponents will be stronger, even though we almost beat champs in 2022 and what is even more overlooked that we were super close beating Germany, super close. That Germany was legit. Now they will be even better, but they already been very good in 2022.

[Shawshank]

Improved (and present) Sedekerskis (who should be even better than 2023), Ulanovas and Sirvydis >>> Brazdeikis, Butkevicius (not to mention that Bukevicius may be in)

Valanciunas miss can be fully compensated by Sabonis if finally will play up to his abilities in FIBA. Truly convincing current sabonis maybe >>> than both JV and Domas in 2022

Opponents will be stronger, even though we almost beat champs in 2022 and what is even more overlooked that we were super close beating Germany, super close. That Germany was legit. Now they will be even better, but they already been very good in 2022.

Brazdeikis and Butkevicius both was really good in 2022 eurobasket i would pleasantly suprised if Ulanovas and Sirvydis will matched them with =

Saying that Valanciunas+Sabonis from 2022 is worse than one Sabonis in 2024 is ridiculous and not even close. Valanciunas was at his peak at 30 and Sabonis was nba all star at 26 in 2022.

Yes we almost beat Germany yeah because Valanciunas had 35pts and fouled out entire German frontcourt You cant say we almost beat Germany and forgetting it was because of Jonas dominant game and Nt wont have him in 2024 qualification


Opponents will be stronger all of them Spain,Germany,France,Serbia and adding Usa,Canada,Australia that dont play in eurobaskets.

2024 Olympics will be strongest basketball tournament ever. More than 50% of top 20 worlds players will play there.

[Straight forward]

Come on man, the only real loss may be Brazdeikis, but he will be compensated by 3 very good players that we didn't have in 2022 - Sedekerskis, Sirvydis, Ulanovas.. Both JV and Butkevicius will be in the team I think if NT qualifies. Both will be a bit worse, but still there. Lekavicius declined a bit, but he wasn't all that good in 2022 already, having the worst +/- in entire team. I do believe that Marciulionis is a better player overall now.

I think you underrate the moment of Sedekerskis. I think he was 3rd best player overall in 2023 after Rokas and JV if you ask me. His 2 way presence and athleticism was really felt. We were missing such player at 4 badly in 2022. Now this hole is filled with top 20 player of EL efficiency wise.

What I meant about Domas - if he's playing his best, he makes others better offensively and NT playing way harder to predict and plus he's not that ridiculous target as JV defensively, he can step out and even in switch all at times looks playable. JV sometimes dominates with rebounds and scoring in side, but the freezes others and he remains huge target defensively. So if Sabonis playing his ultimate best and playing 30 minutes, I think that's absolutely the best what NT could have. That's my point. But Sabonis yet didn't have such tournament so we'll see.

Jokubaitis, Grigonis, Ulanovas, Sedekerskis, Sabonis > whatever line-up you field from 2022

[Shawshank]

I repeat if Valanciunas dont play all my points was with this in mind.

Yes Sedekerskis+Ulanovas in and only Brazdeikis out its makes our team better in 2024.


But if both Brazdeikis and Valanciunas is out , Sedekerskis+Ulanovas dont compensate that lose and surely dont make 2024 roster better.

[Straight forward]

I repeat if Valanciunas dont play all my points was with this in mind.

Yes Sedekerskis+Ulanovas in and only Brazdeikis out its makes our team better in 2024.


But if both Brazdeikis and Valanciunas is out , Sedekerskis+Ulanovas dont compensate that lose and surely dont make 2024 roster better.

Don't forget Sirvydis. I think he will surprise. Soon he will be better player than Brazdeikis.

You're too preoccupied with JV. This is Sabonis time. He needs to play 25min+ at the center position. If he plays well, JV's impact won't be that important. My point is, Sabonis can fully cover position 5 basically and at the level that no-one can. But he has to do it and I think he will this time. So even if JV out, Sabonis balling - all good.

[Shawshank]

Im talking about tallent on roster and main players.

Without Valanciunas+Brazdeikis no way 2024 roster is more talented.


But it doesnt mean it cant be better team. We saw how 2023 very mediocre roster achieved better results than 2022 way bigger tallent team.


I agree is Sabonis time,but its fantastic luxury to have Valanciunas as backup that could dominate any opponents backups in his 12minute or when Domas will be in faul trouble.


2022 lost game endings and Brazdeikis is best 1v1s lithuanian and had moments in 2022 endings .How exactly that improves our game ending lineups without Brazdeikis?


Loosing 2 players from top 4 leading scorers in 2022 and 2023 would be serious lose for any team

[Straight forward]

2023 wasn't better team than 2022 (and much less talented). They only exceeded against elite USA, but that game was without pressure and more of fluke of a crazy shooting night. 2022 team played much more serious basketball if you ask me. Not a single top team could prevail against us without last seconds drama. In 2023 Serbia swept us, Latvia swept us. Teams like Montenegro, Greece (2023) wasn't even close to the level of 2022 France, Slovenia, Germany, Spain.

Brazdeikis may be best ISO player, but he's not on the level to close games. Now we might have overall better team which will have more chances to gain some kind lead before crunch time potentially. Sabonis, Jokubaitis, Sedekerskis, Sirvydis being on a sharp rise and Grigonis, Ulanovas, Valanciunas, Kuzminskas, (maybe Butkevicius too) being still good, makes the best team this Olympic cycle.

The main problem remains the same - lack of true FIBA stars/perimeter stars. This problem should be completely solved once we'll have Buzelis, Jakucionis, Indrusaitis playing with LTU jerseys. These three will provide enough ISO talent to make Lithuania legitimate contender again (as we been in 1992-2008 stretch).

[Straight forward]

Sivyha been dropping 2FG in Eurocup 61,4%, in LKL regular season 60% and in LKL playoffs 65,5%. That's elite. Maksvytis should give him the ball a bit and allow him go downhill with it. He also nailing 89% FTs in playoffs. For a player with such % from 2, you give him the ball a little bit, not only use him as spot up shooter.

[Straight forward]

"Dovydas vs Goliath from Darbenai"
"Maksvytis Fan club president Dimsa"
"The Jesus of marginalized players"
"You saw it, Cizauskas played well, just as I said"
"The destroyer of locks"

[Dreamcatcher]

When you compare 2024 roster with previous one you shouldn't count Butkevicius' presence in 2024 roster. That's would be pretty fair looking at current Arnas.

And having this in mind, how about Radzevicius who shoots 50% from three this season?