Lithuanian league (LKL) - 2012/2013

[auris1]

So what do you think?
Zalgiris and lrytas playing only away games and one with each other during regular season?
For those who wonder ,it will be percentage what matters.
I know I am not going to be to popular by saying that it was a good decision.Maybe not the best,but still.
I personally will not listen to the arguments against based and biased on- soviet union,Russia etc.
I know too well that this is not the case.
I guess I am with coaches being interviewed for basketnews,who say that level of LKL is improving year by year ,which is true.
So many players ,decent ones for LKL standards are coming back,staying or never leave for that matter of the fact .But there are still ex or future or current Zalgiris/lrytas players not able to make the main teams.
Speaking in layman terms,we have big produce,and so little market for the product .Our surplus is good for Latvian,Estonian or Rumanian leagues etc.Our top crop plays for elite teams.Mid tier (no more than 20 players) gets a lifeline playing for Z/LR.
So for them to get to play against decent teams,beit Russians ,is so much more beneficial than to play against Lithuanian teams they never break sweat .And please,do remember,that Zalgiris plays in 15000 seater in every single game,so economics matters too.
http://www.basketnews.lt/news-51278-lkl-klubu-treneriai-nesidziaugia-sumazejusiu-rungtyniu-su-zalgiriu-ir-lietuvos-rytu-skaiciumi.html#axzz1wpBrsrn2

[Darknemo2000]

Second place for Rytas if we are lucky. If Djikic shows his full potential we could even end up third as we nearly did this year. No chance to nibble at the first place even if Romanov goes wacko and coaches Zalgiris himself.

And I dont like playing only out game. Somewhat its against fair sports whatever you say.

[EugeneUkraine]

Guys from Lithuania! There are one journalist in Ukraine writing article about lithuanian U-19 team, world champions. And he asking about coach Kazys Maksvytis. Can you help me please - is he good coach? Why he so good in U-19 team and so bad with Sakalai. Thanks a lot!

[auris1]

Guys from Lithuania! There are one journalist in Ukraine writing article about lithuanian U-19 team, world champions. And he asking about coach Kazys Maksvytis. Can you help me please - is he good coach? Why he so good in U-19 team and so bad with Sakalai. Thanks a lot!
maybe your friend should not call himself sport journalist in a first place.
It is like maths teacher asking advice of what is the answer of 2 plus 2

[Straight forward]

Guys from Lithuania! There are one journalist in Ukraine writing article about lithuanian U-19 team, world champions. And he asking about coach Kazys Maksvytis. Can you help me please - is he good coach? Why he so good in U-19 team and so bad with Sakalai. Thanks a lot!

You should hope there are some "Sakalai" fans around. Personally, I can only say this team had a young and not impressive roster. As for U-19 it's hard to say because this team had a lot of (!) talent and 3 different tournament MVP Valančiūnas.

Kinda Sireika's keys just in the youth level :)

[sagenas]

Guys from Lithuania! There are one journalist in Ukraine writing article about lithuanian U-19 team, world champions. And he asking about coach Kazys Maksvytis. Can you help me please - is he good coach? Why he so good in U-19 team and so bad with Sakalai. Thanks a lot!

In youth national team he had had Valančiūnas so things were much easier for him. Besides that, players like Redikas, Čižauskas, Ulanovas and Butkevičius are pretty decent at the level they were playing.

In Sakalai he had absolutely different capabilities to show good results - he had few veteran players who are about to retire (V.Sirvydis retired after this season...Lithuanian legend R.Matulis is questionable. He has declared that he is planning to retire, tho.) and very young core of the team.

E.Baniulis was playing only his second pro season after college experience, probably the main point guard A.Pečiukevičius suffered injuries all season long and wasn't able to help his team while Maskvytis had to play 18 old Jokūbas Gintvainis (the youngest player in whole LKL in the last season) as a PG (I guess we all know how important PGs are...).

It's really hard to evaluate Maskvytis' coaching level in his first LKL season. The roster was quite weak, there wasn't much what coach could do.

[auris1]

Guys from Lithuania! There are one journalist in Ukraine writing article about lithuanian U-19 team, world champions. And he asking about coach Kazys Maksvytis. Can you help me please - is he good coach? Why he so good in U-19 team and so bad with Sakalai. Thanks a lot!
I have piled myself just enough with a drink to be serious .
Your question is so close to oxymoron ,that it probably answers itself.
You know,sometimes people smoke victory cigar ,and I am just coming here with a nice analogy ,so Maksvytis probably started that cigar as soon as he was handed the job with a youth team 3 or 4 years ago and never really put it down as yet,but the cigar is near the end unfortunately.The cycle is nearly over(which I think it is a beautiful thing to let coaches carry on with a team they started at 16 or even before that) for him,natural end so to speak.
Very good analogy here with Sireika.
Sometimes you have to do very little to be a successful ,but still,he managed to be that person for 3 big tournaments so far.
And he wanted something new to challenge him ,that is why he accepted Sakalai job.He stayed for the whole season ,which is reasonable achievement in itself.Just because Sakalai did not get to the finals,it do not make him a bad coach.
And yes,they did not make it to the quarters too,which is ok( Sagenas post).
So all in all,he is a young and promising coach ,with some succes at youth level yet to deliver and prove himself on a adult world.Arent we all?

[auris1]

Sireika is ousted from Siauliai.
Not sure how to take it.
I personally do like his dedication,plus he looks like a very decent and genuine guy,especially i warmed up to him after reading his interview few days back.
I get it,results weren't there,but same way the budget of the team was ...meh
So Klimavicius seems to me saves his seat sacrificing his old mate.
Maybe i am wrong to interpret things the way i do

[auris1]

Well well well,what do you know - some things tend to come back and appear out of nowhere.
They said , in old times, that basketball coaches had a file for every single person who was over 2 meters tall and capable of catching a ball unassisted,years ago that was.
Times has changed , but to find a player over 215 unnoticed ,well,that is something.
Galdikas is to sign for Zalgiris, accordingly to most popular website in Lithuania. 23 years old,217 tall is to be delegated to farm team,what else here, but hey.
His life story is nothing but remarkable, not in a good way unfortunately.
Do a search on this website, there is link to an article in delfi.lt
I hope he can get his chance in life and take,because he seems to be very unlucky so far with his choices in life and injuries too

[sagenas]

Information about Galdikas was false. ;)

[auris1]

Information about Galdikas was false. ;)
Even so,i hope that the part of him being ready to restart his career is true.
BTW,i did mentioned the source of the information for the reason - bloody amateurs they are indeed as i suspected

[sagenas]

Even so,i hope that the part of him being ready to restart his career is true.
BTW,i did mentioned the source of the information for the reason - bloody amateurs they are indeed as i suspected

Have you ever read this article? http://gatve.delfi.lt/news/veidai/article.php?id=16536971

[auris1]

Have you ever read this article? http://gatve.delfi.lt/news/veidai/article.php?id=16536971
I did.
And if you read my post,there is a hint there too.
As in for searching delfi.
that is why i probably remembered him in a first place.
So weird

[sagenas]

Sorry, missed the sentence about his life story.

[Afraid]

Since there are rumors that Neptunas may fight for the spot in VTB, and to be allowed to do that, they must meet all requirements, including budget, I thought of an interesting scenario. What would happen if they would be asked to collect like 2M euro budget (optimistic, but looking at all VTB contestants of last season, it would be probably smallest by far). If Zalgiris and Rytas plays only away games next season in LKL, and Neptunas would come up with team, as strong as it is enough to beat all other in LKL easily, I see that there is a shot at at least 2nd spot in RS.
Sure, they actually didn't announce anything yet, and it is not certain to happen, but this scenario is valid for any team in LKL next season, that improves above Rudupis level. What do you guys think, can this stupid format of LKL this year be an opportunity for the 3rd strong team in LKL to rise, or this is unlikely?

