Javtokas plays in the biggest game of his pro career tomorrow

[whottt]

For tons more details go to:

http://www.ulebcup.com/

Lietuvos Rytas(good guys) vs. Makedonikos(bad guys)


The ULEB Cup Final lands in Charleroi!


Makedonikos on Monday practice at Spiroudome
Greetings from Charleroi, Belgium and the beautiful Spiroudome, where on Tuesday night before an estimated sellout crowd of 6,000 fans, a new ULEB Cup champion will be crowned for 2004-05! Lietuvos Rytas of Lithuania and Makedonikos of Greece meet in the title game starting at 20:00 CET tomorrow, but already on Monday, the atmosphere around the ULEB Cup Final was already building in Charleroi. Makedonikos is holding its first practice on Monday morning, at the same time that Lietuvos Rytas is arriving to town. Both head coaches, Tomo Mahoric of Lietuvos Rytas and Argiris Pedoulakis of Makedonikos, will take part in the official press conference at midday, to be joined by two players each from their teams. Of course, ULEBcup.com is here to bring you full coverage before, during and after the big event. Get ready now with a look at the head-to-head matchups, the game preview, the view of players to watch and outside analyst Antonios Asimakopoulos, who has played both teams, players to watch and special team pages. Either Makedonikos or Lietuvos Rytas is going to make history on Tuesday by winning its first-ever trophy in Europe, and with it, earning the right to join the Euroleague next season. Fans of the two teams can really get in the mood by downloading the special Makedonikos and Lietuvos Rytas wallpapers below. Stay with ULEBcup.com to learn all there is to know about what promises to be another thrilling 2005 ULEB Cup Final!

[whottt]

It says it's going to be rebroadcast in the USA...I wonder what channel.

[timvp]

Nice find.

Doesn't look like Javtokas is putting up that good of stats. If I'm reading it correctly, he's averaging around eight points, six rebounds and a block. I was pretty impressed with him in the Olympics but he's never really put up too big of numbers in Europe for some reason. Also, the rumors of him coming to town have dried up over the last couple years.

It sounds like a pretty huge accomplishment if his team can win this game, though. Becoming part of the Euroleague is a pretty major thing I would imagine.

P.S.

I find it funny that one time almost Spur Tyrone Nesby is on his team.

[whottt]

I noticed the same things about Javtokas' stats...but I saw different stats. I am not sure if the ones I saw were playoff stats or regular season..

But the stats I saw showed him averaging 11PPG, 7Boards, and 2.5 blocks...he's ranked #1 in blocks per game and(I believe) #5 in rebounding. I think he's shooting about 50%.


In the playoff boxscores I saw his stats didn't look too good...but if you read the playoff capsules he is credited with starting a defensive stand that propelled his team into the finals...and at least one of the players in that league predicts him to be the finals MVP...

I am gonna dig around a little more because it is confusing.

[picnroll]

When I looked over the weekend seemed like he was starting but not getting many minutes at least for the last couple of games. Didn't look past the last two games.

[whottt]

Yeah they have weird rotations over there in Europe(maybe that's where Pop gets it from ;) )...it seems like they almost have guys starting based on a rotation or something...it's strange.

[whottt]

Check out this blurb from the preview capsule:


Center Grigorij Khizhnjak should see his playing time increase to battle in the paint against Lietuvos big man Robertas Javtokas, in a head-to-head matchups between two of the best defensive centers in European basketball.


Nearly all the praise I see being given to Javtokas is because of what he does on the defensive side of the ball...it seems like they will decrease or increase a players PT depending on the situation rather than a set rotation....

But if Javtokas is getting that kind of praise for his D..and I saw him ranked #1 in blocked shots per game...This guy has to be catching the eye of the Spurs right now...that's what they want from their C.

What's even more strange...Robertas' team lost it's second best player to injury and hired a new coach, all right before the playoffs began and here they sit in the finals...Only in Europe.

And the final oddity...they are playing the team Shane Heal played for last season after being waived by the Spurs.

[whottt]

Ok those stats I saw were for the quarterfinals leaders...dunno where I got the 11ppg from...but he is the leading shotblocker in the playoffs @2.5 per game and he is pulling down 6.5 board(ranked #9)...so his totals look low by our standards but they seem to be good by Euroleague type standards.

Stats page:
http://www.euroleague.net/ulebcup/noticia.jsp?temporada=E03&jornada=31&id=1071&id2=1080&id3=1081

[whottt]

Interestingly enough, the team they beat to make it to the finals had Fabricio Oberto(it's good to see that someone is beating a freaking Argentinian at something these days, Manu excepted of course) and Antione Rigdeau(Mavs washout) on it...both guys that have generated NBA interest in the past and are considered to be elite players in Europe...

So even though he may be playing in the NCAA Div AA type league...his team beat some teams with Div1(or higher) caliber talent on it in the NCAA tourney...

http://www.euroleague.net/ulebcup/noticia.jsp?temporada=E04&jornada=16&id=738

[whottt]

It'd be cool to be a scout in Europe for the Spurs.

[timvp]

Interestingly enough, the team they beat to make it to the finals had Fabricio Oberto(it's good to see that someone is beating a freaking Argentinian at something these days, Manu excepted of course) and Antione Rigdeau(Mavs washout) on it...both guys that have generated NBA interest in the past and are considered to be elite players in Europe...

