"Žalgiris" Crumbles in Istanbul, Sees Only One Way Forward

The "Žalgiris" faithful are facing a stark reality after another playoff defeat to "Fenerbahçe" in Istanbul. The Lithuanian champions, who have struggled to find their rhythm against the Turkish powerhouse, now find themselves in a precarious 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series. Captain Edgaras Ulanovas, a former "Fenerbahče" player himself, pointed to a critical area of concern: rebounding. The inability to secure boards, particularly on the offensive end, has allowed "Fenerbahče" to control the game's tempo and exploit mismatches.

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If you let opponents move the ball too easily from one side to the other, you need longer defensive rotations, often a taller opponent ends up against a shorter one of ours. Then it's harder to get the rebound. And "Fenerbahče" shared the ball much better than we did, they were more versatile than us.

"Fenerbahče" demonstrated superior ball movement and a more versatile offense, leaving "Žalgiris" scrambling on defense. Ulanovas noted that when the ball doesn't move effectively, defensive rotations become longer, leading to unfavorable matchups. This was evident in the game, where "Fenerbahče" consistently found ways to score, extending their lead to as much as 23 points at one stage.

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There are two sides to this medal. One is excitement. The other is a bad rhythm. We didn't create such good situations as before, we had to shoot with hesitation. "Fenerbahče" really stopped our ball movement well. It seems when we started playing simpler, without thinking, it worked even better. Although the final difference probably doesn't reflect the whole course of the game.

The team's offensive struggles were also highlighted, with a lack of easy scoring opportunities and a reliance on contested shots. The first made three-pointer for "Žalgiris" came late in the second half, underscoring their offensive difficulties. While Ulanovas acknowledged that playing simpler basketball sometimes yielded better results, the overall performance was not enough to overcome a strong "Fenerbahče" side.

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There are two paths: either we give up and go our separate ways, or we keep fighting. For the team friends and for those who will come to the arena next week, there is such a choice. As you saw, the arena here got quite excited, it helped the hosts. Playing with such opponents in such an atmosphere is a pleasure.

Looking ahead, "Žalgiris" faces an uphill battle. Only one team in EuroLeague history, Real Madrid, has ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in a playoff series. The players are aware of the two paths ahead: surrender or fight. With the series shifting to Kaunas, the home crowd's support will be crucial. However, as guard Maodo Lo pointed out, if the team doesn't elevate its game to match "Fenerbahče's" level, their playoff hopes will be extinguished. The pressure is immense, and "Žalgiris" must find a way to regroup and perform significantly better on their home court.

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You can see for yourselves, they are playing like champions now. That's the level. And we are lagging behind. It seems we are not preparing as we should. Both times they hit us in the first half, and then it was hard to catch the train. This is definitely a problem. It will be very difficult to get out of this series. Is it possible? Yes. So far, this season has been special for our team. We certainly didn't play well in Istanbul, we are capable of much more. We have to step up, rise to "Fenerbahče's" level. Maybe the home crowd will help, and we'll still have a chance. But if we play the same way, nothing will come of it.