Group D, Day 2, Lithuania vs Canada

[Miškinis]

Last minutes of the game:


Also some highlights:

[septynix]

Lithuanian NT in this game was somewhat of a paradox. With Javtokas injured and Andriuskevicius apparently so useless Kemzura didn't even begin to contemplate about giving him even a few mins of play, our "hobbits", as someone rightly said, had no place under the opponent's basket. To make things more interesting no one, especially in the first half of the game, could hit 3 pointers. And yet Lithuania won. I mean that just sounds wrong. Were did all the points come from? What, did Delininkaitis shoot 40 FTs or smth? I kinda remember Kleiza scoring from somewhere, but I just assumed that these were rage and alcohol induced hallucinations.

[lafa]

to lose a game just for the sake of getting confidence back to Gecevicius - sorry, no go. Gecevicius was main SG in Rytas and no matter how he played, Kurtinaitis didn't have choice, but to keep him on court, while Kemzura can shuffle players, to get a mix, that works for the moment. Kestutis could leave Gecevicius for a while on court yesterday and he did, but not today, and we all saw that that wasn't the worst decision of the our coach.

[Ashtrusis_dantis]

Ashtrusis_dantis, so you're saying Kemzūra did everything right and there's nothing to improve? Off course, this team has positive sides compered to Poland's, but at the same time there's plenty of negative - rebounds are big problem, shooters are almost gone, not too many mistakes, but not too many creativity or p&r plays as well. Jasaitis, Seibutis, Andriuškevičius (I guess), Gecevičius are still in reserve.

No i am not saying that - of course it is a lot to improve. But problem is not in that. Seems you want players to become somebody else - Jasikevicius, Siskauskas and so on. So lets be clear - they are not. About creativity - who in this team can be creative like Jaska??? We don't have such creativity and won't have. I think Butautas problem in Poland was that he didn't understand it he tried to play same game like these new players would be the same like Jasikevicius generation. Not so much creativity but a lot of aggression because we have such players who are not very creative but aggressive - Kleiza, Maciulis, Seibutis, Pocius and so on. About shooting - what coach of national team should do with that? Go and shoot himself? That are not kids who you can learn to shoot. Gecevicius has mentality problems so should we keep him on field and let it cost a game? It is not long season where you can keep player on field with weaker teams. About rebounds - yes it is, our main center has injury remember? But we won rebounds today.
You are right about reserves, but give credits to Canada they played well for 25mins - were shooting hard shots, playing clever game. And i am much sure about this team after this game they have character and we won't have such bad day for our shooters everyday.
And yes i think Kemzura is going right way, not everything is perfect, but when it was?

[Blackway]

I think everyone here is underrating Canada. We should give some credit to them too, we are not that strong to frown at close victories.

[Straight forward]

sashikas, you right, I overreacted, but still we even were far from that quality we showed in most of preparation games. Criticism won't hurt.

yessuz, no doubt about it. But at the same time it's important how the team works generally. Tonight's performance didn't give to many optimism for the upcoming game.

Ashtrusis_dantis, so you're saying Kemzūra did everything right and there's nothing to improve? Off course, this team has positive sides compered to Poland's, but at the same time there's plenty of negative - rebounds are big problem, shooters are almost gone, not too many mistakes, but not too many creativity or p&r plays as well. Jasaitis, Seibutis, Andriuškevičius (I guess), Gecevičius are still in reserve.

[Ashtrusis_dantis]

I think we need Seibutis more. And maybe less Kalnietis because at least today we seemed to play worse with him on the court.

Totally agree with that - i couldn't understand why Kemzura is not leting Seibutis play. He has good defensive skills, fast hands and legs - perfect player to defend against Canadian guards and he proved i when he was on a field.

[Ashtrusis_dantis]

After 2009 our federation hired the coach that would be able to bring some fresh blood and ideas to NT (they expressed that more or less openly). The expectations of this tournament is not only to fight for the victories, but also to create the core for 2011 where we could aim for top 4. Having in mind that, Lithuania's performance in two first games (specially tonight's) is below critique because we haven't make a single step forward compered to last year. Just as last year, there's no smell of normal or decent work of our backourt. As I said, I didn't see decent ball movement, creativity, skills (seems like all players forgot how to shoot the ball and that's the power of our BB school usually). So, in my perspective, it's not only victories I want to see at the moment - it's the game, it's the improvement! So, if that perspective makes me a fanboy it's fine for me So far I'm not satisfied with our performance and I'm discussing alternatives and reserves.

So maybye you are not looking? I see Kleiza who was totally empty in Poland, and here he knows his place, i see way smaller number of mistakes - 13 tonight and yesterday, not usual 20 like it was in Poland. I see fast game - that we forgot in Poland totally. I see how we manage to create space for our snipers to make open shots, we play aggressively under basket and so on so on. I see character - we don't give up like it was in Poland. What else do you want? If you want to see passing "ale Jasikevicius" tell me who should do it? Is it coach fault that he has these players? He shows result with them. Or is it coach problem that our players can't make easy shots?