So even though he may be playing in the NCAA Div AA type league...his team beat some teams with Div1(or higher) caliber talent on it in the NCAA tourney...

http://www.euroleague.net/ulebcup/noticia.jsp?temporada=E04&jornada=16&id=738

Oddly enough, Javtokas and Oberto both pretty much sucked. I wonder if they canceled each other out or what.

That looks like a pretty damn impressive win because in addition to Oberto and Rigadeau, that team also had other notable talents in Montecchia (Argentine PG), Igor Rakocevic (Spurs training camp last year) and Dejan Tomasevic.

I would hope that Javtokas had a hand in beating them, but he played less than 20 minutes and didn't have a block.

[whottt]

Yeah and I can't find that capsule that said he keyed a defensive stand in one of those games...I know I saw it though when I first clicked on that site...I am pretty sure it was a semifinals game.

[picnroll]

I know from seeing Javtokas a few times that he has a stroke that makes Nazr look like Ray Allen.

[whottt]

LMAO that's bad.

Looking at the boxscores...

#1.Euros are weird...they have two game series and for some reason Javtokas team only has to win 1 of the games to advance. Must be some kind of seeding deal...and it looks like they have basically lost the first game of every series on the road and won it on their home court...it's almost like they really aren't trying to win the first game because a lot of their guys get reduced minutes for no apparent reason.


#2.It looks to me like Oberto worked Javtokas in that second game and put his butt on the bench in foul trouble...it looks like the reason Oberto's team lost is because he missed 8 of 10 Free Throws(bad even by Spurs standards). I can live with him getting the better of Javtokas I guess...Oberto has held his own against NBA players and had the Spurs interest in the past. But I'd still like to find that capsule that praised Javtokas' defense in one of those games.


#3.While there was some impressive talent on that opposing team...Rigdeau was coming back from injury and looks like he is on the downside(damn sure looked like it with the Mavs too) of his career...so it's not quite as impressive...Still, all that counts is the win and our boy Robertas is the starting C for the finalist, and has a chance at getting his team to the top......and was the second best player on the team in the regular season.


It's good to see Spurs draft picks representing in the finals of their league championships...Hopefully Scola will make it also in the big show. I'd also like to watch this title game.

[picnroll]

CSKA will be concentrating on shuting down Scola. If he can put up a big game that would be impressive.

[whottt]

I like the Euroleague basic stats better than those they keep here in the states...I like that fouls drawn and shots blocked is part of their basic statline, as those are very important stats...If we want to keep these guys from totally catching us we ought to at least try make our basic stats competitive with theirs.

[Rummpd]

I saw this guy play before his motorcycle injury on a trip to Lithuania awhile back. He is a tough, tough guy with long arms. Would help the Spurs, down the road = Massenburg type and probably more skilled.

[kolko]

#1.Euros are weird...they have two game series and for some reason Javtokas team only has to win 1 of the games to advance. Must be some kind of seeding deal...and it looks like they have basically lost the first game of every series on the road and won it on their home court...it's almost like they really aren't trying to win the first game because a lot of their guys get reduced minutes for no apparent reason.

It's a two game series. The team who scores the most points wins. So if they lose by 10 in the first game, they have to win by 11 in the second game to win the series.

[whottt]

That's an interesting way to do it...I guess that explains why they might not want to play offensively challenged players in certain situations, like on the road or if the other team doesn't have a dominant scorer at that positon...that explains a whole lot actually. I guess this way both teams get a meaningful home game too. It's still kind of weird. But looking at all the blowouts the Spurs have had this season that might be a good format for us.

[grjr]

Would help the Spurs, down the road = Massenburg type and probably more skilled.

I'm going to have to disagree with the more skilled part if you're talking offense at all. From watching him in the Olympics the only time he scored was on a dunk off a pick and roll. I don't believe he has any kind of outside shot at all.

[ChumpDumper]

Ok, for the whole of the ULEB competition, Javtokas is averaging 7.3 pts, 5.81 reb, 1.44 blk in 26.5 minutes per game. Looks like his coach was trying some small ball against Pamesa, and that limited his minutes in the first game.

BTW, Javtokas team just lost the Baltic League championship (yes, yet another competition different from ULEB and Lithuanian league) to Sabonis' team, Zalgiris (featuring Robert Pack), on Saturday 64-60. Javtokas had 8pts, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks [EDIT after seeing official results]. Some guy named Tonoka Beard killed Robertas on the boards, but one gets the impression that his team was looking forward to the ULEB Final and didn't want to risk much.

Robertas' stats for 17 Baltic League games are 11.7pts, 7.1reb and 2.1blk in 26.7mpg. 56% shooting.

The Lithuanian league site is currently down.

[ChumpDumper]

That looks like a pretty damn impressive win because in addition to Oberto and Rigadeau, that team also had other notable talents in Montecchia (Argentine PG), Igor Rakocevic (Spurs training camp last year) and Dejan Tomasevic.I always wondered why he left camp so soon. I guess he just got a really good guaranteed offer from Red Star. Could've used him last season.

[ChumpDumper]

LKL is back up. Javtokas' stats in 21 Lithuanian league games: 10.7pts, 6.29reb, 1.48blk and 52.6 FG% in 24.2mpg -- a slight decrease across the board from last season.

[Ozzy]

A little bit of the topic, but just to prove that Slovenians are everywhere:
Tomo Mahoric, the head coach of Lietuvos Rytas, is Slovenian. :-)
:smokin
So, you have one more reason to cheer for them.

[whottt]

Javtokas scores the first two points of the game on FT's!

[ducks]

I think he passed his test