This doesn't surprise me.
It now looks like the Team USA defense against him has gotten into his head.
Kleiza's ball in hand movement has been to predictable and slow when he has tried to post up.
No outside shots falling.
Lithuania vs Team USA - Kleiza Stinks Up the Court In the First Half
This doesn't surprise me.
It now looks like the Team USA defense against him has gotten into his head.
Kleiza's ball in hand movement has been to predictable and slow when he has tried to post up.
No outside shots falling.
Avatar: Riverboat Coffee House 134 Yorkville Ave. billboard of upcoming entertainers - Circa 1960s
Memories some so sweet, indeed
Larger Photo of the avatar
Quote from well known personality who led their high school team to a state championship.“As a captain, I played furiously. I drew a lot of fouls, but I brought everything I had to every practice and to every game. I left everything on the court because I simply wanted the team to win”
Different story when you're playing against motivated NBA players. Whoever picked Lithuania to win this needs to have his head examined. The only team USA could lose to is Turkey.
Well it wasn't me.Arsenalist wrote:
Two things
1. AI played great defense on Kleiza
2. Even though Kleiza couldn't do squat on offense he played pretty good defense.
Avatar: Riverboat Coffee House 134 Yorkville Ave. billboard of upcoming entertainers - Circa 1960s
Memories some so sweet, indeed
Larger Photo of the avatar
Quote from well known personality who led their high school team to a state championship.“As a captain, I played furiously. I drew a lot of fouls, but I brought everything I had to every practice and to every game. I left everything on the court because I simply wanted the team to win”
"For those that don't know. The lady in the Avatar is Nawal Ayoub Valderrama."
Did you ask Bargnani for the avatar permission?
Avatar: Riverboat Coffee House 134 Yorkville Ave. billboard of upcoming entertainers - Circa 1960s
Memories some so sweet, indeed
Larger Photo of the avatar
Quote from well known personality who led their high school team to a state championship.“As a captain, I played furiously. I drew a lot of fouls, but I brought everything I had to every practice and to every game. I left everything on the court because I simply wanted the team to win”
in defence of Kleiza he was playing against a usa dream team, which is better then any team in the nba. This game is no way an indicator of how kleiza will play at an nba level.
pick any raptor player and switch him for kleiza on the lithuanian team and just be honest, will they fair any better??????
I think bargnani is the only player on our roster that could pose a mis-match and "might" have a good game
and Im not a huge kleiza fan.
you think amir?? yeah right or jack ?? no way
Last edited by peanutplaza; Sat Sep 11th, 2010 at 06:10 PM.
Kleiza stat line : 28.58 mins, 1-11 FG (9%) 5 rebounds and 4 points.
Will the real Linas Kleiza please stand up?!
My feeling is that against sub par teams Kleiza will show up but against good athletic teams its better to play Sonny Weems.
I disagree with this assesment.
First of, this isn't a dream team, Other then Kevin Durant there aren't any real true superstars on this team.
Secondly as a result of too many stars on the team and have not played together for a long time, certain mismatches will be exploited by experienced teams such as the Lakers and the Celtics. The 2006 World Championship team had plenty of star power but they failed to win.
Third this game does indicate that Kleiza has difficulty against athletic type of elite defensive players that you can only find in the NBA and thus is the reason why he was a bench player thus far and why Denver didn't want to re-match the offer given by the Raptors.
I am sure Kleiza will have a career year with the Raptors but his athleticism will always be an issue.
For anyone who saw the game: the boxscore stats on espn show Kleiza NOT in the starting 5. Is this accurate? Maybe he was hurt and got used in the second unit.
Very Well Said. I hope Kleiza proves me wrong, but the only reason he did well in Greece was because he was playing in Greece. It's like any decent hockey player going to play professional hockey in India, it doesn't say much, and I don't care what people say about the level of competition, it won't be to the same caliber of the NBA and if we keep importing these Euro league players hoping they are going to win us a championship because they have a different mentality, and are more team oriented we are delusional. Develop our YGZ and preach defense. I think it's time to bring back Butch Carter.
Lithuania was out played as a team and had way to many turnovers. The fact that they only lost by 15 is pretty good because i think at one point they were only down 10 with 4 mins left(somthing like that), especially when u take into factor that Durant had 38 points. Usa had very good defense and read Lithuania like a book.
ok "dream team" is the wrong title for the us team maybe a nba all star team with a few subs is better
and the fact this us team has less star and more subs and role players makes them a more well rounded team then the 2006 squad.
