Lithuania in Eurobasket 2022

[Dirtyh]

Next Finland, Sabonis and JV in.

Finland is without Markkanen (and Little who got injured in U18) but Madsen and Jantunen should play. Probably way too early to say anything. Very nice to see how Nkamhoua performs against JV/DS. He looked really good against Belgium but now it's totally different task.

[Shawshank]

This question what style to play when 2 best players is centers in modern basketball era still no NT coach managed to answer.

I dont believe both of them together will work against top 8 teams (it didnt in 2019 and 2021)

But saying that is very tough for any coach simply hold one of them on the bench and play some Uleb player ale PF Zukauskas instead.

This dilema was in 2019,was in 2021 and will be going till next 2024 Olympics.

There is no easy answer.

[Straight forward]

Finland is without Markkanen (and Little who got injured in U18) but Madsen and Jantunen should play. Probably way too early to say anything. Very nice to see how Nkamhoua performs against JV/DS. He looked really good against Belgium but now it's totally different task.

The fact that you beat Belgium makes me hope Finland is pretty good. Maybe pretty spot on opponent for current stage, but it's sad there's no Markkanen. He would give us some hints how we gonna stop players as Franz Wagner, Cancar.

This question what style to play when 2 best players is centers in modern basketball era still no NT coach managed to answer.

I dont believe both of them together will work against top 8 teams (it didnt in 2019 and 2021)

But saying that is very tough for any coach simply hold one of them on the bench and play some Uleb player ale PF Zukauskas instead.

This dilema was in 2019,was in 2021 and will be going till next 2024 Olympics.

There is no easy answer.

We badly need to fill our position 4 with quality. I had that thought today that if Tubelis will be drafted next summer, he may skip NT season because of individual preparation for the first season (f.e. Jovic skipped Serbian NT this summer).

This season the only difference is that we have more aggression from our perimeter and JV-Domas already knows each other much better and knows what's work what's not. This may change the picture a little bit.

[Shawshank]

Im talking defensively more.

Offensively we had no problems scoring with Domas+Jonas together in 2019 or 2021.Even missing 3pointers as a team we still scored enough points.

We couldnt make stops when in mattered and i dont see nothing in 2022 that change that compare to 2019/2021.

Defence the only reason i dont see 2 bigs together. Adding more offence doesnt help in this problem at all.

We have players what we have right now and fit of other players is not ideal around our twin towers.

[Dirtyh]

The fact that you beat Belgium makes me hope Finland is pretty good. Maybe pretty spot on opponent for current stage, but it's sad there's no Markkanen. He would give us some hints how we gonna stop players as Franz Wagner, Cancar.

Within a year we have beat Estonia, Croatia and Slovenia twice, Belgium and Sweden once. That makes me hope that we're pretty good too.

[Straight forward]

Im talking defensively more.

Offensively we had no problems scoring with Domas+Jonas together in 2019 or 2021.Even missing 3pointers as a team we still scored enough points.

We couldnt make stops when in mattered and i dont see nothing in 2022 that change that compare to 2019/2021.

Defence the only reason i dont see 2 bigs together. Adding more offence doesnt help in this problem at all.

We have players what we have right now and fit of other players is not ideal around our twin towers.

That's why I think Tubelis would make difference. He's best defensive big prospect we have. Offensively he off course lacks reliable shot, but even there he's a pretty good fit to either Domas or JV cause he knows how to play without the ball and he attacks the basket face to the basket better than either of JV/Domas. So generally he's more agile and more dangerous operating from perimeter. JV and Domas needs constant touches, ZU (Tubelis' nickname in NCAA) is comfortable playing without the ball.

But our all issues with PF will end entirely with Murauskas maturing to NT level. Full package offensively and still decent guy defensively for a power forward.

I expect Tubelis to be ready 2023 or 2024. Murauskas is next Olympic cycle option most likely, starting with 2025 EB.

It's always an option to outscore the opponent though (I think we'll be very good offensive team), but if the game gets to last seconds then, yes, we are very vulnerable. On other hand, compared to 2019 and 2021 there's E. Zukauskas. I have a feeling he will be finishing games. Not some super defensive stud, but reliable role player at both ends, won't do stupid things, will play adequate defence. Not the one to trust slowing down stars or something like that, but minor improvement compared to 2019-2021. He's pretty mobile playing 4. Maksvytis shouldn't repeat Adomaitis' mistake trying to close games with both JV and Sabonis in the court. JV should be sitting out last 1-2 minutes if it's one-two possessions game.

Within a year we have beat Estonia, Croatia and Slovenia twice, Belgium and Sweden once. That makes me hope that we're pretty good too.

Quite impressive. Let's see how things will shape in Kaunas tomorrow. The walk in the park is the least thing LTU NT needs, obviously Finland too

[Shawshank]

Tubelis is not this olympic cycle player especially not as some answer to any position.

