Lithuanian NT 2016 Olympics

[remigijus]

He's Valanciunas type player. Next Jankunas could be Gytis Masiulis or Regimantas Miniotas

i prefer Martynas Echodas over Regimantas Miniotas. He has more potential in my opinion.

[auris1]

Next Jankunas could be Gytis Masiulis or Regimantas Miniotas

That is a tall order to fill Jankunas shoes .
He was ,what , 19 ? when he started playing for Zalgiris main team . He was a leader in youth teams as well before that .
Even so ...His numbers playing for NT team are not that great . Miniotas was just released by Zalgiris . If Gytis could be anything like his dad (that remains to be seen ) ,even that that would give only solid, defense minded player
Echodas ,whom Remigijus mentioned ...I think he is finding it so tough to adjust to men's basketball .

[LuDux]

That is a tall order to fill Jankunas shoes .
He was ,what , 19 ? when he started playing for Zalgiris main team . He was a leader in youth teams as well before that .
Even so ...His numbers playing for NT team are not that great . Miniotas was just released by Zalgiris . If Gytis could be anything like his dad (that remains to be seen ) ,even that that would give only solid, defense minded player
Echodas ,whom Remigijus mentioned ...I think he is finding it so tough to adjust to men's basketball .

I chose those two because I thought they could become pick n pop monsters like Jankunas.

[auris1]

I chose those two because I thought they could become pick n pop monsters like Jankunas.

Your guess is as good as mine ,if not better )
In reality ,i do not think things works like that - when somebody leaves the NT team , next best player we have in line comes in and that is that .
What i was trying to say that maybe we should not try to emulate Jankunas as such for replacement .

[Shawshank]

Spain broken our team mentaly and its was never same after that game...Overall 1/4 is what this team could achieve realistically,no way we were top4 in this tournaments,closer to 6-7 best team in Olympic 2016.Kazlauskas is not magic men to overachieve all 4 summers.As i said after 2012 Olympics we will have problems,we dont have same tallent pool and no creative players at all.Did this team played better than 2012 team? i dont know,but what thing is for me i feel way more dissapointed how we finished the tournament...in 2012 we finished in fighting 1/4 game with some chances making semifinal... last 3 games 2016 team played like 2009 team...without a single chance...

Entire australian starting 5 is nba players,4 of them nba champions.We want to beat them with zalgiris players? Our only nba player sucked badly in this tournament...

I agree with Kazlauskas that after 3 games when you show everything teams prepared,individually tallent must carry biggest part of load,because teams prepares and analyse you very well.And who could do something individually in Lithuania team ? only Kalnietis,Valanciunas and Kuzminskas...but even they are not gasols,parker,bognavics,mills,teodosics calibre players...We simply lack player that can take over the game...

In Olympics not only that everybody brings all their nba players,but those nba players are very motivated to play in Olympics (its like a dream for biggest part of them) and does with same fire like we play every tournament.

Do we need to leave Kazlauskas? Ofcourse! but will he want to stay? most likely not...what our solid .but not great team achieve in 2013-2016 we have to gave big thanks to coach Jonas.

Whats next for Lithuania national team? i dont know,but i wouldnt say that we are in better shape in 2017-2020,that we were in 2013-2016.Alot of 1985 generations players will age and leave,who will replace them?

Eurobasket 2017 is meaningless,so we should send a bit younger team than usually and prepare them for main 2019 summer.

Lithuania 2017 should be something like that:

PG Kalnietis
SG Seibutis,Grigonis
SF Kuzminskas,Ulanovas
PF Motiejunas,Jankunas
C Valanciunas,Sabonis

Yes Sabonis plays center way better than PF.He cant make long jumpers...and makes Valanciunas life inside difficult,because Sabonis defender helps with valanciunas and leaves him open and he wasnt punishing them.Maciulis already said in tv3 that most likely he will give some time for his family,because he is playing for nationals teams since 2003.I took couple "veterans" like Kalnietis,Seibutis,Jankunas to give some stability to the team.Hopefully some guards will show up in Lithuania basketball,because otherwise it wil be dificult..WE NEED MORE CREATORS...

But Lithuania basketball will bounce back as we always do !

[Straight forward]

Shawshank, I think it's too soon to write off any player of current core, except Javtokas who retired (respect for this man!) and those who will decide to retire. Look at Spain, Argentina, France. Their 34-36yo best players are here in Olympics and they contributing. Our 39yo Kaukėnas could give us a boost and probably Pocius as well seeing how Mantas and Seibutis were lone fighters at the backourt. It all comes down to what kind of new material will come to the NT. If some talent will come, it will push out veterans, but generally it's too soon to talk about some radical change of ~1985 generation. It may not play the main role, but it's not necessary fading away.

Also, it's way too soon to talk about Sabonis position. In 4 years he can become a terrific shooter from distance. He only starting his career.

