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Tuesday’s game on Nemunas Island should become a powerful emotional charge for the hosts, proof of the result of hard work.
Although “Baskonia”, coached by Duškas Ivanovičius, led Lithuania to the second defense index in the entire tournament, “Žalgiris” was happy to swear by the rival defense system they know well.
The green and white winners of the hurricane attack achieved the biggest victory of the season (92:73) and set a new record of three points for the Euroleague (18).
Schiller not only had the opportunity to rest the leaders, use a wider rotation, but also prepare for the test of the Fenerbahče team represented by Edgar Ulanov.
“The manager emphasized that in Baskonia, fast attack and rebounding are the greatest force in attack,” Paulius Jankūnas said after the victory. – I see we win the balls. It was a great step towards victory. Of course, when pitchers hit this well, the game is a lot easier. Opponents need to catch them, so holes are opened in their opponents’ defenses. It’s good that we won and started a double week with a good score. “
VIDEO: Record of the Euroleague season: the three-point rain “Žalgiris” swept the Basques
The basis of the victory: the basket of the Lithuanian team from Vitoria was constantly thrown with long shots throughout the duel.
During the first quarter, “Žalgiris” made five three-point shots, during the second quarter four, five more in the third quarter and four more accurate shots in the fourth.
36-year-old Paulius Jankūnas also opened a long-shooting account this season.
The captain’s three-pointer in the first quarter was his first after 10 straight lashes and the first goal since March.
Artūras Milaknis joked that the betting companies offer a bet that I will score the first three points only after the New Year. But I launched it earlier. Maybe I have something to do if this prophecy doesn’t happen? I’m kidding, there were no bets. The triples are not my strength, so I can’t survive if they don’t fall, “said veteran” Žalgiris “.
“I’m always happy for Paul,” commented Artūras Milaknis, a teammate, sitting next to P.Jankūnas in the locker room. – It is difficult for him to open with three points each season. The first release is always expected earlier, we remind you that it is planned to open only after the New Year. But this time it opened earlier, it threw a party for everyone before the holidays. Sorry, but it was only a matter of time. We work together in training and there are days when it poses a very serious challenge to me ”.
It was P. Jankūnas’ strongest game of the season. The experienced wolf managed perfectly on his side of the field and looked solid in attack.
In the winning game, the forward played in the 21st minute, which is the second half of the Žalgiris captain’s game in the last 47 games. During this time P.Jankūnas managed to score 7 points, bounce 6 balls and accumulate 15 efficiency points.
“Thank God I don’t have physical problems. I am very happy about that, I feel very good. Thanks for praising me for the jump. It may not have improved, but I feel great. Looking at my speed, it seems like I’m moving at top speed. I feel very good on the site, “said P. Jankūnas.
Bravo, captain!
Photo by Rokas Lukoševičius / 15min / Paulius Jankūnas
The game for the guests of Spain ended after a long break, when Artūras Milaknis launched a three-point volley.
The 34-year-old sniper, who played the most productive game of the season, scored 15 points (5/7 trit.) In 17 minutes. He ran out of a single triple for a career record.
“Thanks to Paul, who, as a supporter of the old school basketball, builds great barriers. I do not have any problem. When you are building, I know you are waiting for a release. He rolls the ball back, releases it. As much as possible, but I trust Paul 100%, ”said Milas, who did not hide his smile.
Long-term sniper “Žalgiris” really needed these games, because in the last six games they had only dropped 2 of their 17-point shooting.
“As we joked in the locker room, I contributed more to his 3s. He owes me a certain drink. Artūras needed those pitches to feel better, – said P.Jankūnas after the match. – I don’t see any problem that he hasn’t scored some matches. We know how Arthur throws and what sniper level he is. There is no need to panic. It was a matter of time before he played. There is no doubt that it is very important to our team. I wish we threw like that every day, but we are not robots. You can’t shoot five triples every day when everyone in the Euroleague knows you. He is one of the best snipers in the history of the Euroleague. Everyone pays a lot of attention to it, it’s really not easy to play. “
Tragedies due to a lower passage are not committed by the target player himself.
“Everybody is reacting to my worst section as news more important than a pandemic,” Milaknis said. – The exact same thing has been said for many seasons in a row. There is no recipe or conversation. Each party has its own history. There are all kinds of those passages, good and bad. Everybody sees how bad you do. I work as I worked, I know it will come. Sometimes it takes longer, sometimes less. This is how we live. Records are falling without my triples. “
Although he was close to the personal record, Milas sat on the bench in the 27th minute of the duel and did not go back up.
“We broke the game early and sat on the bench. I felt good, maybe the records had fallen, who knows there,” said A. Milaknis.
Photo by Rokas Lukoševičius / 15min / Artūras Milaknis
All Žalgiris players had the opportunity to perform on Tuesday: Nigel Hayes played the most (28 minutes) and young Marekas Blaževičius, who spent almost two minutes on the parquet, played the least.
Interestingly, despite a landslide victory, midfielder Martin Geben played just over two minutes later. Is that Coach Schiller’s signal to the student?
The brightest radius of the match was the performance of 23-year-old Karolis Lukošiūnas and his two flying triples. The first is a complex, high trajectory with a subsequent celebration of the thrown blow.
In the summer of 2019, a Vilnius resident who moved from Šiauliai to Žalgiris is called Milo’s successor, and A. Milaknis himself spoke about the performance of a teammate.
“I especially liked it when he visually buckled or unbuckled his belt. It was a funny episode. I am happy for Carol. Even before he went out onto the court, I told him that I was catching the ball and throwing it. There is nothing here to think about when the first 20 points. Nothing will change. It just builds their confidence. The child is working, trying, so his time should come. It is not the case that you come to Žalgiris, everyone will help you and you will be an IAS pitcher. I know from my own experience the long and bumpy road you have to travel to earn this place. I wish you don’t stop and go down that bumpy road like you sometimes think. Somewhere in the distance there will still be a smooth road, ”said A. Milaknis visually.
Photo by Rokas Lukoševičius / 15min / Martin Schiller
Žalgiris, who demonstrated the worst defense in the Euroleague, began to fill in the gaps. In Athens, the Panathinaikos team was allowed to score 69 points, while the Baskonia basketball players in Kaunas were able to score 73 points.
Green-white stood up to the size and physicality of the opponents, and the precise shots and effective attacks closed the way for Duškas Ivanovičius’s men to quick attacks.
And now he only expects a win in the last seven games at Fenerbahche in Istanbul.
Martin Schiller students seem to have inspired the much-needed breath of fresh air, giving them confidence in themselves and in the entire club system.
“Once again, we must commend the club that reacted and took action,” said P. Jankūnas, who recalled the black section. – It worked. Everyone understands that we do not want a series of defeats of this kind. Just put on the work and the unwillingness to lose, everyone wants to come out winners after the game. When you’re down, you realize that you need to defend and speak up, give someone your passport, and play a team game. We are not an individualistic team. “Žalgiris” must remain himself: always defend with aggression and strength, share the ball in attack. The improvement in the game led to these two victories. We’re going forward “.
VIDEO: “UrBONUS”: the second headline of R. Jokubaitis and the accents “Žalgiris” in the video analysis of D.
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