2019 World Cup Qualifying Odyssey!

[Dreamcatcher]

If we are being honest with ourselves here, both Geben and Butkevicius deserve a place in the final 12 over Jankunas...all the experience in the world can't change the fact that the body can't do what the mind tells you anymore - a guy is done physically unfortunately

He's in only because he's Jankunas. I can understund if it's some Kalnietis or Maciulis who were great NT players for many years and you can/want to expect from them the same as you get used to it during all those years, but Jankunas wasn't any big NT player and now he's old and slow and suffered many health troubles and he's kinda a lock here. It's sad.

[Straight forward]

Regarding Jankunas he does deserve that credit. Let's not forget it's the beginning of the camp. Differently than Geben, Jankunas likely get better. Geben's problem is not rustiness, it's general lack of experience and class, he won't add that with trainings and exhibition games. Jankunas on other hand likely to get his shit together. Even JV now looks like a scrub at offensive end. If not, well too bad, but Jankunas deserves that credit. And most importantly, look against who will you use Geben. There's no opponents for us with overloaded lumberjacks. Differently than Domas and Jankunas, Geben can't guard anyone else in the planet other than lumberjack. Not to mention that even against lumberjacks he extremely shaky option, extremely. We really playing cards with this Geben option. If we take him, we don't know what we're getting. If we not take him, we don't know what we're losing if any, but we surely know what we're getting (in Butkevicius).

[madmax]

Regarding Jankunas he does deserve that credit. Let's not forget it's the beginning of the camp. Differently than Geben, Jankunas likely get better. Geben's problem is not rustiness, it's general lack of experience and class, he won't add that with trainings and exhibition games. Jankunas on other hand likely to get his shit together. Even JV now looks like a scrub at offensive end. If not, well too bad, but Jankunas deserves that credit. And most importantly, look against who will you use Geben. There's no opponents for us with overloaded lumberjacks. Differently than Domas and Jankunas, Geben can't guard anyone else in the planet other than lumberjack. Not to mention that even against lumberjacks he extremely shaky option, extremely. We really playing cards with this Geben option. If we take him, we don't know what we're getting. If we not take him, we don't know what we're losing if any, but we surely know what we're getting (in Butkevicius).

you just love to make up excuses for your favorite players and hate on the ones you don't like, do you?

Current Jankunas is even worse than your so called "lumberjacks", since he can't defend anyone and he can't score either. He is done as a reliable player for many years now and that is obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes who can see an unbiased picture in front of them. A guy can't play at this level anymore, that much is obvious. And the only reason he is not gonna be cut is because, well, of "reasons"...

[Straight forward]

you just love to make up excuses for your favorite players and hate on the ones you don't like, do you?

Current Jankunas is even worse than your so called "lumberjacks", since he can't defend anyone and he can't score either. He is done as a reliable player for many years now and that is obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes who can see an unbiased picture in front of them. A guy can't play at this level anymore, that much is obvious. And the only reason he is not gonna be cut is because, well, of "reasons"...

Man, fellow Max, you making such silly comments that I feel like I'm writing to younger brother or something. You already bashed Kalnietis today which was extremely low, you think refs were the main reason why our bigs struggled which was very stupid, and now I have to explain what lumberjack means, just as with word "ripped" previously. Ok, lumberjack is not very common usage so I give this.

"Lumberjack" is not negative connotation. It simply means huge dudes which plays as traditional centers, as JV, Baynes, ect. When I use it, it's not bashing, it's just a comfortable and spot on word to describe a certain player. Shaq was a lumberjack (at least mid at late career), so he was one of the best players ever to play the game.

[madmax]

Man, fellow Max, you making such silly comments that I feel like I'm writing to younger brother or something. You already bashed Kalnietis today which was extremely low, you think refs were the main reason why our bigs struggled which was very stupid, and now I have to explain what lumberjack means, just as with word "ripped" previously. Ok, lumberjack is not very common usage so I give this.

