2018–19 LKL season

Betsafe-LKL
Season2018–19
DurationSeptember 2018 – June 2019
Number of games200 (180 regular season, 20 playoffs)
Number of teams10
Regular season
Season MVPLithuania Martinas Geben
Finals
ChampionsŽalgiris (21st title)
  Runners-upRytas
Third placeNeptūnas
Fourth placeLietkabelis
Finals MVPLithuania Edgaras Ulanovas
Statistical leaders
Points Turkey Kerem Kanter 16.8
Rebounds Lithuania Martinas Geben 7.4
Assists Lithuania Dovis Bičkauskis 5.7
Records
Biggest home winŽalgiris 93–48 Skycop
(30 December 2018)
Biggest away winPieno žvaigždės 68–109 Žalgiris
(25 November 2018)
Highest scoringŠiauliai 82–117 Rytas
(1 May 2019)
Winning streak12 games
Žalgiris
Losing streak12 games
Nevėžis
Highest attendance11,294
Žalgiris 95–86 Rytas
(9 December 2018)
All statistics correct as of 1 August 2019.

The 2018–19 Lietuvos krepšinio lyga, also called Betsafe-LKL for sponsorship reasons, was the 26th season of the top-tier level professional basketball league of Lithuania, the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL). The Betsafe LKL championship started on 22 September 2018 and ended on 1 June 2019.

Žalgiris achieved their 21st title overall, ninth consecutive.

Competition format

During the regular season, all teams play 36 games. The top eight teams in the regular season standings, after playing their entire 36 game schedule, qualified for the playoffs in the quarterfinals, that was played in a best-of-three games format. The semifinals were played in best-of-three format.

The final round was played between the two winners of the semifinals. The finals series, for first place, as also games for third place were played in a best-of-five format.[1]

Teams

Location and arenas

class=notpageimage|
Location of teams in 2018–19 LKL

Ten teams were granted licences for the season.[2][3]

Team Location Arena Capacity
Dzūkija Alytus Alytus Arena 5,500
Juventus Utena Utena Arena 2,000
Lietkabelis Panevėžys Cido Arena 5,950
Neptūnas Klaipėda Švyturys Arena 6,200
Nevėžis Kėdainiai Kėdainiai Arena 2,200
Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys Pieno žvaigždės Arena 1,500
Rytas Vilnius Jeep Arena 2,500
Siemens Arena 10,000
Šiauliai Šiauliai Šiauliai Arena 5,700
Skycop Prienai Prienai Prienai Arena 1,500
Žalgiris Kaunas Žalgiris Arena 15,708

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification or relegation
1 Žalgiris 36 32 4 3153 2551 +602 Advance to play-offs
2 Neptūnas 36 28 8 3045 2801 +244
3 Rytas 36 26 10 3018 2752 +266
4 Lietkabelis 36 23 13 2975 2840 +135
5 Pieno žvaigždės 36 16 20 2978 3146 −168
6 Juventus 36 15 21 2974 2955 +19
7 Skycop Prienai 36 13 23 2788 3036 −248
8 Dzūkija 36 12 24 2901 3009 −108
9 Nevėžis 36 8 28 2698 3096 −398
10 Šiauliai 36 7 29 2968 3112 −144 Relegation to NKL
Source: LKL

Results

Home \ Away DZU JUV LTK NEP NEV PIE RYT SIA PRI ZAL DZU JUV LTK NEP NEV PIE RYT SIA PRI ZAL
Dzūkija — 75–86 85–68 91–94 81–61 77–86 73–79 91–81 88–73 65–94 — 91–94 84–87 82–88 86–73 75–70 77–84 101–84 88–78 75–90
Juventus 86–77 — 70–76 88–80 88–61 82–79 68–79 83–78 78–67 80–87 81–84 — 78–96 88–89 90–86 107–72 87–92 96–67 89–90 80–98
Lietkabelis 71–69 81–77 — 76–100 87–66 94–63 73–95 81–73 73–81 69–73 85–78 74–89 — 69–73 101–60 89–86 83–74 95–83 92–74 76–81
Neptūnas 89–67 81–70 76–89 — 100–76 77–80 78–93 80–76 92–67 98–93 70–68 101–87 72–74 — 86–76 89–103 89–74 96–75 85–68 81–71
Nevėžis 68–74 97–93 68–83 69–83 — 80–86 70–80 78–71 80–78 55–79 98–88 55–87 80–97 70–78 — 90–86 74–75 76–85 91–96 70–102
Pieno žvaigždės 60–74 90–71 87–81 69–88 92–67 — 78–89 96–86 96–92 68–109 110–107 89–78 104–99 75–85 91–85 — 83–99 97–111 72–84 67–91
Rytas 89–79 87–57 83–94 66–78 100–61 89–82 — 90–63 95–66 69–76 92–69 93–82 75–96 70–52 68–70 80–74 — 100–96 84–57 59–85
Šiauliai 87–76 98–94 83–88 88–98 78–81 79–81 75–82 — 90–100 68–93 97–110 77–91 81–101 103–106 87–88 76–91 82–117 — 90–84 78–93
Skycop Prienai 85–72 85–80 93–78 72–83 96–93 93–88 71–81 80–88 — 53–74 83–82 69–82 70–78 68–75 81–78 82–91 68–75 88–90 — 81–76
Žalgiris 88–75 72–69 71–58 60–75 81–68 103–66 95–86 102–61 93–48 — 100–68 82–68 85–63 90–80 82–79 88–70 91–75 109–83 96–67 —
Source: LKL.lt
Legend: Blue = home team win; Red = away team win.