[auris1]

Since there are rumors that Neptunas may fight for the spot in VTB, and to be allowed to do that, they must meet all requirements, including budget, I thought of an interesting scenario. What would happen if they would be asked to collect like 2M euro budget (optimistic, but looking at all VTB contestants of last season, it would be probably smallest by far). If Zalgiris and Rytas plays only away games next season in LKL, and Neptunas would come up with team, as strong as it is enough to beat all other in LKL easily, I see that there is a shot at at least 2nd spot in RS.
Sure, they actually didn't announce anything yet, and it is not certain to happen, but this scenario is valid for any team in LKL next season, that improves above Rudupis level. What do you guys think, can this stupid format of LKL this year be an opportunity for the 3rd strong team in LKL to rise, or this is unlikely?
i think it is a bluff.
No way they can get 2m .
You just assume that.
Anyways,Neptunas has no grounds to to be in vtb apart from some opportunist ideas - they have decent arena,and nothing else.

[Afraid]

I used Neptunas only as an example, because of the rumors, you can name the team which has grounds according to you, if any in Lithuania. And sure i assumed the budged, i don't say i know it will be like this, so no point pointing that out :)
On the other hand, 2m euros is like 7m litas, i think that 5m litas budget can happen, u think this is so impossible?

[Hepcat]

What is the proper translation of Kaunas Baltai - Whites or Balts?

:confused:

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

What is the proper translation of Kaunas Baltai - Whites or Balts?

:confused:


Balts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balts).

[auris1]

Aurimas Kieža (29 m., 203 cm), Laurynas Samėnas (23 m., 192 cm), Vytas Šulskis (23 m., 200 cm), Vitalijus Liutyčius (20 m., 198 cm), Papa Dia (25 m., 212 cm), Lewis Jacksonas (22 m., 178 cm).Klymas Artamonovas (18 m., 180 cm),Chrisas Stephensonas (22 m., 191 cm)
Introducing Siauliai for you.
And team is sponsored by head coach's Petrauskas father.
Love it.

[auris1]

Since there are rumors that Neptunas may fight for the spot in VTB, and to be allowed to do that, they must meet all requirements, including budget, I thought of an interesting scenario. What would happen if they would be asked to collect like 2M euro budget (optimistic, but looking at all VTB contestants of last season, it would be probably smallest by far). If Zalgiris and Rytas plays only away games next season in LKL, and Neptunas would come up with team, as strong as it is enough to beat all other in LKL easily, I see that there is a shot at at least 2nd spot in RS.
Sure, they actually didn't announce anything yet, and it is not certain to happen, but this scenario is valid for any team in LKL next season, that improves above Rudupis level. What do you guys think, can this stupid format of LKL this year be an opportunity for the 3rd strong team in LKL to rise, or this is unlikely?
So indeed,Neptunas got VTB place.
Well done.
They managed to sign D.Gailius as well,and are close to sign Andriuskevicius .
With an estimated budget of nearly 3 m Litas they are surely third team in Lithuania budget wise.
I still think that Prienai are smarter ,with only Pasvalys close to challenging them for the third place.

[macleopard13]

This would be the worst LKL team :) :

C: Adomas Drungilas, Edvinas Jezukevicius
PF: Aurimas Kieza, Rolandas Matulis
SF: Stepas Babrauskas, Osvaldas Matulionis, Zilvinas Jasinskis
SG: Marius Runkauskas, Ernestas Ezerskis, Gytis Sirutavicius
PG: Evaldas Dainys, Augustas Peciukevicius

[macleopard13]

Today's LKL SuperCup Boxscore

http://imageshack.us/a/img42/3190/rytasr.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img842/4333/zalgiris.jpg

[Roy M]

Today's LKL SuperCup Boxscore

http://imageshack.us/a/img42/3190/rytasr.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img842/4333/zalgiris.jpg


No ET in Super-Cup?

[auris1]

Did you mean over time?
No
This was outside basketball federation,so friendly game rules applies?
But then again,if you play without tv coverage,do something for the fans who paid money to see the game.
And Dulkys is not doing that well,unfortunately.
With all this hype and ,no,he should had been on nt team in Olimpics .
I guess no.

[Migelitas]

No ET in Super-Cup?

ET was possible only if LR was in the lead by 18pts after 40minutes.

[Roy M]

ET was possible only if LR was in the lead by 18pts after 40minutes.

I didn't know that it was the 2nd game.
So, Popovic's triple in the last sec was for nothing...

[Afraid]

So indeed,Neptunas got VTB place.
Well done.
They managed to sign D.Gailius as well,and are close to sign Andriuskevicius .
With an estimated budget of nearly 3 m Litas they are surely third team in Lithuania budget wise.
I still think that Prienai are smarter ,with only Pasvalys close to challenging them for the third place.

yeah, i thought that they will be forced to collect a minimal budget for VTB, but I had read the article where Kurauskas said, that they were allowed not to collect the minimal required budget.
Anyway, I also think that Neptunas will have some hard time with Prienai, they have connection, coach that they know, they have their roles in the team, whilst Neptunas have a bunch of individual players, who like to have the ball in their hands like Gailius, Mazeika, Runkauskas... on the other hand, they got Andriuskevicius, who, in my opinion is the best center in LKL (without Z or LR), while Prienai has Valeika and Slezas. In general, I hope these two teams will fight hard for 3rd place.

On Pasvalys.. new coach, foreign players new to european bball, few good lithuanians. If they will adjust to each other soon, and coach will be smarter than Stelmahers, use his foreigners smart, force them to defend hard, i believe the have a shot for 3rd place also, but currently I see them 5th.

[auris1]

Great game so far,Neptunas - Lrytas
Live streaming online too.
Streaming on www.basketnews.lt (official broadcast)
But it always lags for me,so look for alternative source at usual places.
Anyone needs a hint,just ask.
My bad,it is on lrytas tv.
Free so also on their website

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 1:

Xw9-osjXV2c

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 2:

PpQP1QNWot8

[auris1]

Is it you who makes them videos?
All good,apart from -
CC HH EE AA
My god,whole 6 minutes of the same?
Another thing- you need to put the DATE and the final RESULT ,before and after the game accordingly.
And you need to put players names scoring /passing etc.
Because i was guessing most of the times.It was not clear what team has what colours too.
I like cheerleaders too,but you have to be consistent.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

Is it you who makes them videos?
All good,apart from -
CC HH EE AA
My god,whole 6 minutes of the same?
Another thing- you need to put the DATE and the final RESULT ,before and after the game accordingly.
And you need to put players names scoring /passing etc.
Because i was guessing most of the times.It was not clear what team has what colours too.
I like cheerleaders too,but you have to be consistent.

No, I'm not the one that creates these videos. I jut posted the links. You can express you dissatisfaction by making some comments on youtube. The authors might appreciate your feedback.

By the way, regarding your comment about "CC HH EE AA" (I think you had music in mind): I actually liked it. I think instrumental music suits it more than some song. But of course this is subjective.

[auris1]

You can express you dissatisfaction by making some comments on youtube. The authors might appreciate your feedback.

You might call it dissatisfaction,I might call it constructive criticisms.
;)

[auris1]

I just finished watching Neptunas game,vs VEF in VTB.
My god ,this team has a long way to go to improve even to LKL third place contender level.
They were punished,punished badly by Latvians.
VEF is very decent team,don't get me wrong,but not to that extend where Neptunas as a team might collapse without any fight just like that.
Our two top players in the team- Gailius and Andriuskevicius ,looked like amateurs.
I have great deal of sympathy to Andriuskevicius regarding his injuries and absence .
He is just not ready for this level of competition.He will,eventually ,given time.
But Gailius is doing badly.
He is not playing smart game.
He is trying,out of frustration I guess ,to get the ball into the basket on his own,but he just can't do it .
He is just not that type of the player .
And I am not sure about Maksvytis.
I think he is the biggest question and weakest link for this team.
The guy has no pedigree ,just some luck in youth level.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL week 3:

n9YPn7088rI

[auris1]

Match of week starts just in ten minutes
Prienai vs Klaipeda Neptunas
Lean and mean Prienai attacking machine versus the team,that on paper should be better .
We will see.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

Match of week starts just in ten minutes
Prienai vs Klaipeda Neptunas
Lean and mean Prienai attacking machine versus the team,that on paper should be better .
We will see.

