Utah Jazz ahead Lauri Markkanen has been one of many standout performers at EuroBasket this summer time.
Finland have a weaker roster than many different groups, so Markkanen has needed to shoulder quite a lot of accountability.
Nicely, he has exceeded expectations by main his nation to victories over Sweden, Nice Britain, and Montenegro.
Nevertheless, the seven-foot ahead encountered an issue in Finland’s newest sport towards Lithuania, which he should study from.
Markkanen had scored over 25 factors in every of his three EuroBasket video games earlier than he performed towards Lithuania.
Lithuania held Markkanen to 19 factors on 35 p.c effectivity from the sphere and received the sport 81-78.
NBA podcaster Adam Mares instructed Tim Legler that it reminded him of what the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder did to Nikola Jokic within the NBA Playoffs.
“What made this sport fascinating to me was that Lauri Markkanen had 19 factors. 9 of these had been within the fourth quarter,” Mares mentioned.
“Lithuania switched all the pieces. It made the large fella, [Jonas] Valanciunas, nearly unplayable. He didn’t play quite a lot of minutes as a result of they wished to have a switchable lineup in order that [Markkanen] might by no means run a pick-and-roll and wiggle free.
“After which they put slightly, pesky Lithuanian Alex Caruso on him and simply mentioned, ‘ what, beat him, get bodily,’ and by the best way, the sport is a lot extra bodily in FIBA.
“He simply received bodily, fronting him. They introduced a man behind him, they usually sandwiched him, a la what the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder did to Nikola Jokic, and simply mentioned, ‘We’ll quit 4 on three to a Finnish workforce that doesn’t have nice creation and shotmaking as a result of we’re not going to allow you to give the ball to Lauri Markkanen.’
“‘And, oh by the best way, each time you do get it to him, we’re going to deal with this like wrestling and we’re going to dare fouls to be known as.’ It was unbelievably bodily, and as nice as Lauri Markkanen has been on this match, I believed he made good reads and did quite a lot of the best issues, however he couldn’t end photographs.
“He couldn’t shake free, and he struggled with that. He had 10 factors going into the fourth quarter.”
The Utah Jazz can most likely now count on NBA groups to make use of the identical techniques as Lithuania towards Markkanen within the common season.
Regardless of struggling in Finland’s defeat to Lithuania, Markkanen nonetheless ranks extremely in factors scored at EuroBasket 2025.
Solely Los Angeles Lakers famous person Luka Doncic (33.0) is averaging extra factors per sport than Markkanen (29.0) thus far.
| Rank | Participant | Workforce | Video games | PPG | FG% | 3P% |
| 1. | Luka Doncic | Slovenia | 4 | 33.0 | 40.5 | 27.5 |
| 2. | Lauri Markkanen | Finland | 4 | 29.0 | 48.6 | 40.7 |
| 3. | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Greece | 2 | 29.0 | 74.2 | 100 |
| 4. | Jordan Loyd | Poland | 4 | 25.8 | 57.7 | 61.9 |
| 5. | Dennis Schroder | Germany | 4 | 22.3 | 53.4 | 44.4 |
The Finnish participant is even scoring greater than perennial MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
This might want to proceed within the knockout rounds for Finland to have any likelihood of advancing deep into the competitors.