[yessuz]

IMHO, I think, that it's no matter how many points there will be in Kleiza's, Jankunas', Gecevicius or other' account, as long as we are at least 1 point ahead of our rivals, when the final buzz ends.

[sashikas]

Well, first of all, I'm a fanboy of NT Second of all, everyone has it's own opinion and I think that's how it should be. I've got your point, here mine:

After 2009 our federation hired the coach that would be able to bring some fresh blood and ideas to NT (they expressed that more or less openly). The expectations of this tournament is not only to fight for the victories, but also to create the core for 2011 where we could aim for top 4. Having in mind that, Lithuania's performance in two first games (specially tonight's) is below critique because we haven't make a single step forward compered to last year. Just as last year, there's no smell of normal or decent work of our backourt. As I said, I didn't see decent ball movement, creativity, skills (seems like all players forgot how to shoot the ball and that's the power of our BB school usually). So, in my perspective, it's not only victories I want to see at the moment - it's the game, it's the improvement! So, if that perspective makes me a fanboy it's fine for me So far I'm not satisfied with our performance and I'm discussing alternatives and reserves.

Now you sound as your old self, not as your pro-Gecevičius alter ego. There is a lot to fix in the game of the team. It is obvious even to a non-professional. But I would disagree that we are at the same level as last year in Poland. I agree, that there are some episodes, that bring a strong dejavu feeling, but there also is some splashes of good ball movement by the perimeter, we do not loose the ball by the halfcourt line, we are not giving up even being back by 17 points. Those are signs of some progress. Now we need to fix the shooting, and I believe one good shooting game would fix this. I hope that game is against Spain. Another thing to improve is rebounding. But that is explainable with the absence of Javtokas.

[Straight forward]

No offense and no disrespect, but you are bringing down your pretty decent reputation here and start sounding like a fanboy. What Kemzūra has to do to bring Martynas' confidence back? Let him stay on court for several wide open airballs? He was a starter today, had his opportunities but could not deliver. If the guy cannot deliver, coach must react and let in the ones that are more successfull on that day. Pocius got his chance, he delivered. Delininkaitis got a chance, he delivered too. It is not about success of one of the players. It's about the team victory.

Well, first of all, I'm a fanboy of NT Second of all, everyone has it's own opinion and I think that's how it should be. I've got your point, here mine:

After 2009 our federation hired the coach that would be able to bring some fresh blood and ideas to NT (they expressed that more or less openly). The expectations of this tournament is not only to fight for the victories, but also to create the core for 2011 where we could aim for top 4. Having in mind that, Lithuania's performance in two first games (specially tonight's) is below critique because we haven't make a single step forward compered to last year. Just as last year, there's no smell of normal or decent work of our backourt. As I said, I didn't see decent ball movement, creativity, skills (seems like all players forgot how to shoot the ball and that's the power of our BB school usually). So, in my perspective, it's not only victories I want to see at the moment - it's the game, it's the improvement! So, if that perspective makes me a fanboy it's fine for me So far I'm not satisfied with our performance and I'm discussing alternatives and reserves.

[Dreamcatcher]

By the way, i liked the team better today, when Delininkaitis was pg, not Kalnietis.

[yessuz]

Now, now. Pocius isn't better than Gecevicius. He is simply playing better in this tournament. Gecevicius is 22 (let's not forget) and he will become a huge player.

That's what I've wrote - they are better at the moment.
And Pocius is just 24 as well... as well as Kalnietis....

[Darknemo2000]

FFS - get it real... Rytas lost two games last year against the team WITHOUT a coach and one of the main centers... Gecevicius is great shooter, but.. that's all. He's not a leader (like Saras or Macas were), and probably will never be. He's overrated.. and yet - will land somewhere in midseason (I mean, he will not finish the upcoming season in your beloved rytas.

Kalnietis/Pocius/Delininkaitis - all of them are WAY BETTER at the moment, and I think - it will stay all the WC the same.

Umm he was the leader of U-18 and U-20 teams so it is not like he cannot lead the teams, In fact he was the best player in U-18 where the game was solely based on him and he was doing a good job pushing us to the finals against Spain where we lost by 4 points despite the great Gecevicius individual performance.

The problem is that he doesnt seem to find his place on the court. He continues to play like a crap and the psychological hole deepens for him. When was the last time you saw him doing an airball? Its not the matter of skills its the mnatter of psychology. He needs to get focused because if Pocius is our best SG then we are dead (yeah he hit a couple but look at the numbers he missed and how many mistakes he made).

I think we need Seibutis more. And maybe less Kalnietis because at least today we seemed to play worse with him on the court.

Can anyone tell what for we took Andriuskevicius in this team? It is a mystery to me. With our main C injured he doesnt play at all, isntead we play with PF and have major troubles with rebounds...

[sagenas]

Guys, I don't understand...we all se that he can't make 3pointers right now, but do you htink that only 3pointers are his weapon? He can play pick'n'roll very well, he have very good basketball IQ...if he can't make 3pointers, then let him make shots from other positions...