Online the game can be watched here (http://www.15min.lt/nubotv) (free registration is needed).

[auris1]

Online the game can be watched here (http://www.15min.lt/nubotv) (free registration is needed).

No it's not .
Only in Lithuania .
Do you have other links?
Let on tv is just black screen so far

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

No it's not .
Only in Lithuania .
Do you have other links?
Let on tv is just black screen so far

Unfortunately no, I don't.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

Neptūnas is not a contender for Prienai. Easy game (+18 after 2QT for Prienai). Neptūnas surprises me once again. If they won't improve their gameplay, I don't see them anywhere near the top 3.

[auris1]

Is it?
My my.
I was slightly suspicious when Neptunas had this well executed promo campaign to get to VTB,yet kept majority of the mediocre ,even by LKL standards ,team.
But you know what,it is not a bad thing.
They are trying to get the team to a higher level,just not very successfully .
Regarding Prienai - gosh,team filled with Lithuanians who are not quite good for Zalgiris or lrytas,not quite national team level,not quite good yet for decent contract abroad,yet....
They play well.
I do not expect any miracles in Europe ,but locally.

[auris1]

http://www.themusic.lt/tv/sport1.php
Ha,it works

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

But you know what,it is not a bad thing.


Agree.

Final score: Prienai vs. Neptūnas 92:68. 3 losses out of 4 in LKL. I still wonder how did they manage to give a fight to CSKA. Anyway, I wish them good luck. I like the idea that Klaipėda might have a strong team.

[auris1]

I like the idea that Klaipėda might have a strong team.
All you have to do is just swap teams.
Prienai is a big team in a small town.
Neptunas is ,well,ambitious team on paper.
Once you swap them around,it suddenly all makes sense.
Lithuanian team,trashing everyone by 20 plus points,playing in a big arena.
makes sense?

[macleopard13]

The only problem Rudupis has right now is at the center. Tautvydas is the only center on the team, and he's not that tall (2,06 m, I believe). Cukinas left, and the newcomer Urbutis isn't a center at all. Rudupis needs another young speed-loving Valanciunas-like center.

I'm following this team closely :). Orelikas keeps on dominating! 25 points (3/4 2PT, 4/5 3PT, 7/8 FT), 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 30 minutes against Neptunas. As of today, his efficiency is higher than Valanciunas' efficiency last season. If he performs like this against Rytas or Zalgiris, I want to see him in our training camp next summer :).

[Mindozas]

Agree.

Final score: Prienai vs. Neptūnas 92:68. 3 losses out of 4 in LKL. I still wonder how did they manage to give a fight to CSKA. Anyway, I wish them good luck. I like the idea that Klaipėda might have a strong team.

Neptunas is not a team (yet?). Bunch of individuals. If they has good night - they can give a fight to CSKA, which of course didn't play at 100% against them and is far from best shape. But in wrong day they suffers shamefull losses to Juventus, VEF, Prienai... Of course it's hard to expect decent team play when you have such ballhogs like f.e. Mazeika in your team, but good coach should solve such problems sooner or later. So far Maksvytis can't handle it. While Prienai are together for longer time, lot of individuals too, but they knows each other better, shares the ball, even tho I doubt this is thnx to Seskus, who is really mediocre coach. So IMO it's still a bit too early to judge Neptunas, they do have potential to be way better, but if in some month or so they won't improve even a bit - smth must be changed

[auris1]

The only problem Rudupis has right now is at the center. Tautvydas is the only center on the team, and he's not that tall (2,06 m, I believe). Cukinas left, and the newcomer Urbutis isn't a center at all. Rudupis needs another young speed-loving Valanciunas-like center.


Stop relying on Wikipedia .
Just watch a game for once .
Ciukinas played last night,albeit only for the last 20 seconds.

[auris1]

even tho I doubt this is thnx to Seskus, who is really mediocre coach.
Debatable ,this is.
I mean ,this team is winning by big margins and had two very decent seasons before,establishing themselves as team number 3 in Lithuania.
As things stands now,the gap increased ever so.
I don't see him coaching Zalgiris,but that is different .
Fro all I know he just keeps picking his nose and does fck all,but it is working.

[macleopard13]

Stop relying on Wikipedia .
Just watch a game for once .
Ciukinas played last night,albeit only for the last 20 seconds.

Actually, I got Cukinas leaving from krepsinis.net.

What, they pass off Valeika as a center? He's listed as PF everywhere, including Lithuanian sites.

[Mindozas]

Debatable ,this is.
I mean ,this team is winning by big margins and had two very decent seasons before,establishing themselves as team number 3 in Lithuania.
As things stands now,the gap increased ever so.
I don't see him coaching Zalgiris,but that is different .
Fro all I know he just keeps picking his nose and does fck all,but it is working.

I don't think it's debatable actually, cause the last sentence of yours tells more or less exactly what he is doin'... It looks like it works, but the thing is - he has almost nothing to do with it... Imagine if Prienai would have good coach, who not only would let them play run'n'gun bball, but also would set some defensive schemes, organize offense against defensivelly stronger rivals. Prienai would be much harder nut to crack not only for Z or LR, but could make some noise in Eurocup f.e.

[Dreamcatcher]

I think Seskus isn't very good coach overall. He would not be able to coach abroad, because he can't speak english at all (Hello to Prienai, who don't have and haven't had any foreigners). But the fact is that he's good with Prienai, he's a patriot of his village, he succeeded with this team. I believe he is a good motivator and i doubt there is a better coach for this team.

[auris1]

I think Seskus isn't very good coach overall. He would not be able to coach abroad, because he can't speak english at all (Hello to Prienai, who don't have and haven't had any foreigners). But the fact is that he's good with Prienai, he's a patriot of his village, he succeeded with this team. I believe he is a good motivator and i doubt there is a better coach for this team.
Hear hear.
He is right person for the right club at the right time.And he is all right.
Debatable is what do you call mediocre Mindozas .
Probably I would use this term more towards describing Maksvytis - pfrrrrr,and he is back to where he started.
Being nobody ,just drawing lucky card with Valanciunas.
You can't say he is level below mediocre because of his titles,yet he is not about that too.
Anyway,that's all semantics.
What appears to me that LKL naturally will shrink in size due to Sakalai going bust,and hopefully Palanga following suit( after releasing that super tall Georgian,this team has no one above 200 cm on roster,imagine that).
I do like that other Kaunas team,LSU.
Young students playing basketball ,none of them any famous (junior level),got to LKL by winning NKL.(not exactly,but...).

[auris1]

Another local story is that Panevezys released Sirtutavicius.
Funny one too.
First i read that he was dismissed for breaking team rules,than there is this reply from his agent,demanding to know of Panevezys policy regarding team's ambitions and player's playing times,than demanding to inform ,that it was agreement to terminate contract on both sides.Fair enough for latter part,if that was true,but...
Agent was claiming that before signing with team he was told that Panevezys was aiming for fourth place in LKL(ambitious,to say at least),and then he moans that coach Leonavicius was released(good one,as he said).
He demands to know if Panevezys is farm club for Zalgiris (hello,my friend,even I know it is),and threatening to recall another player from his agency,that Latvian Cyprus? guy.

Hence my question - is there such a thing that can be in contract as being guaranteed certain number of minutes?
Or is it more like verbal agreement with head coach?

[Afraid]

So far high expectation for this season somehow dropped down. Maybe it is too soon, but Neptunas so far sucks big time, which, i think leaves Prienai as clear for third place, as Zalgiris is for first. Also Lietkabelis released Leonavicius.. insane. He's probably best coach in the league after Plaza and maybe Seskus, and so devoted. Moving on, bottom of the table.. I knew that Sakalai and Palanga are going to suck, but could not imagine THIS MUCH. Good things are superb play of Prienai so far, which actually doesn't help to make this league more interesting unless they can challenge Rytas. To sum all up, i hope things get better, cause even level seems to be increased, i can not see intrigue in getting playoffs, or in medal contenders..

