Kuzminskas: 'I'm not sure how Spain would have looked without signing Brown' / News - Basketnews.com

Lorenzo Brown buried Lithuania in the EuroBasket Round of 16, and after the loss, Mindaugas Kuzminskas raised the question of how Spain would have looked without the naturalized American guard.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Lithuanian national team forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas brought one of the hottest topics of the summer after a painful EuroBasket 2022 loss in the Round of 16.

Player of the Game EFF 27 Lorenzo Brown Points 28 Accuracy 9-20 Rebounds 3 Assists 8

When asked why Lithuania stopped in the fourth quarter and gave up the lead to Spain, a 33-year-old veteran emphasized the importance of Lorenzo Brown's acquisition.

"Maybe we lacked patience. Even when we were up by five or seven [points], we were too crazy. We were rushing too many times instead of playing calm. I think Rudy Fernandez did a great job today. A couple of times, we didn't take a rebound. They made important shots," Kuzminskas, who scored 19 points, said in the press conference.

"I'm not sure how this team would have looked without Lorenzo Brown because you signed him this summer. But it is what it is," he finished his statement.

Brown received Spanish citizenship just before the EuroBasket 2022.

He scored 5 points in the first half but ended up with 28 and 8 assists, leading Spain to a tough overtime victory 102-94.

"I'm very thankful these guys kept telling me to keep going. It's great to have guys behind you. As a new guy there, I felt like they were my brothers," Brown said.

"Last year, when I was in Kazan, that was probably the most unity I had in the team. And here I feel the same way, even if I haven't been there long. They brought me in as one of them. I'm coming here, and I'm just a regular American, and these guys are talking in Spanish… I'm learning every single day. The outside noise is something that doesn't bother me at all," he added.

Sergio Scariolo confirmed that at the crunch time, he saw Usman Garuba as his defensive leader and Lorenzo Brown as the floor general to orchestrate the offense.

Both played a crucial part in an amazing comeback win.

"It took a lot of guts out there, man. Well balled game by both sides. We stuck to the game plan. The coach put some great defensive schemes. There were big shots by Rudy. I'm thankful to be on a great team like this. It's just a blessing," Brown added. "On to the next one."

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