Lithuanian basketball giants to meet on Saturday 0
Despite a week‘s break in the Euroleague, neither Zalgiris, nor Lietuvos Rytas will have an easier week as both sides will meet in Kaunas tomorrow. This will be the first game between the two after this year‘s Baltic Basketball League (BBL) Cup final, where Zalgiris came out on top.
Zalgiris coach Gintaras Krapikas was happy that Mirza Begic and Siim-Sander Vene are once again available for selection. Only Sarunas Vasiliauskas and Povilas Butkevicius will be sidelined from playing in the biggest domestic match up.
All Lietuvos Rytas players are fit, except for Vidas Ginevicius, who has broken metacarpal bone in his left hand.
Zalgiris looking to repeat BBL Cup success
Both teams had played a lot of games recently, but Zalgiris has played 9 more games than their rival, counting from the start of the season. That would mean a game every 2,7 days. “This is the main reason why we do not win supposedly easier games as easily as we should”, said Gintaras Krapikas.
“No matter, what is the phase of the championship – preseason, regular season, Lithuanian or the Baltic League, the games between Lietuvos Rytas and Zalgiris are never ordinary. They are always special“, Zalgiris coach said.
Krapikas pointed out Martynas Gecevicius sharpshooting, Aron Baynes‘ power under the basket and the Milko Bjelica‘s good shape as the main weapons that Lietuvos Rytas has.
“All coaches know, how to win, but you have to prove it on the court. We will see about this on Saturday”, said Krapikas, who thinks, that the player mindset and determination will be the leading factor to who will win the game.
Lietuvos Rytas wants home court advantage
Rimas Kurtinaitis, head coach of Lietuvos Rytas told that although both teams will meet many more times, this match was of great importance as it will be one of the deciding factors, who gets the home court advantage in the Lithuanian League (LKL) playoffs. “We are expecting a victory, but there would be no tragedy if we lost”, said the coach.
“Zalgiris is playing pretty well. They might be lacking strength in Euroleague, but the game itself is good. Zalgiris are using a more intense defense and their players have greater mobility this year”, said Kurtinaitis. Commenting the loss in the BBL Cup final, the coach has a view, that both teams have changed a lot from then on.
“Brown’s game is a little worrying. I had a chance to watch Zalgiris’ game against Azovmash, he is in a great shape”.
“I think the team that comes out on top will mostly be determined by which point guard takes the game into his hands”, Kurtinaitis said, who also claimed that the bench players will be very important as well:”Zalgiris bench players are not always doing their job and that is, in my opinion, why they are not doing so well in Euroleague. Our team is a bit more balanced. We do not feel a discomfort playing the bench. Of course, I am not saying that Zalgiris’ substitutes will not have a good game – we are analyzing all players individually as well”.
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