[auris1]

So far high expectation for this season somehow dropped down.
Not so sure why would you have them high expectation in a first place,but i do understand where are you coming from..
We have well established hierarchy in LKL.
Zalgiris and Lrytas fights for the gold,there are two teams fighting for bronze medals,two or three at the very bottom and the rest are happy to get to play off stages.
Ideally i would want lower echelon teams to be able to challenge teams above in the rankings.
So lets see -
in England bookmakers sometimes pay up well ahead of the actual result - so people who bet for Zalgiris winning LKL could be getting their money pretty soon if that was a case in Lithuania.(like paddy power paid winnings on B Obama winning presidential elections already- i do not bet,but i believe that was a case).
How about second place?
The only team capable to challenge lrytas is Prienai - and they are doing pretty good so far.Unlikely to happen in the end and for many reasons beyond fair play i guess.
There are two teams capable,hopefully,to challenge Prienai - Klaipeda and Siauliai. First one seemed to get reality check way too soon,with second one steadily and slowly building up.
There are bottom 3 teams in LSU ,Palanga and Sakalai,just struggling to stay afloat.
Utena,Panevezys,Kedainiai,Pasvaliai should win against bottom teams,loose against top one,and trade victories between themselves.
So in conclusion -
LKL got better for me.
Zalgiris is that stronger then last year,no question about it.
Lrytas seems to lack finances to challenge Zalgiris.
Prienai are as good as they will ever be,reaching their full potential for such a small city team.
Neptunas got ambitious, that's all,but it is a good sign.
Siauliai are very cautious,but dangerous.No bravado,but i think they have plans.
I do not think that PASVALYS is any good for us too.Too many foreign players.
We should cut LKL to ten teams, that's obvious,with last team being relegated to NKL.

[Afraid]

To begin with, why would Pasvalys be worse than Siauliai? They have more foreigners I suppose, and the youngsters that they try to develop, are Belorussians, which is maybe good for the club, but looking for developing Lithuanians they are beyond Pasvalys i guess..
And i actually like having 12 teams in LKL, maybe it sucks now, because bottom teams are actually too poor for the league, but they give chance to a lot of young players to show themselves and improve. I have hopes for Nevezis and Palanga after they will build new arenas. Because, why would you do that, if you are not thinking about getting better, improving stability and so on? Sure it is just hope there. And I would add Alytus, I think they are working to get back to LKL, and they would have infrastructure, which Prienai don't, they should have ambitions to get to euro tournaments and so on. Maybe i'm looking too far in the future, but league has to have vision.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 4-5:

gxgUwFrvmcg

[negerumas]

Tomorrow :
18:50 LKL čempionatas. Vilniaus „Lietuvos rytas“ - Kauno „Žalgiris“ here-
http://tv.lrytas.lt/live/

18:50 local time +2
16:50 Gmt+0 (london)

[auris1]

Tomorrow :
18:50 LKL čempionatas. Vilniaus „Lietuvos rytas“ - Kauno „Žalgiris“ here-
http://tv.lrytas.lt/live/

18:50 local time +2
16:50 Gmt+0 (london)
The only question that might arise is that of how many people will attend.
Probably both teams will be thinking of euroleague and getting things done for preparation.

Regarding number of teams in LKL.
Zalgiris eating alive them other teams and winning by 50 - who needs that?
Who would attend game vs Palanga in Kaunas?
No one would attend that game in Vilnius,that is for sure ,Palanga vs lrytas.
But - if we had 8 teams ,playing 4 rounds as in a regular season,with Zalgiris and lrytas playing away in 2?
And dropping that shamble what became of BBL?
I reckon them 8 teams are that close to each other,maybe apart from Prienai,who are stil beatable.
That would be one great competition.
30 games per regular season.another 14 for second round.Play offs then and a final.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 6:

urNLn38_l30

[Mindozas]

Tomorrow :
18:50 LKL čempionatas. Vilniaus „Lietuvos rytas“ - Kauno „Žalgiris“ here-
http://tv.lrytas.lt/live/

18:50 local time +2
16:50 Gmt+0 (london)

So it's 90:79 (http://www.lkl.lt/rungtynes/20121126/lietuvos-rytas-zalgiris/) for Zalgiris

Zalgiris started slow with bench players as starters, played poor most of the game, were down by 13 in 2nd half, but it's kinda weird feeling when even under such circumstances you still stay calm as you are sure everything will be fine one way or another...
Now it seems like the most one-sided LKL season this century, even that one with Sabas, when Zalgiris was beating Rytas in finals with av. ~20pts (or so) looked more interesting. But it's only my subjective feelings, maybe I just get bored throught the last years

[madmax]

It was the second or third full Rytas game that I've watched this season, and it ended up exactly the same way as the others, with Vilnius team starting strong and then slowly fading away as the second half of the game progresses...I'm not sure what is the reason for this phenomenon really - be it young inexperienced players, lack of conditioning or something else, but it's kinda baffling and depressing to watch frankly. Even if this team is the weakest in the last decade (or even since 1999 if we are being honest), such wild playing level swings are still very strange and difficult to fathom. I was never a fan of Maskoliunas, but I gues he is still much better than that clown Dzikic ever was. As it looks like this season is a lost case already, I hope some useless players (I'm looking at Smaradziski and that bulgarian fella here in particular) will be released as soon as possible. Clear the roster of the trash and acquire some young local bigmen to finish the season already.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 7:

rAm5X4oYyro

[auris1]

This is the end of the road for Sakalai,it seems.
After so many years ,and i am surprised that it took so long,this team will probably fold for good.
If it happens,this team will be cherished as the one with most resilience and worse/best management ever - worst for not having any money at all and yet keeping the team going for so long.
Not sure who owns the team,but GM must be having golden gobble of absorbing and spitting out the bullshit,so much that no one really believes it is over.
And it is.
Good.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 8:

Veqi9m6av2g

[Afraid]

Really so little attention LKL gets. I'm actually enjoying it so far so much. Prienai knocked down Rytas, Neptunas stats to come up with a better game, and they also released Andriuskevicius, signed Galdikas and Vasylius. Middle of the table is also so much fun, seeing 5 teams - Juventus, Siauliai, Nevezis, Pieno zvaigzdes and Lietkabelis fighting for play off spot, and for 5th, 6th positions in order not to play Rytas or Zalgiris. Also, Lietkabelis youth - Jogela and Butkevicius showing signs of huge potential in the future to join Zalgiris. Only bottom is a little sad. Gotta cheer for Palanga to leave this league, ever since they joined LKL it was only pain - seeing them placing bets against themselves and not a single decent season of bball. Hope that Dzukija will replace them in near future.

[auris1]

Really so little attention LKL gets. I'm actually enjoying it so far so much.
true.
Saddest part is that for some teams season is nearly over,like 2 months in.
I read interview with with someone fwom lsu -baltai (head coach or Nickus, don't remember).
They have like 5 games up till April,where they used to play close to 100 in NKL a season compared to 30 this time around. Shame, really.
Just in the last 7 days i watched 3 games in LKL,with only one being lame(neptunas -pasvalys),and Pan vs Utena and Prienai vs Lrytas being very very entertaining.
Not bad .
edit

damn this auto save feature here,it doesn't work.Loosing all my effort for at least of 15 minutes of writing.
Anyway,i think we need like 4 rounds in LKL,at least.
and here we have good website to follow live games in LKL or NKL,plus all the games on repeat.
http://sportotv.lt
Do click youtube link afterwards once you are in the game you would like to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cYQK4EPSAc
Head coach of Sakalai post game interview - i am sure he is on coke or something,still good viewing

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 9:

5UBA3kr3i_U

[macleopard13]

Rytas going through some tough times. Two weeks ago, they lost to Prienai, and today, they were humiliated by Spartak on their home court. Why is it that they can't compete with decent teams anymore? Surely, Rytas is a young team. Is it the lack of motivation, is it inexperience, is it bad coaching?