Seems like we all agree we need players who can create, facilitate, make plays for others, be able to create it's own shot. We can treasure those times when we had such brilliant creators with wonderful basketball IQ as Jasikevičius and Šiškauskas in one team surrounded by brilliant players as Štombergas and Macijauskas even more now. 4-5 first round NBA bigs barely can match this bunch of Euroleague's stars who had computers in their heads.

Even if Grigonis eventually chocked mentally in OG and missed his threes, but I think peaking Grigonis will surely improve NT's IQ and creativity at least a little bit. He has some of those 00's NT instincts in him and with time it will be more noticeable. He's pretty nice peace and we'll need more of that kind.

[Modis]

So would it be to soon to call guys like A.Velicka M.Varnas or T.Sedekerskis to camp next summer ? I know A.Velicka 17 who is completely still a kid but his IQ and skill for the game is already ahead of his age group, would be a good experience for them in friendlies. Some might argue why bother with them and that only those players are called that are potential contenders for the final roster but pretty much every year our final roster is very similar, next year will be same especially if Kazlauskas stays as he didin't say anything yet about him leaving.

PG Kalnietis Kariniauskas
SG Seibutis,Grigonis,Juskevicius
SF Kuzminskas,Ulanovas
PF Motiejunas,Jankunas,Sabonis
C Valanciunas,Kavaliauskas

[Straight forward]

So would it be to soon to call guys like A.Velicka M.Varnas or T.Sedekerskis to camp next summer ? I know A.Velicka 17 who is completely still a kid but his IQ and skill for the game is already ahead of his age group, would be a good experience for them in friendlies. Some might argue why bother with them and that only those players are called that are potential contenders for the final roster but pretty much every year our final roster is very similar, next year will be same especially if Kazlauskas stays as he didin't say anything yet about him leaving.

I think it's too soon and chances to see any of them are minimal. All of those guys can play at U18 and U20 and they'll have their field of development. On other hand, if Kalnietis (which I doubt because he's NT freak), Seibutis would decide to skip EB we could see some other young faces as Lekavičius, Paulius Valinskas (he's more matured physically and will be 21yo). Probably we would see Janavičius, Juškevičius, Kariniauskas, Giedraitis as a candidates. Off course, we want to see those high upside prospects in the NT as soon as possible, but putting them in too soon can hurt. Actually I would lean only to Velička as crazy as it sounds. He's youngest, but it's a desert in his position and he's already bulked and sturdy enough to hang out with NT players. But again - is it better to train with NT candidates with limited chances to make it, or to play big time basketball at U18 and to lead that team to the podium? He most likely will play for U18. BTW, call me crazy, but if I had to choose Kariniauskas or Lekavičius I still would go with latter because he played some big minutes in fire and he wasn't shaking his legs, played heck of defence while Kariniauskas didn't provide any impact to the team and we saw what happened when he came of the bench against Australia, he couldn't pass the mid court line with ball in his hands. Future will show who is more talented, but I'm not yet sold on Kariniauskas at all.

[remigijus]

Kristupas Zemaitis looks quite promising as SG was named as All-Star Five in u20 2016.

[Straight forward]

Kristupas Zemaitis looks quite promising as SG was named as All-Star Five in u20 2016.

Yeah, he's interesting, but seems to be ultimate team player. We so need some higher profile guards. Some real talent.

BTW, I came to an idea that Kazlauskas tested and gave experience to 4 back-up PGs. Vasilauskas, Juskevicius, Lekavicius and Kariniauskas. Except Adas in 2014 everybody generally failed (Adas failed this summer as well), but at the end of the day 2 of them are young and already knows what it takes to play for the NT. That's an impact of Kazlauskas for the future, we should value that.

[Hepcat]

So would it be to soon to call guys like A.Velicka M.Varnas or T.Sedekerskis to camp next summer ? I know A.Velicka 17 who is completely still a kid but his IQ and skill for the game is already ahead of his age group, would be a good experience for them in friendlies. Some might argue why bother with them and that only those players are called that are potential contenders for the final roster but pretty much every year our final roster is very similar, next year will be same especially if Kazlauskas stays as he didin't say anything yet about him leaving.

PG Kalnietis Kariniauskas
SG Seibutis,Grigonis,Juskevicius
SF Kuzminskas,Ulanovas
PF Motiejunas,Jankunas,Sabonis
C Valanciunas,Kavaliauskas

No Maciulis? How about:

PG Kalnietis Kariniauskas
SG Seibutis,Grigonis,Juskevicius
SF Maciulis,Kuzminskas,Ulanovas
PF Jankunas,Sabonis
C Valanciunas,Motiejunas

[Modis]

No Maciulis? How about:

PG Kalnietis Kariniauskas
SG Seibutis,Grigonis,Juskevicius
SF Maciulis,Kuzminskas,Ulanovas
PF Jankunas,Sabonis
C Valanciunas,Motiejunas

Maciulis said he might take a break. Also i wouldn't be surprised if more of our veterans decide to do the same like Seibutis or even Kalnietis but then we would be totally screwed at PG.