Even if Tubelis makes a team in 2023 or 2024 it will be as Domas in 2015 as some prospect not as defensive stopper.It doesnt work like that.

You arent bringing young rookie with zero experience in men level to be defensive stopper against best fiba men


I would also go with Zukauskas over Kuzminskas or even go small with Butkevicius+Brazdeikis together. I like that they both love physicality and have no problems battling inside with bigger dudes.

I would definetely try lineup Jokubaitis,Grigonis,Brazdeikis,Butkevicius,Domas againts Slovenia.

We dont need big body againts Cancar who stays most of the time near 3point line. I dont see Cancar bullying inside neither Butkevicius,neither Brazdeikis.

Thats wont work againts France Yabusele type player,but against Slovenia i would go small alot.

[Hepcat]

Europe, get used to this:

https://twitter.com/ltu_basketball/s...34852588306436

What the bloody hell? I don't like that superfluous hot dogging! That's what comes from going to school in the States and being immersed in American culture.

[Hepcat]

Im talking defensively more.

Offensively we had no problems scoring with Domas+Jonas together in 2019 or 2021.Even missing 3pointers as a team we still scored enough points.

We couldnt make stops when in mattered and i dont see nothing in 2022 that change that compare to 2019/2021.

Defence the only reason i dont see 2 bigs together. Adding more offence doesnt help in this problem at all.

My concern too. How do you employ your dominant centers to defend opponents' perimeter based game? Like you say, there's no easy solution.

[Hepcat]

...ZU (Tubelis' nickname in NCAA) is comfortable playing without the ball.

How do they pronounce that, Zoo or Zhoo(Žū)?

[Straight forward]

Tubelis is not this olympic cycle player especially not as some answer to any position.

Even if Tubelis makes a team in 2023 or 2024 it will be as Domas in 2015 as some prospect not as defensive stopper.It doesnt work like that.

You arent bringing young rookie with zero experience in men level to be defensive stopper against best fiba men

I agree about other things you wrote, quoting the part that I disagree with.

Sure he's this Olympic cycle player. What's his competition? E. Zukauskas? Masiulis? Our 4 position is more than open to say the least. At least the chances that he will make 2023 or 2024 are really high.

I'm taking about defensive the improvement per position (4-5), not some flat out defensive super hero of the whole NT. Tubelis would definitely add to our defensive thickness playing 4.

Domas in 2015 is a bad example. He was 19yo and barely played. 20yo Sabonis already had a decent role offensively in Olympics 2016, even dropped game winner against very strong Brazil basically. Domas never was defensive player, but was able to be competitive offensively since he turned 20.

The better example would Motiejunas 2013. 23yo in his NT debut already provided certain defensive mobility as 4-5. I treat Tubelis slightly better defender than young D-Mo. Tubelis wouldn't be a starter, but already in the rotation and could help. Besides, again, he's Mister intangibles. He doesn't need the ball, but does a lot of things and dirty work. He's the combination of D-Mo, Jankunas, Kleiza.

[Straight forward]

How do they pronounce that, Zoo or Zhoo(Žū)?

Former, I think. Americans pronounce his name incorrectly like "Azoolas". They never pronounce that Ž The same was happening with Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, no chance for Americans to pronounce his first name correctly

BTW, Marciulionis' nickname in NCAA is "Gus". Obviously coming from his first name too, AuGUStas as they pronounce. That's how his father got his nickname Rooney too. Saroon...

[Dirtyh]

The walk in the park is the least thing LTU NT needs, obviously Finland too

Oh boy, Finland without 3 of starting 5 players, playing mostly with guys who's gonna get cut from EB roster...

[Miškinis]

Jokubaitis looks so robotic. No agility in his game. Slow decision making thus far. Defensively he is not spectacular either. I don't get it. He's playing in Spain where these kind of skills are required. Yet he starts to remind me Sedekerskis. Worked on his body and nothing more.

[Shawshank]

Compare 20 ncaa student to 23 Motiejunas that already had good euroleague season in 2012 and came after first nba season is way more further away comparison.

You cant compare 21 ncaa student with 23 old euroleague/nba player thats totally diffrent maturity and experience level .

Sabonis 2015-2016 comparison way closer to Tubelis 2023-2024. Only Domas was way bigger prospect nba loterry pick,when Tubelis will be 2nd round pick at best.

Sabonis,Zukauskas and small lineups with Butkevicius/Brazdeikis gonna eat most PF minutes either way in 2023-2024.

Tubelis will get no minutes in real games in 2023-2024 forget about solving some problems thats totally unrelistic.

2016 tell me how raw student Sabonis did when real games started ? not when things went smoohtly.