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 10:

aDZwXSgwx6M

[macleopard13]

Rytas trying to salvage their hopeless situation by reportedly targeting Milt Palacio, a 35-year-old point guard.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 11:

GHHF4-16H7M

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 12:

rGIMRXpLa7M

[Straight forward]

Watching some Sakalai lately as they have many young guns because of bad financial situation. They have Dambrauskas (21yo?), solid slasher, pretty quick, but not the best ball handler and limited shooting skills for a guard, Gintvainis (18 yo) who runs the flour very well, good ball handler and decent slasher. He was one of better players of U18 silver medals team, but his talent is questionable, tends to ballhog and his individual effort is offten pretty awkward. Krestininas (18yo), has good motor and some athleticism, but basically has no offensive skills at the moment and in my eyes is 3/4 tweener his body wise. Šeškus (17yo), the main reason to follow this young team, makes kinda strange impression. For 17yo most of the time he looks solid and cool, he rarely shoots, but usually is accurate. But he obviously avoids initiative and sticks to very passive role in offensive end. This might be awareness that he's still young and shouldn't try to do too much, but he could be more aggressive knowing Sakalai situation. Interesting case, but he should play in NKL at the given stage of career and to polish his skills having bigger role, IMO. I liked what he did in his age group and he looked as a player to look after. Hopefully someone is working with him because from what I've seen, Sakalai is a mess and their coach has no illusions changing this. Lithuanian BB federation should think about new working places - individual coaches of young guns.

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

LKL Week 13-14:
K6ASOxVmN10

LKL Week 15:
USmVbs4VZsY

LKL Week 16:
cuq2L6YBrl4

LKL Week 17:
xdbzQDGdhU8

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

Fuck it...

lRj9hLu0ve0

[Shawshank]

Fuck it...

lRj9hLu0ve0


That last game between zalgiris and rytas was strange. First half zalgiris was dominating and was winning by 15 points and in the 2 half happend something that i still dont understand.Maybe that result is betetr for lithuanian team basketball,rytas have to play in final and euroleague qualification tournament,but still that game had bad smell atleast for me.If rytas is winning only after overtime when zalgiris missed 18 free throws and let 15 points lead disapear in 3 querter,rytas will have limited chances do anything serious in 7 game series.Most likely 4-1 how it look now.But if zalgiris lost that game on purpose shame on them !

[Mindozas]

I don't know was it on purpose or not, and actually I don't care, cause what I saw was enough for me to don't give a fuck about the club anymore this season. The same way some players simply doesn't give a shit too. If you don't respect 15k peoples who came to support you, did it all season long, so atleast have some selfrespect, dignity and give the best you can. Or if you don't want to play - don't fucking play at all, pretend some injury or smth, leave the club, go somewhere else and don't take someone's else place.
It was like spit into the face for the fans. Disgrace. I don't care if they'll win finals 4-0 now. Screw them, hopefully next season I won't see some of these "I-don't give-a-fuck" faces

[Shawshank]

I don't know was it on purpose or not, and actually I don't care, cause what I saw was enough for me to don't give a fuck about the club anymore this season. The same way some players simply doesn't give a shit too. If you don't respect 15k peoples who came to support you, did it all season long, so atleast have some selfrespect, dignity and give the best you can. Or if you don't want to play - don't fucking play at all, pretend some injury or smth, leave the club, go somewhere else and don't take someone's else place.
It was like spit into the face for the fans. Disgrace. I don't care if they'll win finals 4-0 now. Screw them, hopefully next season I won't see some of these "I-don't give-a-fuck" faces


Those players who played this season for zalgiris do not deserve this words.They played half free for entire season,you can say they played bad,but to say that they do not care about fans this is too much.If they do not care about team and fans,all of them had right to leave team in janyeary or february,when there were 3 months no payments.But almost all players stayed.Those players gave themself for entire season and played not getting money.They just had of the worst game at home this season.You are overracting,those players that are you saying are not give a shit about zalgiris and fans,GAVE LITHUANIAN BASKETBALL FANS SEASON TO REMEMBER!
No matter what happens in saturday game,you can erase all season,when zalgiris played best season in last 10 years.

[macleopard13]

I saw the game, wasn't too impressed (especially after I watched the Raptors-Bulls game - Raptors finally played some beautiful basketball with great teamwork). Zalgiris looked really lost on offense and played poor defense against Rytas in the fourth quarter - that's what did them in. Rytas played a little better on offense and won the game. But both teams played sloppy basketball highly uncharacteristic of the rivalry games 5-10 years ago.

I miss this type of basketball:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYkYurovH60

[Mindozas]

Those players who played this season for zalgiris do not deserve this words.They played half free for entire season,you can say they played bad,but to say that they do not care about fans this is too much.If they do not care about team and fans,all of them had right to leave team in janyeary or february,when there were 3 months no payments.But almost all players stayed.Those players gave themself for entire season and played not getting money.They just had of the worst game at home this season.You are overracting,those players that are you saying are not give a shit about zalgiris and fans,GAVE LITHUANIAN BASKETBALL FANS SEASON TO REMEMBER!
No matter what happens in saturday game,you can erase all season,when zalgiris played best season in last 10 years.

They deserves every freaking letter for the game like this and even more. Why did youngsters who ain't rich and also ain't getting money found the motivation to play, while those millionaires can't? They suddenly had nothing to eat or what? It's funny. Let's not act like they're some kind of heroes or smth. Under such circumstances a hero might be a teacher, doctor who works for free or minimal wage, but not players who are mostly overpaid with huge money. I closed my eyes when they did it in Berlin, I stayed cool when the same shit happened in Klaipeda. They showed little bit wilness in Prienai, when regular season was at stake, but still it was pathetic. I've wrote it all off to that fact of not getting money and etc. But now, at home, infront of 15k fans they can't motivate themselves to play and spits into the faces to all the people who paid money, supported them all season long and even longer, filled the arena no matter what... That's disgrace. Like Sabas said couple of weeks ago when players said they'll go on strike: act like a real men, stop bein' pussies and play... Some just can't. After seein' this, it'd have been better if some would have just left for good when could. While they stayed mostly thnx to Plaza, the guy who really deserves the praise, recognition and has cojones. You know the sayin' - it's really hard to earn the respect, but it's really easy to lose it.
Anyways, that's just mine point of view, you might agree, you might not, but I'm really dissapointed. I don't mind the loss, I don't mind the rival, I just can't stand seein' emotionless faces on court. And this game was the last drop that spilled the cup. Win or die tryin'

[LuDux]

Last year all games in Lithuania were lost because of betting. I wonder who or what will be blamed next year

[Shawshank]

They deserves every freaking letter for the game like this and even more. Why did youngsters who ain't rich and also ain't getting money found the motivation to play, while those millionaires can't? They suddenly had nothing to eat or what? It's funny. Let's not act like they're some kind of heroes or smth. Under such circumstances a hero might be a teacher, doctor who works for free or minimal wage, but not players who are mostly overpaid with huge money. I closed my eyes when they did it in Berlin, I stayed cool when the same shit happened in Klaipeda. They showed little bit wilness in Prienai, when regular season was at stake, but still it was pathetic. I've wrote it all off to that fact of not getting money and etc. But now, at home, infront of 15k fans they can't motivate themselves to play and spits into the faces to all the people who paid money, supported them all season long and even longer, filled the arena no matter what... That's disgrace. Like Sabas said couple of weeks ago when players said they'll go on strike: act like a real men, stop bein' pussies and play... Some just can't. After seein' this, it'd have been better if some would have just left for good when could. While they stayed mostly thnx to Plaza, the guy who really deserves the praise, recognition and has cojones. You know the sayin' - it's really hard to earn the respect, but it's really easy to lose it.
Anyways, that's just mine point of view, you might agree, you might not, but I'm really dissapointed. I don't mind the loss, I don't mind the rival, I just can't stand seein' emotionless faces on court. And this game was the last drop that spilled the cup. Win or die tryin'

you are not real fan,you are fake.I dont even want to go details,i juts can repeat these years zalgiris players do not deserve such words from nobody like you.It they will lose such fake fan like you what a big lose by zalgiris comunity...its will be hard to overcome this lose :)
You are like those fake rytas fans,when team was winning they supported team and now to siemens comes cska or barcelona and they can even fill arena.Zalgiris right now has bad months thats all and i can understand them after all they have to go this season. When they gonna play better in may against rytas in final and vtb,please do not comeback.Zalgiris do not such pathetic fans.Ask any other sport profesional to play for free and they will show you middle finger.even those angels doctors without "dirty money before" wont help with anything.So keep that doctors or other profesions tales to yourself,its not players zalgiris players fault,that those money is that big everywhere.When you playing so many games there always will be some weeks,that players are not giving the effort they should,but that effort will come back in more important games.