"Lumberjack" is not negative connotation. It simply means huge dudes which plays as traditional centers, as JV, Baynes, ect. When I use it, it's not bashing, it's just a comfortable and spot on word to describe a certain player. Shaq was a lumberjack (at least mid at late career), so he was one of the best players ever to play the game.

your basketball knowledge is obviously very limited if you label every single traditional center as "lumberjack" - that just shows how close minded you are and how little you know about the game really. Shaq was extremely nimble and fast center for his enormous size, a freak of the nature really, not a lumberjack at all. JV is not a lumberjack either - he has a very soft shooting touch and nice array of post moves to rely on. There's no need to denigrate a player if you don't like his game, that's just childish mate - putting down one player in order to prop another is a defintion of immature behaviour

[Straight forward]

your basketball knowledge is obviously very limited if you label every single traditional center as "lumberjack" - that just shows how close minded you are and how little you know about the game really. Shaq was extremely nimble and fast center for his enormous size, a freak of the nature really, not a lumberjack at all. JV is not a lumberjack either - he has a very soft shooting touch and nice array of post moves to rely on. There's no need to denigrate a player if you don't like his game, that's just childish mate - putting down one player in order to prop another is a defintion of immature behaviour

You're just confirmed you're inferiority with such answer So you give me lessons about Shaq while I explicitly to you noticed we're taking about mid and late career Shaq. You can use "lumberjack" however you want, I use it for big centers who plays like traditional centers. You don't even know what traditional center means if you exclude post moves of the definition. Get a grip madmax, and don't be so mad, JV will bounce back (you're on such silly kindergarden level that you even subconsciously created a wall between yourself as "JV's praiser" and other posters here as "JV's haters or under-raters" playing your own war here, while those others respect highly every single member of NT and would never go as low as you bashing Kalnietis today). Grow man.

[madmax]

You're just confirmed you're inferiority with such answer So you give me lessons about Shaq while I explicitly to you noticed we're taking about mid and late career Shaq. You can use "lumberjack" however you want, I use it for big centers who plays like traditional centers. You don't even know what traditional center means if you exclude post moves of the definition. Get a grip madmax, and don't be so mad, JV will bounce back (you're on such silly kindergarden level that you even subconsciously created a wall between yourself as "JV's praiser" and other posters here as "JV's haters or under-raters" playing your own war here, while those others respect highly every single member of NT and would never go as low as you bashing Kalnietis today). Grow man.

so in other words, you are gonna call any player whatever name you wanna call them...gotcha, noce to know I'm talking to a kid here.

As for your JV tirade, I'm neither praising nor defending him after a game where refs simply didn't allow our NBA bigs to play their game and where rusty JV played his first game after 4 months. And I still think current Kalnietis is a disaster waiting to happen and brings little to nothing for the national team, apart from turnovers of course

[Straight forward]

so in other words, you are gonna call any player whatever name you wanna call them...gotcha, noce to know I'm talking to a kid here.

As for your JV tirade, I'm neither praising nor defending him after a game where refs simply didn't allow our NBA bigs to play their game and where rusty JV played his first game after 4 months. And I still think current Kalnietis is a disaster waiting to happen and brings little to nothing for the national team, apart from turnovers of course

You're dreaming and making a joke of yourself as usual. Kalnietis got 10 assists. Best Serbian PG that night Jovic got 2 and none of Serbian player got more than 3. JV got 4 TOs if you mention turnovers. Get of your black and red glasses of and go to local websites, you'll get much more support there, even though it's still unlikely as even those places improve now.

[Shawshank]

11-12th player doesn't play in championship either way,it's safety card place.

I like what Butkevicius brings, but his position is crowded badly if he can beat other SF I'm not taking him, if Maciulis was in yesterday no minutes againts serbians in real championship game.

Looking at Jankunas body movement im not going to championship with only 2 bigs and Jankunas old body.Geben maybe will play only 10min in championship, but there is real chance he will get way more minutes,because situation will make it like yesterday.

Paulius is really smart player,but if body doesn't listen in right time it's hard to do something... its called getting too old it happens to everybody.

Adomaitis was asked about that do this team need one more big body and he looked not sure and said friendly games will show.

It's simply coach desicion and now it looks 50/50 ,but agree with Matkevicius we need to have some balance by positions in our roster, if it were Kazlauskas Geben would be in.Jonas would not risk to be left naked underbasket in some critical situation with faul trouble or Jankunas questionable body .Kazlauskas was constantly taking a little bit lesser player in 11-12th players spot,but the one which complimented main players..