This us team does'nt have the same talent level as 2006 team but is alot younger with some very gifted althletic players
kevin durant(top 3 player in world), rose,westbrook, Iguodala, Rudy Gay, Lamar Odom
you do end your post by saying
"Kleiza will have a career year with the Raptors"
so you do argree with me
This game is no way an indicator of how kleiza will play at an nba level - Yes I agree with this statment because there is no way Kleiza will be that bad because Sonny Weems will take his minutes (if he starts playing like this) and he won't be able to hoist 11 shots.
Also Kleiza will have better play makers with the Raptors and he won't be the focal point of the offence so his numbers (with increased minutes) should go up. I see Kleiza avg 12 & 5.
I'm watching the game replay right now on NBATV it's halftime.
I doubt if Kleiza will be the Rap's starting SF if training camp play decides the rotations- unless BC dictates it via Jay. Kleiza, if he starts at SF, will be going up against quality starting NBA SFs like Iggy on the constant as SF/SG is the most athletic position(s) in the NBA. Kleiza can score in the NBA as his career high of 41 points proves that but can he be consistent in every other aspect of his game if he's not scoring? The NBA rules allow alot less physicality than FIBA not to mention that the NBA players are faster and more athletic overall.
I still like Sonny & DeMar as TO's starting wings with the roster as is- training camp come on!!!!!!
Last edited by SirChillyMost; Sat Sep 11th, 2010 at 07:13 PM.
I don't think defense and Brian Colangelo are supposed to be related. As long as BC is the GM of our team, the Raps defense will continue to suck. We can import Euro players if they are willing to play defense, we can even use some Euro offensive schemes(see Utah Jazz) but Euro players with all flash and no substance(terrible defense) has been the bane of this team. How did the San Antonio Spurs win with the Euro players? Through smart scouting (which MLSE is not willing to acquire, little money invested and huge profits seem to be MLSE's watchword) of Euro players to surround around the American and "highly defensively good"(note the emphasis) superstar. A basketball team is a team of two wings stretching the floor through their 3 point shots and playing above average perimeter defense, a center who is an enforcer, lays some players coming into the post on the ground, not smiling, all business, rebounds the heck out of the ball, plays huge help defense and sets solid screens, a PF rebounding and able to can mid-range jumpers once in a while and a PG to set up team-mates in good situations. A model for a championship contending team is a wing or small and a big man(see Lakers with Kobe and Pau Gasol, Boston with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Orlando with Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson and San Antonio Spurs with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Detroit championship team was an anomaly). We can see the dynamics of both teams which BC seems unable to understand..
AGREED! That's why I still can't and won't ever support the drafting of Andrea Bargnani! All we needed was a wing player. We had bosh and villanueva at the time! So what's the logical move you ask BC? Let's draft another power forward!! Stupid Idiot Colangelo! It makes me soo angry still to this day, I wanna cry!I don't think defense and Brian Colangelo are supposed to be related. As long as BC is the GM of our team, the Raps defense will continue to suck. We can import Euro players if they are willing to play defense, we can even use some Euro offensive schemes(see Utah Jazz) but Euro players with all flash and no substance(terrible defense) has been the bane of this team. How did the San Antonio Spurs win with the Euro players? Through smart scouting (which MLSE is not willing to acquire, little money invested and huge profits seem to be MLSE's watchword) of Euro players to surround around the American and "highly defensively good"(note the emphasis) superstar. A basketball team is a team of two wings stretching the floor through their 3 point shots and playing above average perimeter defense, a center who is an enforcer, lays some players coming into the post on the ground, not smiling, all business, rebounds the heck out of the ball, plays huge help defense and sets solid screens, a PF rebounding and able to can mid-range jumpers once in a while and a PG to set up team-mates in good situations. A model for a championship contending team is a wing or small and a big man(see Lakers with Kobe and Pau Gasol, Boston with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Orlando with Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson and San Antonio Spurs with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Detroit championship team was an anomaly). We can see the dynamics of both teams which BC seems unable to understand.
Generally speaking drafting for need appose to value doesn't really turn out good in the long run most of the time.
Well, in defense of Colangelo, he traded Villanueva (who doesn't play defense) for a good, young PG, which was the Raptors biggest need, and Bargnani is a center, not a PF. The pick was between Aldridge and Bargnani in most people's minds. Neither of them is a wing player.
Yeah, you did know that Bargs was pretty much discussed no.1 pick? If we didn't draft Bargs, we would have gotten Aldridge, and eventhough his rebounding and probably defense is better than Bargs, I still prefer Bargs. All the top picks of the draft were all forwards or big men. Bargs, Alrdidge, Gay, Thomas etc...
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