[Test]

Wondering if you guys really believe that zalgiris lost to rytas on purpose, or that zalgiris didn't try enough? Why then they gathered 17 pts advantage in the first place?

[madmax]

I always find these arrogant green fans so amusing to say the least...their minds can't wrap around the idea of losing a game to their most hated opponent, so they start creating all kinds of conspiracy theories why this happened. A bunch of brainwashed fools or, dare I say, bunch of deluded souls. Bless them:D

[Mindozas]

you are not real fan,you are fake.I dont even want to go details,i juts can repeat these years zalgiris players do not deserve such words from nobody like you.It they will lose such fake fan like you what a big lose by zalgiris comunity...its will be hard to overcome this lose :)
You are like those fake rytas fans,when team was winning they supported team and now to siemens comes cska or barcelona and they can even fill arena.Zalgiris right now has bad months thats all and i can understand them after all they have to go this season. When they gonna play better in may against rytas in final and vtb,please do not comeback.Zalgiris do not such pathetic fans.Ask any other sport profesional to play for free and they will show you middle finger.even those angels doctors without "dirty money before" wont help with anything.So keep that doctors or other profesions tales to yourself,its not players zalgiris players fault,that those money is that big everywhere.When you playing so many games there always will be some weeks,that players are not giving the effort they should,but that effort will come back in more important games.

And it's all you can come with? Calling other people names like fake cause it doesn't suit your obsessed point of view? Classy. Fake cause I hate to see fake game like this? Alright then, I'm fake. It's really sad to see such obsessed people like you, who can't see the obvious and looks for some lame excuses again and again even got spit into the face. I wonder do you even believe in these theories by yourself... There's times when team deserves recognition even after a losses, there's times when they deserves heavy critics, but you seem can't get it. let it be

[auris1]

well,i will try to do it a hard way - that is, instead of quoting someone you disagree with and turning every sentence they wrote your way, down to the bottom of the quote opposing,instead,just to...expressing myself.
First of all -i watched the game - from the start to the finish.That is the fact i would like to base my opinion on.
I had this feeling,even before the game had started,that lrytas would win.So i have to stop myself there and think - how come...I do not gamble,and if i did,i would had put my money on zalgiris,without a shadow of a doubt.
All in all,it makes sense...The word i am trying to imply is resolution.This result was good for everyone - for the both teams and for fans of both teams too(which is LKL finals) .Good for the basketball too...
The only implication there is that Zalgiris dropped the game.
Anyone could think so unless they watched the game.And i did.And i say -no way
After first quarter,and into mid second i thought - no shit,Lrytas have to do better.And believe me,i was 1000 percent sure that they should win..I just did not see the way they could.Zalgiris was dominating ,lrytas was missing all the shots and looking shit.
In the end,Bendzius did some magic,and the rest is history.
There is no conspiracy ,when one good team looses to another,because they lack inspiration ,motivation,wages and motive.
Because motive was never the case for Zalgiris.
Regarding that Zalgiris fan throwing the season ticket - comes the finals,he will regret.I am sure he will claim it lost property and will try to replace it.What else..
I do the tantrums now and then,nobody cares

[lafa]

If I'm not mistaken if some team wins after OT it is considered a tie by bookies, isn't it? So in this particular situation house won...

[auris1]

If I'm not mistaken if some team wins after OT it is considered a tie by bookies, isn't it? So in this particular situation house won...
I would like to know that too.Seems a bit unfair,but than again,thats the game there only bookies win in any case.
What annoys me as well,that bookies can claim that the game was suspicious if they loose big time and they can withdraw any winnings,citing some terms like in capital T's and C's and some other legal reasons.
Just to give you some idea there is fact i read (somewhere) - Most deprived areas in Uk have largest amount of betting offices(as in per person,as well as in square mile).This and take aways.And pubs are closing at a rapid rate,not that i go drinking there anymore.

[auris1]

anyways,back on topic.
Just watched the second half of the Zalgiris/neptunas game.
If it was a final,or even game for the third place,that would have been pretty miserable experience.
Stellar performance from Juskevicius,who finished the game with 27 points,but then again,it could had been anyone in Zalgiris.
I hope Prienai will have a good game tomorrow,and they might even win ,once,but.

Now, in other news,LKL president Kliokys? resigned after 10 years on the job.
Just about right ,because (in my opinion),there was too many mistakes made -firstly, not enough games - 20 games per season as an average is a joke.
Secondly,allowing the teams like Sakalai to participate in the tournament.I am sure that gives bad name to a leagues as organisation

[Straight forward]

As expected comfotable win by Žalgiris in the first game of the final: 88-73

Kuzminskas should be in the NT even if we have other two quality SFs (considering Kleiza as PF). He already brings energy, aggressiveness and after Kleiza's injury might be the second most athletic players after Valančiūnas of Lithuania.

Good to see Javtokas healthy and playing solid. I don't see who could be better back-up for Jonas than him at the moment.

Juškevičius didn't play well tonight, but I wish Rytas will grab at least 1 win at home to give more experience for this guy. He will be a back up PG.

All in all, I feel very positive today - I smell a hell of run in Eurobasket no matter results. I mean we finally have fresh legs that can beat the meat. We not necessary be among top teams, but it should be a pure pleasure to watch it after half injured and half barely walking Olympic team.

[auris1]

for anyone ,like me ,who missed the game,here are links from official lrytas website,starting with first q:

http://tv.lrytas.lt/?id=13673463951366714078
http://tv.lrytas.lt/?id=13673464341366661239
http://tv.lrytas.lt/?id=13673482101365372251
http://tv.lrytas.lt/?id=13673526821365434319

Overall impression - if there was ten games in the finals,the score would be ten to nothing to Zalgiris,that bad .
Watching first ten minutes should be enough .
Yes,lrytas might win,and probably will,one game at least.But only because Zalgiris would be playing badly,which we all know this team is more than capable of.

I think i wrote already,but i feel that i have to repeat myself again,that if anything good (not much at all it seems)came from Romkas legacy, is Kuzminskas.
His vertical jump is nothing but amazing for a white guy,especially looking so scrawny.Kurtinaitis said that he likes his plasticity ? and it is his biggest asset ,and in order to keep it,he should not be building his body mass/muscles.I agree - he is perfectly build for european basketball as it is.And i am hundred percent sure he has to be in our NT team.
I am not quite sure who is his direct competition - Maciulis(war horse),Jasaitis(old) or Jankunas(injured),but i have no problem in omitting them all if necessary,which won't be a case i guess.
And there is a thing i hope for - he is still improving.
And yet,there was one alike him before - Jomantas.What a dormant and shy player he had become.4 years ago he was top player(ULEB Eurocup champion 2009).I still remember his block against Lampe in a final,my god,it won them the game and a title.He killed single handedly Zalgiris in LKL finals too.He was scoring left and right,not that much,but with confidence.I am quite surprised he never played for national team though after checking in wiki,although i remember him wearing green colours at some point.
The same goes to Bebras.Never a talent,but going strong for Kurtis.Now he keeps dropping a towel all the time,instead of the ball.
Bendzius - he chose to pass a ball at least five times when he had clear shot,twice in dying seconds hence losing possession.
Buterlevicius - that is a player who had done well in euroleague,for fuck sake,being 20.Four years later ,pfffff.
Seibutis - ,what,he is 28 too i guess.I do not want to see him in Nt anymore.
Anyways,tomorrow is another game,this time for a third place -
http://tv.lrytas.lt/live/
Prienai at home versus Klaipeda
Players to watch - Orelikas vs Gailius.
Both are worth being in our B NT team,but no more for now

[macleopard13]

I am not quite sure who is his direct competition - Maciulis(war horse),Jasaitis(old) or Jankunas(injured),but i have no problem in omitting them all if necessary,which won't be a case i guess.
And there is a thing i hope for - he is still improving.

