Strelnieks on Zalgiris’ defensive struggles: ‘The season just started, but we have to improve’ / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: zalgiris.lt Credit zalgiris.lt

Zalgiris Kaunas lost its debut Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game on the road against ASVEL.

Emmanuel Mudiay

MIN:28.38PTS:12 (50%)REB:4As:2ST:1BL:0TO:5GM:1ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

It wasn't a nice performance for the Lithuanian team, who struggled defensively and allowed opponents to score 88 points.

At the end of the game, both Emmanuel Mudiay, who finished with 12 points, and Janis Strelnieks, who was the top scorer of Zalgiris with 21, highlighted the team's defensive issues.

"Defensively, we let them have too many open shots from three-point," Mudiay said after the game. "Of course, we have many new players, so it's an adjustment process. We just have to figure it out how to be better defensively."

"It was a tough loss, and we didn't compete enough defensively," Janis Strelnieks told Basketnews. "Of course, the season just started, but we have to improve. Everything starts from the defense. If we improve defensively, the offense will follow".

Both Strelnieks and Mudiay are newcomers at Zalgiris. Strelnieks arrived from CSKA Moscow, while Mudiay is at his first European experience after spending several years in the NBA.

Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.