Exhaled and without spirit: “Žalgiris” is not recognized in the most important part of the season / News

When the chant “Green White” rang out at the Ulker Sports Stadium at the end of the game, probably for the first time this season during the away game, it was probably the most beautiful episode of “Žalgiris” that night.

Five Lithuanians, sitting on the podium in front of the Žalgiris bench, were heard several times in a huge arena in the Asian part of Istanbul, which received 300 spectators. Those fans were brighter on Thursday night than the “Žalgiris” players running around the park.

In the most important stage of the season, the attack by “Žalgiris” lost its value and the duel in Istanbul was another proof of this: 61 points, with only 38 percent. shots, and loss by a difference of 23 points, thirty at a time.

“We are just playing bad basketball, not doing what it takes to win a difficult game,” summarized Thomas Walkup in the locker room after the match.

While the teammates showered, the American Žalgiris sat for a long time, staring into the distance, as if trying to understand what had happened to his team recently.

It was the sixth loss in the last eight games and the 70-point mark was not reached in the entire game lost.

Yes, the section was difficult: “Žalgiris” lost to all five playoff teams and team “Baskonia” joined all eight.

But the way he was defeated is disappointing. There were five failures with two-digit differences, three of which exceeded 20 points.

If for most of the season “Žalgiris” moved the ball in attack and it drove the opposing defenses crazy, lately even the position on the field is sometimes as if the five are playing together for the first time.

“Attacking is a horse in our team, but we are not performing as we should,” said Rokas Jokubaitis. “So we didn’t get anywhere in defense, we played four against five.”

“As the coach said, we just died on the field,” Jokubaitis continued. – We weren’t here today. They were faster everywhere. We didn’t even sacrifice ourselves, we didn’t fall on our balls, we ran like headless chickens. “

“We play uninspired, we don’t do anything to win this dogfight,” Walkup said.

This description has recently become commonplace for Žalgiris. After the crushing landings of Istanbul’s Anadolu Efes and Barcelona, ​​the Kaunas players also hung up their fingers for lack of combativeness.

At Fenerbahche, up to 59 percent were sold on Thursday. shots, including 10 3s of 18.

As soon as Nando De Colo scored all 3 long shots in the first half, it was clear that a long night was coming.

“Žalgiris” not only attacked a third worse than opponents, but also appeared to be a slower pace and sprint lower than the entire match. Due to the latter, the residents of Kaunas could do nothing: Fenerbahče simply put out a higher team.

Jan Vesely started in fourth position and played virtually every game there, using his height advantage against Nigel Hayes and Paul Jankūnas.

Dyshawn Pierre, 198cm tall, does not have a clear advantage over Marius Grigonis, but was shocked and ran.

Jokubaitis, who was thrown to the fifth start in place of the injured Artūras Milaknis, also had to deal with the player who was not in his position, Markas Guduričius.

“The versatility and size of the opponents under the basket gives them a great advantage. When Vesely has a height of 213 cm heavy edge in the forward position, he has a length. Dyshawn Pierre, who can also play in fourth position, he played third place today. It was a great punishment, “said Žalgiris coach Martin Schiller.

“Žalgiris” at the finish line of the Euroleague regular season not only looks pierced due to obvious deficiencies in third and fourth positions, but is also exhausted.

Perhaps this can be explained by a complex schedule: the duel in Istanbul was eighth in nineteen days. Perhaps a shorter rotation when top attacking player Milaknis went down and Joffrey Lauvergne played on Thursday only after receiving a dose of painkillers.

“At the end of the season, it is difficult for everyone, the players are not in good physical shape,” admitted Jokubaitis. – We need to take even more care of our bodies. These are just personal things. Then come the tactics. “

“Everything is based on the lack of physicality, aggression and has nothing to do with tactics,” agreed Walkup with his partner.

At the end of the regular season, Žalgiris had four games left, three of them at home and with the teams in the following table.

Theoretically, the returnee train has not yet left, but in practice Žalgiris needs almost a miracle.

The situation is not improved by the fact that Kaunas residents do not have a competitive advantage over their closest competitors: Real Madrid, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Valencia.

“Our goal is to win all the remaining matches, regardless of our position in the standings,” said Schiller.

There will be no spectators in the arenas for the remainder of the match, but perhaps that inspiring chant at the end of the match in Istanbul could be a reminder of why it is worth fighting for before the season ends.