But with less experienced coach like Adomaitis he can go with better player and more risk (that's for sure).Game againts Australia that most likely will decide first place in group, I believe Geben big body will be needed.We all know what place we need to take looking further.Australian game as always will be very physical,with alot pusshing,holding so you better have many strong men out there.They tottaly owned us with their physicality in 2016

Imagine playing Greece and when Greak freak gonna attack paint all game long, we will need as big bodies as possible, he will put entire frontcourt in faul trouble.

Btw I didn't like Giedraitis scared face yesterday it looked that moment was too big for him, if it wouldn't be by positions i wouldn't say he is lock either.But after cutting Juskevicius early we need protection in guard rotation.

[Shawshank]

Straightforward

To defend good guards/wings players we have Seibutis, Grigonis,Ulanovas,Giedraitis even Maciulis how much do you need 8 of them?

When we face Australia,Greece or Serbia we need SIZE not 8 wing players...those 3 teams are the ones where we need size the most and draw made it if we want to be in the semifinal we have to beat 2 of them.


Have seen you Greak freak this season? NBA is affraid to put SF on him, they are putting literally pf or centers on him, he that strong and long.

He attacks and attacks paint all the time.You better have big bodies waiting for him or he gonna make dunk festival all game long...if you think playing Greece we will not need big bodies, YouTube Greak freak .

If Bourousis at this age and Papagiannis who did good job on Valanciunas in 2017 is not lumberjacks so who is one?

Playing France athletes white players is not outjumping them so you better have size also playing them.More and more i look at teams we gonna face I feel more confident in Geben size neediness over extra Butkevicius/Giedraitis type player .

[Straight forward]

Shawn, you're not serious suggesting Geben can slow down Giannis in anyways. The slowest player we have, against the Machine...

We'll see, but to me most our opponents are most dangarous at perimeter and at mobile, stretch 4s...Even Australia won't rely on Baynes and old Bogut, they are not the key of that team. Greece is all about small ball. Against Giannis you need early barriers in the perimeter and the perfect rotation, perfect help defence. If you allow him to get inside, he will be dunking on JV, Domas and anyone else in the world, let alone Geben. The only way to stop Giannis is to lock down perimeter and super flexible help defence. I won't mention who is better at that. France scoring wise will rely on their elite guards and wings.

We'll see, but to me Geben is just too raw...We're not discussing here Javtokas. We discuss slow inexperienced kid who yet to play anything more serious than LKL game...

[Shawshank]

We need his muscles and 5 hard fauls especially guarding Gianni's and playing Australia too.Nobody can't stop greak freak.But you can beat him to some degree with alot of big bodies and alot fauls,make him earn from free throws,but not dunking.

Greak freak gonna put entire frontcourts in faul trouble you will see, including ours and what we gonna do put Kuzminskas inside to help with Gianni's really?

Coach Urbonas even said it's between Jankunas,Giedraitis, Butkevicius who gonna be cut last.I wouldn't go so far, but at age of 34+ neither Songaila or Javtokas could come to shape anymore, all they did was not panic.Sometines in playoffs it's better slower guy, but that do not panick, than young body that is in total panic in his head, but I wouldn't put too much hope in Jankunas turning clock at 35 in tournaments when we play 4 games per week.His body can give us 10 min per game at best ,if we try to overuse him very high chance for injury happening.

Simply I don't see how we can cut Geben now.What NT miss now dearly is Gudaitis,with him we would have strong presences in all positions.

[Straight forward]

We need his muscles and 5 hard fauls especially guarding Gianni's and playing Australia too.Nobody can't stop greak freak.But you can beat him to some degree with alot of big bodies and alot fauls,make him earn from free throws,but not dunking.

To send Giannis to the line for easy points. Great defensive plan, bro

Greak freak gonna put entire frontcourts in faul trouble you will see, including ours and what we gonna do put Kuzminskas inside to help with Gianni's really?

Entire frontline...you are on the same mistake constantly making too much conclusions from one game. I repeat you this for a long time, but if you see once something and you make a conclusion you stick with that. Let's wait at least second game of Serbia.

Coach Urbonas even said it's between Jankunas,Giedraitis, Butkevicius who gonna be cut last.I wouldn't go so far, but at age of 34+ neither Songaila or Javtokas could come to shape anymore, all they did was not panic.Sometines in playoffs it's better slower guy, but that do not panick, than young body that is in total panic in his head, but I wouldn't put too much hope in Jankunas turning clock at 35 in tournaments when we play 4 games per week.His body can give us 10 min per game at best ,if we try to overuse him very high chance for injury happening.

