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Without the roster filled out, it’s unclear how Graham’s and Splitter’s shared vision will play out on the court. Among the few noteworthy assets he inherited, Splitter believes in Matas Buzelis. Not seemingly one to guarantee anything, Splitter still detailed prioritizing the 2024 first-rounder. “I’ve been studying him more and more, getting to know him,” Splitter said. “We’re gonna work every day to get him to be the best player he can be. I think nobody knows yet what is his ceiling. “He’s a guy that learns fast. That’s what people have said to me. He’s going to continue to get better physically, he’s going to continue to shoot better, he’s going to read better, become a better defender. We see him as a very complete player (on) both ends.”
Joel Lorenzi: Tiago Splitter on Matas Buzelis: "Nobody knows yet what his ceiling is. He’s gonna slowly show what kind of player he’s gonna be. … He’s gonna shoot better. He’s gonna read better. He’s gonna be a better defender.”
The Lithuanian national team has revealed its shortened 15-player roster for the July World Cup qualifying window, with three NBA players making the list. The squad includes Matas Buzelis, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kasparas Jakucionis, giving Lithuania a strong NBA presence heading into the summer window. However, one major name is missing from the candidate list. Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis was not included in the 30-man roster.
Matas Buzelis, a member of the Chicago Bulls, will play for the Lithuanian national team this summer in the World Cup qualifying games. Buzelis revealed this news himself during an interview in Vilnius. “We had a good conversation. I will play for the national team this summer. It will be a lot of fun,” he said during an interview at the Buzelis Cup in Vilnius.
The Lithuanian national team has revealed its preliminary 30-player roster for the July World Cup qualifying window, with three NBA players making the list. The squad includes Matas Buzelis, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kasparas Jakucionis, giving the team strong NBA presence heading into the summer window.
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KC Johnson: Matas Buzelis said he called Billy Donovan after dismissals of Arturas Karnišovas and Marc Eversley to address Donovan’s future: “I want him to stay. I’m riding with him forever. He’s a cornerstone for my career.”
Matas Buzelis is tired of getting pushed around. It isn’t a matter of intent. No one is more eager to dunk on an opponent than Buzelis. He’s tough. He seeks contact. He’s not afraid to body up to the biggest stars, from Giannis Antetokounmpo to LeBron James to Kevin Durant. But Buzelis often writes checks that his body simply can’t cash. “I mean, look at me. I’m skinny as hell,” Buzelis told the Tribune. “I definitely have to add strength. Your body’s a temple, so you really want to take care of it.”
“He’s got to get stronger,” coach Billy Donovan said. “That’s the biggest thing — fighting over screens, on the glass. Sometimes the strength part neutralizes his athleticism and neutralizes his skills. … For a young player, putting on good quality strength can make them a lot better. He needs that. I think you’re seeing that. I’m glad that’s getting exposed, because that’s something we can address in the offseason.”
K.C. Johnson: Josh Giddey out, Matas Buzelis out, Nick Richards out Vs. Suns, per Donovan
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But the second-year forward said he wouldn’t be the player he is — or is on his way to becoming — if not for Donovan. So the speculation about Donovan possibly wrapping up his stay with the Bulls wasn’t news Matas Buzelis wanted to embrace. “He’s been everything, man,” Buzelis said. “He’s been a role model to me; he’s someone I look up to as a person, as a human being. He’s a guy that’s been a cornerstone for me. He’s pushed me to my limits, and he’s going to keep pushing me until I can’t be pushed anymore. ‘‘I can’t thank somebody like that enough. He tells you the truth every time. ‘‘It’s hard to do that, especially in this league, to have someone in your corner that is going to tell you everything you need to hear.”
From Day 1 as a rookie, Donovan has handed him nothing. Minutes have been earned, not gifted, and the hook has been quick at times. “This might sound crazy, but it’s the truth: He’s teaching me how to be a winning player, and I know everyone will say, ‘Well, you’re not winning a lot of games,’ but he’s taught me the characteristics it takes to win, and that’s all you can ask for,” Buzelis said. “Even when he’s sat me down after a few minutes [into a game], that’s just about telling me what I have to do, what I need to do to be better at it, and a guy like me, I know my time will come.”
It's obviously less than scientific to take this approach and make past point totals the ultimate standard for probability in this case ... but I found it somewhat stunning that nearly 100 players in today's NBA had posted a gaudier career night than Adebayo before Tuesday's South Beach proceedings. You can see for yourself by scrolling through the whole Keerthika-assembled list below. We stretched it to 107 players in the end to include the nine other active players who have scored 41 in a regular-season game to match Adebayo’s previous best. It’s a group that now includes Chicago’s Matas Buzelis, who was rumbling for 41 points of his own in an overtime win over Golden State on the same night that Bam somehow found a way to get us talking about Kobe, Wilt Chamberlain, tanking, ethical basketball and asterisks all at the same time.
During the second quarter, unprompted, Buzelis decided to start trash-talking Luka. The moment surprised Luka, but once he took in what was said, Doncic borrowed a page from Michael Jordan’s book and took it personally. “I’m not going to say what he said, but if I would’ve said that, I would definitely get a tech,” Luka said postgame. “But really, these games, sometimes you’re going easy and we kind of went easy in the first quarter, then he woke me up.”
