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Having calmed down I'll look on the bright side, we could still equal and better our best ever finish by doing well in the next two games.



Also, Mantas Kalnietis looks like a great prospect <!-- s:thup: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/thup.gif[/img]<!-- s:thup: -->



Lastly, we were more accurate then the Spanish in terms of 2-pointers and 3-pointers, scored 1 more 3-pointer than them and 3 less 2-pointers than them.



Stats -



26/47 (55%) 2-POINTERS 23/40 (57%)

5/26 (19%) 3-POINTERS 6/22 (27%)

22/28 (79%) FREE THROWS 3/9 (33%)

16 FOULS 21

17 STEALS 3

11 TURNOVERS 28

14 OFF. REBOUNDS 11

23 DEF. REBOUNDS 28

27 BIGGEST LEAD 0

15 BIGGEST RUN 10



So basically we lost mostly on the free-throws, too many fouls, and too many mistakes letting the Spaniards have more chances than us.
Argetina 83:58 Turkey



Hardly a game... similar to Spain's but Turkey were worse than Lithuania. They collapsed in the 2nd quater (30-12) after being even in the first (13-11). But -20 at HT was too much for Turkey



So Lithuania will have the chance to beat Turkey and take revenge after the first round's result. Spain and Argentina will play probably the best match you can watch in this tournament. Shame I'll only be able to follow it through the Internet
It was a very poor game today. Actually the worst game in WC for Lithuania. 28 turnovers in suach an important game is simply unacceptable. Spain's defence wasn't very tight and let us shoot but we didn't use that. Arvydas Macijauskas didn't score at all! <!-- sOhmy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/ohmy.gif[/img]<!-- sOhmy --> Only got 3 fouls (one non sportical) and made some ridicilous turnovers. The same can be said about our defence but Spain was just too good. A disappointing day. I expected us to lose but this result is humiliating <!-- sBag -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/bag.gif[/img]<!-- sBag --> As Andrius said at least we can get a better place than our best achievement (7th place) and revenge to Turkey hopefully would give the players more motivation after this very difficult psychological result. From the teams left fighting for the title I will be supporting Spain. I don't like Greece or USA. And being olympic champions is enough for Argentina <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin -->



I am 100% sure that our coach Antanas Sireika will resign after WC (if he feels any responsibility). So it is very interesting who will replace him.
Greece 73:56 France



Not much to say... 56 points in such an important game is ridiculous. Surprisingly, all the QF games are having big differences, +17 being the tightest so far. Are the top 4 so much better than the rest?



Germany was giving the USA a hard time, quite even until HT. But the USA made a nice gap (+15) in the 3rd Qtr. There won't be a surrise here, but at least we see the USA can lose. Could it be our time?
Germany lost it in the second half, but they were good up to that point.



I don't think that the top 4 are so much better than the lower teams (as the scorelines make it out to be), the other teams put in bad performances at crucial times (Lithuania's worst performance was in the most important game).



Anyways, I'm looking forward to the 5th-8th place playoffs and hope Lithuania put in decent performances.



Also during the USA game, while the shot clock broke down, a (quite loud) chant of "Lietuva, Lietuva!" broke out, seems like the Lithuanians stayed to support the team <!-- s:thup: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/thup.gif[/img]<!-- s:thup: -->



EDIT: Lithuania 84:95 Turkey



Oh my God. We are an absolute disgrace! There's no two ways about it. Losing a game by 11 points in 5 minutes of extra time against a reletively poor team. We even had a 10 point advantage with a few minutes of the fourth to go!



The team made countless mistakes and lost it psychologically when the Turks started fighting back. Even when we were ahead the lead felt so fragile. We had 28 turnovers! Compared to the 19 of Turkey, it's embarrassing.



The team didn't play like a team and that's probably the responsabilty of the coach, after the tournament he has to stand down - not because it's primarily his fault, but because the team needs a change.



Anyway, the loss is just ridiculous and, being honest, quite shameful. The game for 7th-8th place will be pointless and we'll pobably get beaten by whoever we face, not because they're better than us, but because they're a better team than we are.



<img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sleep.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='-_-' /> Feeling quite down at the moment...



When does the club basketball season start?
Lithuania is not a bad team. The problem is that you have overestimated the team. I think it had no chances to win any medal in the WC. Turkey has proved to be better by winning twice Lithuania in the tournament. I hope you will be better in the next WC.



I have also noticed that many people in this forum are underestimating Greece. I know that Argentina and Spain have some extremely talented players but Greece has the most organized team. I know that our chances against USA is poor but we have hope. And I believe in the next game (final or third place game) we are the favorite.
We didn't have a chance to win a medal for a couple of reasons. The team didn't play together well (coach's fault), and then psychological reasons - bad preparations and bad start in the group games as well as many mistakes made them unconfident.