Sure, Urbonas is the most objective guy to have say on a matter. Sure, he doesn't have a single tiny sentiment towards his raised kid Geben Urbonas is dreaming if he thinks Giedraitis and and specially Jankunas might drop out. This only shows the guy can't be NT coach ever, as he simply can't even get the obvious common sense and pulse of NT and it's traditions and even to read the messages of Adomaitis. That's pathetic.

It's between Geben and Butkevicius (we simply need shooting presence so Giedraitis is a lock). Again, JV and Sabonis is filling position 5 alone, literally, in absolute majority of games. It's funny how people can have other thoughts. Some crumbs for Jankunas and that's it. We saw a huge rotation only because Sabonis failed against Serbia like a school pupil and JV had problems as well, Sabonis won't be as silly and excited on a constant basis you know Wait till JV and Domas will settle down, now they are anxious (JV's still out of shape even) and excited to play together and finding the chemistry. Sabonis might still be a bit too excited and make some dumb defensive efforts playing in front of Lithuanian crowd, but most likely both our bigs will get the hit together as soon as tomorrow. I'm surprised how experienced posters got tricked by exhibition games and thinking JV and Domas will be riding a bench watching Geben balling in a do or die games in WC. Adomaitis just experimenting with his last decisions, that's all. If Geben will be taken he will see crumbs of playing time only when both JV and Sabonis will fail big time, and at most it's happening in one or two games. I would project Andriuskevicius performance of 2010. If I'm not mistaken he was used in one single game.

While we could realistically use Butkevicius for some stretches against every elite teams for defensive reasons and to comfortably use him more against second rate teams to keep our keys fresh.

[Hepcat]

In a video clip on Basketnews.lt I thought I heard the name Aidas(sic) Juškevičius called out during the pre-game introductions. Did a Serbian announcer perhaps mistake Žygimantas Janavičius for Adas Juškevičius?

[Shawshank]

Straightforward

You obviuosly havent seen Giannis playing only highlights,that men/monster is attacking paint all game long, im telling he gonna put entire frontcourts in faul trouble i have seen with my own eyes in nba ask celtics defence that tottaly stopped Sabonis and Turner one week before....He had 10 games where he shoot 18+freethrows last season against best athletes in the world.Half of the games he shoot over 10 freethrows and im not even talking about fauls he drawn and he didnt went to free throw line.

yesterday in 21minutes he shoot 10 freethrows.In close 1/4 game he gonna play 35minutes...so we better prepare big bodies and defensive wall if we want eliminate greece and that beast in possible 1/4 matchup.


So tell me how your plan looks like stopping fast 2m12 long handed beast with dribble that all he cares is attacking paint and dunking? Only plan is beat him up with multiple big men when he goes inside for 40min game.He dont even see those 1m98 in front of him when he is dunking. I would rotate all 4 our bigs on him and imagine 2-3 of them will end up with 5 fauls,but that men is young Lebron when still couldnt shoot,but still no defence for that when he goes inside.Just put multiple big bodies and hope it will work.Nba teams literally putting wall of players to stop his penetration.

If we want to play Valanciunas and Sabonis together we need more on the bench that old Jankunas body and soft Kuzminskas its obviuos.If our plan would play with one center is one thing,but it obviuos is not our plan.

That Urbonas is biased sure,but he is basketball coach and understand something no? Hs is right Jankunas looks bad so far no arguments againts that. Jankunas didnt show nothing to trust his health all last season and so far in friendly games.I would take Paulius surely,but im not taking him as the only bench big thats for sure.

nobody is saying that our nba players will be on bench,but everybody saying we need to have some safety card in case of faul trouble,we cant be left naked under basket with Kuzminskas in defence when neither of 2 main bigs shown ability to stay out of faul trouble. And im not talking just about Serbia game overall in their careers.

Neither Butkevicius,neither Gebenas will play any seriuos minutes in world cup dont need to fool ourselves.Like always 10-12 players dont even play in playoofs type in normal situations.But if you aks me you would get more minutes i say geben simply because we have only 3 bigs for 2 positions and 3-4 other wings in butkevicius position.Thats why im not cutting him,he is just Gudaitis lower level replacements that it.