Play–offs

Main article: 2019 LKL Play-offs

Quarterfinals and semifinals were played in a best–of–three games format, while the finals in a best–of–five format.

Bracket

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
 
          
 
 
 
 
Žalgiris2
 
 
 
Dzūkija0
 
Žalgiris2
 
 
 
Lietkabelis0
 
BC Lietkabelis2
 
 
 
Pieno žvaigždės0
 
Žalgiris3
 
 
 
Rytas0
 
Neptūnas2
 
 
 
Skycop Prienai1
 
Neptūnas0
 
 
 
Rytas2 Third place
 
Rytas2
 
 
 
Juventus1
 
Neptūnas3
 
 
Lietkabelis0
 

Quarterfinals

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Žalgiris 2–0 Dzūkija 89–70 81–62 0
Neptūnas 2–1 Skycop Prienai 102–78 85–94 77–71
Rytas 2–1 Juventus 93–91 83–92 84–63
Lietkabelis 2–0 Pieno žvaigždės 95–87 105–98 0

Semifinals

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3
Žalgiris 2–0 Lietkabelis 78–58 84–63 0
Neptūnas 0–2 Rytas 46–75 70–83 0

Third-place series

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5
Neptūnas 3–0 Lietkabelis 89–77 88–75 84–77 0 0

Finals

Team 1 Series Team 2 Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5
Žalgiris 3–0 Rytas 79–64 85–67 92–54 0 0

Awards

All official awards of the 2018–19 LKL season.

Regular Season MVP

Pos. Player Team
C Lithuania Martinas Geben Juventus

Source:[4]

LKL Finals Most Valuable Player Award

Pos. Player Team
SF Lithuania Edgaras Ulanovas Žalgiris

LKL Defensive Player of the Year

Pos. Player Team
PG United States Thomas Walkup Žalgiris

All-LKL Team

Pos. Player Team
PG Lithuania Žygimantas Janavičius Skycop
SG Lithuania Marius Grigonis Žalgiris
SF Lithuania Edgaras Ulanovas Žalgiris
PF Lithuania Arnas Butkevičius Rytas
C United States Brandon Davies Žalgiris

Source:[5]

Player of the week

Round Player Team PIR
1 Lithuania Mindaugas Lukauskis Skycop 29
2 Nigeria Emmanuel Omogbo Pieno žvaigždės 26.5
3 United States Jerai Grant Neptūnas 20,5
4 United States Mike Bruesewitz Skycop 31
5 Nigeria Emmanuel Omogbo Pieno žvaigždės 37
6 United States Lorenzo Williams Neptūnas 40
7 Lithuania Vaidas Čepukaitis Juventus 30
8 Lithuania Arnas Butkevičius Rytas 30
9 Lithuania Marius Grigonis Žalgiris 25
10 United States Alex Hamilton Juventus 30
11 United States Jerai Grant Neptūnas 33
12 Lithuania Žygimantas Skučas Pieno žvaigždės 25
13 United States Mike Bruesewitz Skycop 38
14 United States Brandon Davies Žalgiris 25
15 United States Kyle Weaver Neptūnas 38
16 United States Nate Wolters Žalgiris 32
17 Lithuania Žygimantas Skučas Pieno žvaigždės 32
18 Lithuania Tomas Lekūnas Pieno žvaigždės 30
19 Lithuania Saulius Kulvietis Lietkabelis 34
20 France Leo Westermann Žalgiris 22
21 Lithuania Martynas Echodas Rytas 32
22 United States Cedrick Bowen Šiauliai 26
23 Lithuania Mindaugas Girdžiūnas Rytas 37
24 United States Jay Threatt Pieno žvaigždės 25
25 Turkey Kerem Kanter Dzūkija 28,5
26 United States Derek Needham Rytas 31
27 Lithuania Deividas Gailius Neptūnas 28
28 Lithuania Martinas Geben Juventus 22,5
29 Lithuania Gytis Masiulis Neptūnas 32,5
30 United States Zaid Hearst Nevėžis 32,5

Player of the month

Month Player Team PIR
September Lithuania Ignas Vaitkus Šiauliai 24
October Nigeria Emmanuel Omogbo Pieno žvaigždės 20,6
November Lithuania Arnas Butkevičius Rytas 20,8
December United States Jerai Grant Neptūnas 24,7
January Lithuania Tomas Lekūnas Pieno žvaigždės 22,3
February Turkey Kerem Kanter Dzūkija 31
March Lithuania Martinas Geben Juventus 22,5
April Lithuania Gytis Masiulis Neptūnas 19,8

Player of the playoffs stages

Round Player Team PIR
Quarter-Finals Lithuania Arnas Butkevičius Rytas 30
Semi-Finals United States Brandon Davies Žalgiris 23,5
Finals Lithuania Edgaras Ulanovas Žalgiris 20

Lithuanian clubs in European competitions

Team Competition Progress
Žalgiris EuroLeague Quarterfinals
Rytas EuroCup Quarterfinals
Neptūnas Champions League Round of 16
Lietkabelis Regular season
Šiauliai First qualifying round

References

  1. ^ "Betsafe LKL to remain 10-team league, Play-Off series shortened for 2018-19". en.lkl.lt. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  2. ^ "LKL licencijos suteiktos 9 klubams". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 17 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  3. ^ ""Nevėžiui" suteikta LKL licencija". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 24 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  4. ^ "LKL.LT - Juventus rookie Geben captures Betsafe LKL MVP honors". lkl.lt. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  5. ^ "LKL.LT - Zalgiris dominate Betsafe LKL awards ceremony; Ulanovas named Finals MVP". lkl.lt. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.

External links