The thing is that the team has the players in terms of talent (NBA players, top European players), but they haven't played well together. Also, we didn't have an 'outstanding' player - Macijauskas underperformed, Jasikevicius didn't want to play for us, and no-one really stepped up.
[quote name='"Andrius":13c33']We didn't have a chance to win a medal for a couple of reasons. The team didn't play together well (coach's fault), and then psychological reasons - bad preparations and bad start in the group games as well as many mistakes made them unconfident.



The thing is that the team has the players in terms of talent (NBA players, top European players), but they haven't played well together. Also, we didn't have an 'outstanding' player - Macijauskas underperformed, Jasikevicius didn't want to play for us, and no-one really stepped up.[/quote]

I think the main reason that Lithuania failed in this tournament was the coach. He is really poor. Ok, you had some players missing but the fact that he didn't manage to take the best from the other players (especially Macijauskas) is 100% his fault. Moreover all the bullshit he said about the performance of some players (again Macijauskas) after a bad performance was not a really good tactic.
[quote name='"pattack":629c7']I think the main reason that Lithuania failed in this tournament was the coach. He is really poor.[/quote]

Most of Lithuania would agree with you on that one! <!-- s:thup: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/thup.gif[/img]<!-- s:thup: -->



He wasn't awlays this bad. I wonder who's gonna take over from Sireika, maybe a foreign coach?
No need for a foreigner... Kazlauskas is a great option <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin -->
I think he's contracted with China until the end of the 2008 Olympics.



As far as Sireika goes, the press 'agent' for the team (or something like that) said that the claims that Sireika will stand down are ridiculous.



After hearing that, I don't know what will happen, I think Sireika is a good coach, but the team needs something different.
We are going really well. Hoping for a miracle!!!!!!



HELLASSSS!!!!!!!



<!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin --> <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin --> <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin --> <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin --> <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin -->



I am really crazy now <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy -->



Half Time:

Hellas -USA 45 -41
Meet the new World Champions. The best team in the world. Now I am really crazy <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy --> <!-- sCrazy -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/crazy.gif[/img]<!-- sCrazy -->

Hellas -USA 101 -95



We are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From the distance, Lithuania's problems seem to be purely psychological. When Spain took a lead, they couldn't fight back, when Greece and Turkey took them to extra time they failed



Greece are quite a good side and the fact that Lithuania had a good chance to beat them means they are good too. Something hasn't worked well... Needs rethinking. Maybe if legends like Sabonis, Kurtinaitis or Homicius were near the team they could inspire the players.



Greece have beaten the USA. I am glad for them, I don't fancy the USA to win gold... Plus if Spain beats Argentina the chances are higher. But Greece won't be easy to beat...



Currently, Spain lead 54:49, 13 minutes to go. Bloody nervous I am...
Well done Spain and Greece!



Gasol seemed to get injured - will he play in the final?



Lithuania's probelms are mostly psychological, it all started with the close loss to Turkey, then Greece and the team lost confidence.



I'm not feeling confident ahead of the German game since we've made so many mistakes (more than any other team - even Panama, Qatar, Japan etc. made fewer mistakes).
Gasol might not play but we will see... They don't know yet. Spain is a good team beyond Gasol, though he'd be missed



If we end up wining Gold, we would have beaten the World, Olympic and European champions. That'd be a deserved gold medal... which would be our first ever, because we only have silvers and bronzes so far



Pattak, good luck for the final. May the best man win...



...and let's hope that's the Spanish coach <!-- s:ball: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/basketball.gif[/img]<!-- s:ball: --> <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin -->
Lithuania 77:62 Germany



We won this game, played quite well but now it's time for the main dish - the final. I don't have a clue about the outcome of this, but I hope Spain wins it since Greece are Eurobasket champions and football Euro champions - so I think winning the world basketball champioships would be too much for them <!-- sBiggrin -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/biggrin.gif[/img]<!-- sBiggrin -->
We are the champions, my friend...



Spain 70:47 Greece



[color="#FF0000"]Espana[/color] ha ganado el Mundial! Spain are the world champions!!! What a margin, what a win, what a day... and all without Pau Gasol



<!-- s:1: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/1a.gif[/img]<!-- s:1: --> <!-- s:1: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/1a.gif[/img]<!-- s:1: --> <!-- s:1: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/1a.gif[/img]<!-- s:1: --> World Champions!



Well done Greece <!-- s:2: -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/2a.gif[/img]<!-- s:2: --> a silver medal is a great achivement and they beat the USA in the semifinals. The defeat today was bad, but their quality isn't in doubt
Greece played a very poor game, and for a neutral viewer (who preferred a Spanish victory), it wasn't very entertaining, but nonetheless - congrats to Spain!
well, probably it is one of the best achievements in our national sport for ages. One of the best ever



Now the national debate in Spain is why we can win world championships in so many things (Formula 1, Motorcycling, Cycling, Handball, Indoor football, hockey, athletics... and now basketball) but not in football. Nobody knows. Let's just enjoy this world championship, as from Sunday and forever Spain is basketball World Champion
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