[Shawshank]

PF in 21 century MUST HIT 3 pointers just must ! Look at Mirotics,Bjelicas,Anthonys,Andersons,Sarics,Galina ri and so on. If PF is not doing that it will be 2 times more difficut for Valanciunas to play inside,because that PF is not guarding our Pf that is not making shots and Jonas playing basically 1 vs 2 in offence...I didnt like Valanciunas+Sabonis together,we couldnt score...Valanciunas need PF near him that can shoot 3pointer,than he will be effective more and will have space to operate.I am not a fan of putting Sabonis together with Valanciunas after wathcing this olympics... Sabonis should replace Valanciunas,but not play them together.

Domantas too feels way better in center position,when he can show him moves inside.

Problem was only Jankunas is PF that can shoot,so Kazlauskas didnt have what to do.So he tried Sabonis ,but it wasnt working offensively.And when opponents saw that Sabonis isnt making shots,they shut down entire inside lane with C and PF near Valanciunas.

We need new Kleiza/Lavrinovics brother type player,but not play 2 centers together that both cant shoot...thats old a nd slow basketball and is not effective againts strong and well prepared opponents.


We dont have creators,we dont have shooters how the hell we still so good ?

[Hepcat]

PF in 21 century MUST HIT 3 pointers just must ! Look at Mirotics,Bjelicas,Anthonys,Andersons,Sarics,Galina ri and so on. If PF is not doing that it will be 2 times more difficut for Valanciunas to play inside,because that PF is not guarding our Pf that is not making shots and Jonas playing basically 1 vs 2 in offence...I didnt like Valanciunas+Sabonis together,we couldnt score...Valanciunas need PF near him that can shoot 3pointer,than he will be effective more and will have space to operate.I am not a fan of putting Sabonis together with Valanciunas after wathcing this olympics... Sabonis should replace Valanciunas,but not play them together.

Domantas too feels way better in center position,when he can show him moves inside.

Problem was only Jankunas is PF that can shoot,so Kazlauskas didnt have what to do.So he tried Sabonis ,but it wasnt working offensively.And when opponents saw that Sabonis isnt making shots,they shut down entire inside lane with C and PF near Valanciunas.

We need new Kleiza/Lavrinovics brother type player,but not play 2 centers together that both cant shoot...thats old a nd slow basketball and is not effective againts strong and well prepared opponents.

Very good points!

Team Lietuva had two major weaknesses this year. First of all at center. Despite having three on the roster,

A. The team didn't have a single huge physically dominant center. I'm talking 219 centimetres plus and not a string bean.

B. The team had no center who could shoot the three, and only one big (Jankūnas) who could shoot the three. That's why I frowned when Darjuš was told by his doctors that he needed a couple of months rest to mend his battered body. On this front Donatas Motiejūnas could/would have helped but he chose to hold out for a larger contract offer instead of playing for Team Lietuva.

C. The team didn't have a single center who was quick enough to defend both the three and protect the rim. Domantas Sabonis was perhaps quick enough but he just doesn't have the height plus wingspan of a true center so that the team's rebounding ended up suffering.

Secondly guard.

Mantas Kalnietis was amazing and far and away the best player on the team. And Renaldas Seibutis made a solid contribution as well. But when the only other guard who was given meaningful minutes on the floor was a 22 year old first timer who was no better than alright, the team couldn't go far. Perhaps had Rimantas Kaukėnas stuck around for one last kick at the can....

[Hepcat]

Spain broken our team mentaly and its was never same after that game....Kazlauskas is not magic men to overachieve all 4 summers.As i said after 2012 Olympics we will have problems,we dont have same tallent pool and no creative players at all.

Maybe that Spain game was indeed the key. Coach Kazlauskas was able to work his magic with teams that weren't as talented as the top teams from 2013-15 but there was nothing he could do with a team that was shell-shocked after the Spain debacle.

Did this team played better than 2012 team? i dont know,but what thing is for me i feel way more dissapointed how we finished the tournament...in 2012 we finished in fighting 1/4 game with some chances making semifinal... last 3 games 2016 team played like 2009 team...without a single chance...

I agree! Yes, the 2012 team didn't end up winning against anybody of note, but they really gave the United States a game and with an extra shot or two falling late in the game they might have won. And they were in the quarterfinal against Russia until the last half minute of play. So I ended up disappointed but I had a straw or two at which I could clutch. Meanwhile, although the 2016 team beat two decent teams in Brazil and Argentina, the only noteworthy memories I'll have of the team are nightmarish ones. Being annihilated by Spain and then thoroughly beaten in the quarterfinal, I mean I just want to forget the basketball portion of these Olympics.