Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL) 2018-19

[Hepcat]

How did Skycop become an LKL team, if I may ask?

An old-fashioned airlift into the Lithuanian city where a brown river flows.

[Hepcat]

Adomaitis continues to pove to be predictable, lame and shallow coach as he didn't even register Sirvydis, arguably most talented player in Rytas roster, but he found place for scrubs like Normantas and Pilauskas. That's the coach which according to new Rytas' staff should be emphasizing youngsters and so on... Maybe it's an injury, otherwise to me Rytas is complete enigma to me....

Speaking of youngsters and playing time, why did Laurynas Birutis get zero seconds of playing time in Žalgiris blowout victory against Pieno Žvaigždės? That's precisely what worried me when I saw that Žalgiris lifted him from Šiauliai's roster, that perhaps the most promising youngster Lithuania has would languish at the end of the bench and not get the playing time to develop his skills.

Watched a bit Nevezis- Neptunas and I have to say Martynas Varnas looked pretty well. I don't think we can call him a bust as of yet. He's only 21yo still. I'm not sure he can become Zalgiris' material....

Must every Lithuanian youngster aspire to be Žalgiris material? Signing with Žalgiris is not necessarily the best of career moves.

[Straight forward]

Speaking of youngsters and playing time, why did Laurynas Birutis get zero seconds of playing time in Žalgiris blowout victory against Pieno Žvaigždės? That's precisely what worried me when I saw that Žalgiris lifted him from Šiauliai's roster, that perhaps the most promising youngster Lithuania has would languish at the end of the bench and not get the playing time to develop his skills.

Must every Lithuanian youngster aspire to be Žalgiris material? Signing with Žalgiris is not necessarily the best of career moves.

Birutis was injured, while Varnas belongs to Žalgiris, he was loaned to Nevėžis (18yo Jokubaitis played though). And no, Birutis is not most promising youngster of Lithuania, IMO.

[Dreamcatcher]

Birutis was injured, while Varnas belongs to Žalgiris, he was loaned to Nevėžis (18yo Jokubaitis played though). And no, Birutis is not most promising youngster of Lithuania, IMO.

Of couse he's not, that's Marciulionis junior

[Straight forward]

Of couse he's not, that's Marciulionis junior

Good joke man

On the serious note, aside Sabonis who is just one year older than Birutis BTW, I think it's between Kulboka, Ehodas, Sedekerskis, Sirvydis, Jokubaitis.
As for Marciulionis, gotta wait for few more years (maybe even more remembering his legendary father's ways), you right about this. I don't think Birutis tops this lists, he's just one of the best, at least at the moment. After Domas, we don't have one obvious "stand out", as of yet.

Oh, and I missed Blazevic. He's still so young, but I believe he will be a real deal center. Too fundamentally sound not to be.

[Dreamcatcher]

Good joke man

On the serious note, aside Sabonis who is just one year older than Birutis BTW, I think it's between Kulboka, Ehodas, Sedekerskis, Sirvydis, Jokubaitis.
As for Marciulionis, gotta wait for few more years (maybe even more remembering his legendary father's ways), you right about this. I don't think Birutis tops this lists, he's just one of the best, at least at the moment. After Domas, we don't have one obvious "stand out", as of yet.

Oh, and I missed Blazevic. He's still so young, but I believe he will be a real deal center. Too fundamentally sound not to be.

If there is Echodas in this list, there should be Birutis as well because i don't think he's any worse. They played together in U20 EC a year and some months ago and did very similar. Personally i think i like Birutis even more. He's a tall center with long arms and not slow body at all. His improvement has been awesome and his 2pt percentage has been great that makes him also a very effective player in the rym. On the other hand, he hasn't played in the top team yet unlike Echodas who already did it and very decently. But somehow i don't see any real improvement in Echodas's game in Rytas since one year and i'm not sure if he can be better. In this case of expect i'm looking forward Birutis more and even put him highier than Echodas, but it can easy be opposite as it's a new team and level for Birutis. Anyway, they both are promising and already good players and good frriends by the way.

[Straight forward]

If there is Echodas in this list, there should be Birutis as well because i don't think he's any worse. They played together in U20 EC a year and some months ago and did very similar. Personally i think i like Birutis even more. He's a tall center with long arms and not slow body at all. His improvement has been awesome and his 2pt percentage has been great that makes him also a very effective player in the rym. On the other hand, he hasn't played in the top team yet unlike Echodas who already did it and very decently. But somehow i don't see any real improvement in Echodas's game in Rytas since one year and i'm not sure if he can be better. In this case of expect i'm looking forward Birutis more and even put him highier than Echodas, but it can easy be opposite as it's a new team and level for Birutis. Anyway, they both are promising and already good players and good frriends by the way.

I said I don't think Birutis tops that list. I didn't say he is out from that list I agree with what you said.

[Straight forward]

Nevezis' coach Cvirka must be working for free. He's horrid by all means. Dzukija schooled Nevezis in the first quarter 38:4 ...Urlep does a good job. Most of our Lith coaches pretty bad, IMO.

[Hepcat]

I see that Žalgiris has cut Artūras Milaknis loose. Hopefully Rokas Jokubaitis is brought up to replace Milaknis on the twelve man roster and that Marius Grigonis and Edgaras Ulanovas now get more playing time.

[Straight forward]

I see that Žalgiris has cut Artūras Milaknis loose. Hopefully Rokas Jokubaitis is brought up to replace Milaknis on the twelve man roster and that Marius Grigonis and Edgaras Ulanovas now get more playing time.

I wish... He's one of the keys Hepcat, at least in the locker room. So he's staying

[Hepcat]

What on earth? Sometimes I wonder about the headlines they use on Basketnews.lt:


„BasketNews.lt“ podkastas: kaip Milaknis buvo atleistas iš „Žalgirio“ ir kur save mato ateityje

TRANSLATION

Basketnews podcast: how Milaknis was let go from "Žalgiris" and where he sees himself in the future


I mean how else could/should I have interpreted that headline?

[Straight forward]

I mean how else could/should I have interpreted that headline?

I assume you're looking for a more subtle answer than suggestion to read/listen the whole thing?

[Hepcat]

Or develop an attention span greater than a grasshopper's.



Still, talk about a misleading banner headline!

[Straight forward]

Respect for NKL and Delfi for not broadcasting Zalgiris- Perlas...they know how to attract the viewers.

[Straight forward]

OK, Žalgiris is in some serious crisis now. One thing is to struggle in Euroleague, other to lose all games to Neptunas this season. Sure, injuries and shit, but It looks like Žalgiris is physically and mentally done. Euroleague and Šaras taking the team to the limits take too much. I think if all team would be completely healthy this would probably work, but Žalgiris also made a lot of mistakes building the team this time. And also I think Šaras now underachieving in such games because most players feels leached and don't play the way they could, Žalgiris is playing without any sparkle at offence, same already boring over-systematic basketball. I treat this season as still good season, because let's face it, Žalgiris is still at the higher level than it used to be in pre-Šaras era, but some signs are very gloomy. Šaras, as a young coach, will have a lot food for thought after the season.