I'd rather go with Jasaitis being booted from the NT at the last moment. Maciulis is much needed - his passion, determination and physicality will do us good. He's not the most efficient offensive player, but he can play some tough D. He made a good choice when he signed with the physical Panathinaikos. Jasaitis can be efficient, but he is getting old, and his accuracy isn't superb (~30% in Eurocup). So Kuzminskas could replace Jasaitis.



And yet,there was one alike him before - Jomantas.What a dormant and shy player he had become.4 years ago he was top player(ULEB Eurocup champion 2009).I still remember his block against Lampe in a final,my god,it won them the game and a title.He killed single handedly Zalgiris in LKL finals too.He was scoring left and right,not that much,but with confidence.I am quite surprised he never played for national team though after checking in wiki,although i remember him wearing green colours at some point.

Jomantas used to be a good contributor for Rytas till 2009. Butautas' misuse of Jomantas' abilities (trying to pass him off as a PG and keeping him on court when he sucked) ruined his confidence. After Kurtinaitis left, the new coach probably noticed his lack of confidence and sentenced him to the bench. Now, he shows only flashes of his former self.


Bendzius - he chose to pass a ball at least five times when he had clear shot,twice in dying seconds hence losing possession.
Buterlevicius - that is a player who had done well in euroleague,for fuck sake,being 20.Four years later ,pfffff.
Seibutis - ,what,he is 28 too i guess.I do not want to see him in Nt anymore.


Seibutis is the best SG we have as of now (Pocius used to be our best one, but I don't know how he is after the injury). I don't see anyone else on our NT (including Gecevicius).
Bendzius has a nice hand. He still needs to improve his decision making, however.

[Straight forward]

I'd rather go with Jasaitis being booted from the NT at the last moment. Maciulis is much needed - his passion, determination and physicality will do us good. He's not the most efficient offensive player, but he can play some tough D. He made a good choice when he signed with the physical Panathinaikos. Jasaitis can be efficient, but he is getting old, and his accuracy isn't superb (~30% in Eurocup). So Kuzminskas could replace Jasaitis.

Mačiulis should be one of the key players this summer in my eyes. Jasaitis also is one of the most stable and most reliable (so one of the best) NT players last 6 years and he's still good. Why these players should even be questioned while we have Pocius, Jankūnas, Gecevičius, Javtokas (and open second spot at 1)...



Seibutis is the best SG we have as of now (Pocius used to be our best one, but I don't know how he is after the injury). I don't see anyone else on our NT (including Gecevicius).


I don't think Seibutis is best SG. If Pocius is healthy he's surely better. Even Gecevičius is way more interesting case, IMO, with his 3p shooting % and ability to PASS and play PICK & ROLL. I see just a tastless scoring effort from Seibutis which is always limited in the big stage.

[madmax]

Seibutis is still the best SG we have right now...neither Gecevicius nor Pocius have proven that they can play better than Renaldas recently. He's a leader of his team and he still puts up quite impressive numbers. I've no doubt in my mind that Kazlauskas will take him to NT and he will most probably be in starting 5 too.

[Shawshank]

rytas yesterday give everything they got and still it wasnt enough.After this lose series is over,most likely 4-0.When they will return to siemens 3-0 rytas will not have same energy as they had yesterday,because loosing 0-3 you will not have same believe.

Pocius,Seibutis,Gecevicius have chances in our nationalteam.Pocius looked like best of them,he has huge explosiness that is rare in lithuanian players.But nobody knows how Martynas gonna feel after injury,so most likely Renaldas will be starting SG atleast at the begining of tournament,but i dont count off pocius.When he is healthy Pocius>Seibutis.

[AmonRA]

final is play on best of 3 or 4?

[rikhardur]

final is play on best of 3 or 4?
Best of 4.

[AmonRA]

ok, thanx... when is the next game?

[rikhardur]

ok, thanx... when is the next game?
http://www.lkl.lt/rungtynes/20130504/zalgiris-lietuvos-rytas/

[auris1]

Kudos for lrytas.
Again,i only managed to catch video replay online,so you never get the full intensity of the game,when you can skip through time outs and long break .
It was close game,yet predictable outcome.
O'brien? and Palacio are the players that never should have been brought to the team.
Dismissing Ivanov did not help too.
Seibutis, although undoubtedly a leader,but lacking ...lacking leadership?Class?Something is there that is missing to make him a great player.Just little there,little there.So he is trying,scoring,passing,defending,and it is always not enough.
He looks to be like a strong ,very strong bench player,just wearing uncomfortable shoes due to certain circumstances .
Nedovic,i like him very much.He will go far.
So all in all,Zalgiris ,with its comfortable bench ,fighting a team with no bench,and whose starting five would hardly ever even be on Zalgiris bench.
Yet
Go and figure)

[eidsonas]

i am Lietuvos rytas fan, so i very dissapointed this season... Truly disaster.. Very bad rooster, too mach changes in season time... Where is fighter spirit??? It is excatly was helping Lietuvos rytas in the past - well rooster,without spending lot of money, energetic players. And now O'Bryant, Palacio...Disaster

[auris1]

Where is fighter spirit???
The spirit is there,i guess...But..
Too many mistakes,even with little money they had,in assembling the team.
Changing 2 head coaches did not help either.
No vision as of that they wanted the team to be like.
Bit of this,bit of that,one bargain there,another here,did not work,then one gamble there, another there,got burned,so they gambled more and burned even more.
In the end the team looks mongrel instead of the pedigree lrytas used to have.

[auris1]

Klaipeda took second game,but no tv coverage?
Tvgyvai took coverage and fucked it up big time.very slow slide show ,that it was like.
Shame...good game,that went into over time

[Z.A.L.I.A.]

Klaipeda took second game,but no tv coverage?
Tvgyvai took coverage and fucked it up big time.very slow slide show ,that it was like.
Shame...good game,that went into over time

You can always watch games live on http://www.sportotv.lt/. Or watch replays (full games) on their youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/SportoTelevizija/.

[macleopard13]

Rytas crushed in the third LKL final game 45:72. That's an anti-record for Rytas. The only Rytas player who didn't suck was Seibutis - 23 mins, 12 pts, 2 ast, 1 stl. Even against tough opponents like Zalgiris Seibutis leads his team. And some of you thought he was a bad option for our national team :rolleyes:.

[auris1]

You can always watch games live on http://www.sportotv.lt/. Or watch replays (full games) on their youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/SportoTelevizija/.
I knew about their website,and I am gonna book the YouTube channel,thanks for that.
I was more mad that no national tv channel had broadcasted the game.
And I appreciate the willingness of sportotv to broadcast in hd,but they do not have capacity I guess to deal with that many people watching the game at the same time- so dropping the frame rate automatically would be a solution that I am looking forward for them to implement.

[auris1]

Rytas crushed in the third LKL final game 45:72. That's an anti-record for Rytas. The only Rytas player who didn't suck was Seibutis - 23 mins, 12 pts, 2 ast, 1 stl. Even against tough opponents like Zalgiris Seibutis leads his team. And some of you thought he was a bad option for our national team :rolleyes:.
Leading a team in a game lost?He is trying hard,and that is admirable.

[Straight forward]

No-one said Seibutis shouldn't be in the NT (he would even be a starter if Eurobasket would start in 2 weeks or 1 month). My point is, he still not starting lineup material and will never be.

It used to be Kurtinaitis, Štombergas, Šiškauskas, Macijauskas, Kaukėnas.

If Seibutis will start, that will be the second worst option we had at starting 5 after Lukauskis.

[Shawshank]

No-one said Seibutis shouldn't be in the NT (he would even be a starter if Eurobasket would start in 2 weeks or 1 month). My point is, he still not starting lineup material and will never be.

It used to be Kurtinaitis, Štombergas, Šiškauskas, Macijauskas, Kaukėnas.

If Seibutis will start, that will be the second worst option we had at starting 5 after Lukauskis.

i dont know why you dont like seibutis maybe he misses some qaulity but i love his passion,his warrior character and that usually even outcompensates some lack of quality. Such fighters like Seibutis is like pain in ass for everybody.Nobody wants to play againts such player that never give up.Remember match against iran when we were in huge trouble seibutis did wonderfull job on both ends of the floor when he got the minutes in 4 querter.I now if kazlauskas will give Renaldas 15-20min he wont let us down im sure about that.

[auris1]

i dont know why you dont like seibutis maybe he misses some qaulity but i love his passion,his warrior character and that usually even outcompensates some lack of quality. Such fighters like Seibutis is like pain in ass for everybody.Nobody wants to play againts such player that never give up.Remember match against iran when we were in huge trouble seibutis did wonderfull job on both ends of the floor when he got the minutes in 4 querter.I now if kazlauskas will give Renaldas 15-20min he wont let us down im sure about that.
Look,everybody likes Seibutis.He is like Raymond.But at some point we have to put dead horses down.
Your example, again ,is very questionable to sustain your argument- Iran?The game against Iran?Opponent as tough as any we will get in EU 2013?Nah...
He is one hell of a player not to be blamed for the lack of trying,that is for sure...But...He will never never be a key player in our NT team,that is for sure.
I am sure he will have his place in rotation,from the bench,and that is how good he will ever be.
OK,maybe i could re adjust myself for flexibility.
Yes,he could be starting ,but his game would have to be totally different .Maybe,in the game where he has no real pressure to be a leader ,he could be useful in so many different ways.He is a good bb player,not great,but still very capable.Who knows,maybe his greatest strength is to play the game where he has no pressure to be a leader.

[Shawshank]

Look,everybody likes Seibutis.He is like Raymond.But at some point we have to put dead horses down.
Your example, again ,is very questionable to sustain your argument- Iran?The game against Iran?Opponent as tough as any we will get in EU 2013?Nah...
He is one hell of a player not to be blamed for the lack of trying,that is for sure...But...He will never never be a key player in our NT team,that is for sure.
I am sure he will have his place in rotation,from the bench,and that is how good he will ever be.
OK,maybe i could re adjust myself for flexibility.
Yes,he could be starting ,but his game would have to be totally different .Maybe,in the game where he has no real pressure to be a leader ,he could be useful in so many different ways.He is a good bb player,not great,but still very capable.Who knows,maybe his greatest strength is to play the game where he has no pressure to be a leader.

you didnt understand my point doesnt matter opponent its was iran or south africa,but our starting 5 were loosing by 15 points against that iran (with ,kleiza,kalnietis,valanciunas,pocius) and that kemzura went to bench with jasikevicius,songaila and seibutis and they turn around all game that was elimination game for us and Renaldas was huge in those moments.My point is that he can be game changer from the bench in some games and play even better than starters.He do not affraid of nobody and plays good defence too.But agree seibutis is better coming from bench,if opponents wont take him seriuos he can make them alot of trouble.Seibutis will be in that 8-9 man rotation.Kazlauskas likes seibutis,he took him to olimpiakos team so i expect bigger role for Renaldas in kazlauskas team than it was under kemzura.

What do you mean dead horse ? Seibutis at age 28 right now is playing his best basketball he ever will play.He is not dead horse he is mots energetic player we have.The more fighters like seibutis the tougher our team will be.About that he never will be key player i do not agree,firstly he was leader back in 2005 when our u-21 become world champs and that team had half of our men team right now has.Seibutis can be leader in some moments and can become key player in some games.I do not say he will better than kleiza,but is some games he can and have played better even than kleiza.The more players like that like maciulis,seibutis even jasaitis that in some games can become scoring leaders we have the stronger we will be.For me seibutis is one for those players that can help when all our team strugles.If he do not have kleizas or valanciunas tallent doesnt mean he can became key player in some games.We are playing team game,not individual one like americans.Seibutis is perfect fit for our team.Im zalgiris fan,but i truly like seibutis game,he play the game of basketball like true lithuanian should play leave everything you have on basketball couart.I always liked such players.

[Hepcat]

you didnt understand my point doesnt matter opponent its was iran or south africa,but our starting 5 were loosing by 15 points against that iran (with ,kleiza,kalnietis,valanciunas,pocius) and that kemzura went to bench with jasikevicius,songaila and seibutis and they turn around all game that was elimination game for us and Renaldas was huge in those moments.

Huh?! When and where was this elimination game against Iran?

:confused:

[macleopard13]

Huh?! When and where was this elimination game against Iran?

:confused:

He probably meant the game Tunisia at the London Olympics. Seibutis scored 10 points, had 2 assists, a steal and a block in 16 minutes in that game. We were down 7-18 in the first quarter and rallied in the final quarter 26-9 to win the game. We only won that game because of the veterans (the three of them scored half of our team points :rolleyes: ).

[AmonRA]

Gontgratz to Zalgiris! :D

[auris1]

Gontgratz to Zalgiris! :D
Knowing current Zalgiris situation,this title means very little to me.Obviously.lrytas as a team went from bad to even worse somehow,and that did not help either.Neither the fact that our two better teams are miles away too from the level required to win the league,or even challenge in a single game.
But that is by gone.

Is there something that can be done regarding LKL for it to improve ?
Solution is quite simple,if you ask me.
We need more games.4 rounds at least.
Maybe Zalgiris and lrytas could play just 2 rounds and get percentage again,that is not bad idea.Maybe we should say thank you to BBL as well and just stick to local matters.
Maybe we should get rid of clubs unwilling to pay salaries and invite some of the clubs from NKL instead,only if for one season.But all in all,this LKL was boring,short and useless as well for rising our future talents.

Last thing
Neptunas lost the game against rudupys ,so the series are tied on two each.
I was very sceptical regarding Maksvytis,head coach of Neptunas,in the beginning of the season.
Somehow,they managed to turn things around,making changes in the team as well,to go on on winning streak,and get there they are now.
But i am still not convinced.Rudupys were again level above Neptunas,only if with 6 players.
And i am sure Maksvytis is a better coach than his opponent overall,yet he still can't win.

[Hepcat]

Go Rūdupis!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0f/Rudupis.png

:cool:

[auris1]

Go Klaipeda.
I feel it would be better for our basketball as a whole.

[Hepcat]

Why?

:confused:

[auris1]

Why?

:confused:
Because Prienai is nothing but a bunch of cowboys.
And i do like them, don't get me wrong.
But...That team is nothing but a stepping stone for each and every player.
Yet ..Klaipeda had 3 year plan,they had some logistics and ambitions in place too,like playing in VTB.
They managed to sign Maksvytis ,young, successful,yet unproven coach at senior level.Most importantly,they trusted him and kept him until the end.
They made changes in the team too,which proved to be ,bar injuries, successful.
If only there was money to back it up,that would be just wonderful.Third biggest city in the country,15 times bigger than Prienai.
And then again,only two teams managed to fulfill their financial obligations out of 12.So why not.

[auris1]

So,finally ,it did happened for Klaipeda. After 20 years in LKL they at last managed to get the bronze medals.
Feels like overdue,but nonetheless.