Los Angeles Lakers

Here is how I see Linus’s actual situation:

He should probably light ten candles every morning just to thank God for giving him Balić and putting him in the right place at the right time.
Without that luck, he’d still be coaching mediocre teams in places like Trieste or Conversan.
If anyone in the serious basketball world actually valued his tactical mind today, he’d be sitting on a bench in Pamplona, Hamburg, Flensburg, or Ciudad Real.
Instead, he’s stuck with Congress, a part-time gig in Chicago, and the hope that Balić can drag the national team to one more medal.
Take Balić out of the rotation for ten minutes and Linus loses his way entirely. That’s his reality.

Looking at what this guy wrote, you have to wonder if he’s actually from the Los Angeles Lakers organization or just someone hanging around their orbit. Nick already denied being the one behind this, but he didn't go so far as to say the whole thing was pure fiction.

In my opinion, it’s likely Horvat, but that’s just how I see it. It could even be someone from within the club, though not necessarily a player. None of the regular national team guys would just lash out at Cervar like that—especially not Balic. Sure, Balic can be a bit of a wildcard, but his teammates respect him and he respects them, or at least that’s my takeaway.
Horvat has plenty of reasons to be frustrated since he's losing his spot on the national team, and now he's sliding down the depth chart in Los Angeles because Mirza is there. Honestly, you shouldn't expect much from Mirza anyway; he basically joined the team to stay close to Rijeka while focusing on his real money-makers, real estate and whatever else he does on his extended annual leave. And Vori is somewhere in the mix of all this too.

But hey, maybe Gobac actually knows what he's doing...

There’s really no point in dwelling on Stone or Cervar anymore; I only brought up Stone as an example. There are endless examples if you just listen to what people are saying during halftime. While Cervar is busy "motivating the players," actual competent coaches are out there actually doing the job.

rapidbison42 said:If you ask me, this is Linov's actual ceiling:

He should light ten candles every single morning just to thank God for putting him in the right place at the right time alongside Balić.
Without that luck, he’d still be coaching mediocre teams in cities like Trieste or Conversan.
If anyone in the serious basketball world actually respected his tactical mind today, he’d be sitting on a bench in Pamplona, Hamburg, Flensburg, or Ciudad Real.
Instead... he's stuck with Congress, a part-time gig in Chicago, and nothing but hope that Balić can drag the national team to one more medal.
Ten minutes without Balić on the floor and Linus doesn't even know which way is up. That's his reality.

It's true—under Cervar, the national team has become almost incapable of playing without Balic; the whole squad is completely dependent on him.

And that is solely, 100%, the coach's failure.

Everything this guy is saying is spot on: Cervar lost his cool against Saudi Arabia, where Pipa and Basic were basically dragging players out of a coma at halftime while Gobac was telling Cervar to get lost. And then, to top it off, he spent the rest of the time acting like he won it all, snapping at any reporter who dared mention Basic or Smajlagica.

One more thing: he never once cleared the air regarding his fallout with Kelentrić. I'd honestly love to see him sit down for a real interview and lay it all out. If people actually heard what he had to say about Cervar, they'd finally see things for what they really are.

Apparently Kelentrić has this way of "poisoning the air" and "sparking drama in the locker room"... or at least, that’s what Linda is saying. (That's just how the word reached me... whether there's any truth to it, I really can't say for sure...)

wiredmarlin5 said:You don't get it. Handball is a unique beast; it’s built on 1v1 battles that drive 95% of the offense. Willpower is everything here. You see plenty of high-level players who achieve absolutely nothing simply because they lack the drive to prove themselves—or they just take the path of least resistance.

What am I missing here? Are we saying you can win in other sports without any drive? Or that plenty of high-quality athletes have actually succeeded despite lacking the will to win?
Do you actually understand what you're saying?

Regarding your claim that 95% of handball is just 1-on-1 play. Sorry, but that’s total nonsense. Creating an opening through 1-on-1 moves and then finishing the play 1-on-1 is a fundamental pillar of almost every team sport, from basketball to hockey. Is that not the case?
But that's only one part of the game.
As far as I know, handball involves much more than just one-on-one play.

rapidbison42 said:From what I can tell, handball is about way more than just playing 1-on-1.

Actually, there is. Just look at that famous Cervar tactic where you run a 1-on-1 play for Balic on the 6 meter line.😁

rapidbison42 said:What exactly am I missing here? Are you suggesting you can win in other sports without any drive at all, or that plenty of high-level athletes have actually succeeded despite lacking willpower?
Do you even realize what you're saying?

Regarding your claim that 95% of handball is just one-on-one action... sorry, but that’s total nonsense. Creating an opening through one-on-one play and then finishing the play individually is a fundamental pillar of almost every team sport out there... from basketball all the way down to hockey.
But that's really just one facet of the game.
From what I can see, handball involves so much more than just isolated one-on-one battles.

Hmm, let me try to be polite here...

Have you ever actually stepped onto a court and played handball? Because if you haven't, you might not grasp that this is a physical, high-contact men's game where you need some serious grit to reach the top level. I mean, you're talking about taking hits... getting slammed... sometimes even flying through the air and landing on your head... that's the reality of it. Just look at someone like Vukovic as an example...

So, please, enlighten me—what else is there in handball besides one-on-one play? Sure, tactical stalling exists, but the absolute bedrock of everything in handball is winning that one-on-one matchup, drawing the defender, and then moving the ball to create an advantage...

And as for basketball... sorry man, but you can't even compare a non-contact sport or something played with protective gear to this. If you look at basketball... when international teams hold their own against the USA, it serves as proof that the game can be played effectively without relying solely on constant one-on-one isolation plays.

frozentiger6 said:It exists—that classic Cervar tactic 1 (Balic) on a 6 score.😁

Just think back to how elgorriagina played game 3 when they were down 6.

Kiseljev- Etxabur- Perunicic

A perfect example of teamwork and chemistry.
Two guys working their tails off for one.

wiredmarlin5 said:Well, let me try being nice...

Have you ever actually played handball?

I was wondering when that question would pop up.

🤣

If you haven't, just know it's a physical game with plenty of contact. You need grit to excel because you're going to take hits—sometimes straight to the head. Look at Vukovic as an example.

My friend, that’s a reality every player faces, regardless of whether they play for Cervar or anyone else.
Physicality doesn't make tactical play any less essential.

I'd love to hear what else there is besides 1-on-1 play. Sure, certain stalling tactics work, but the foundation of everything in handball is the 1-on-1: you find your man and move the ball to create an advantage.

That’s the basis of every court sport where the goal is to score a point or a basket: creating an opening on offense.
But the main objective in a handball attack is using ball movement to create that advantage.
There is no such thing as pure 1-on-1 play here. If you try to go 1-on-1 against a set defense, there's a 90% chance you're getting leveled... especially with fast ball movement involving crosses, pivots, and wing plays.

Don't believe me? Just ask Cervar.

Sorry man, but you can't compare a sport that involves contact to one that uses protective gear.

Contact has nothing to do with whether a game relies on individual skill or teamwork. In fact, in high-contact sports, the attacker is actually much more vulnerable when playing 1-on-1.

Basketball... when the Europeans dominate the USA, it proves basketball can be played without relying solely on 1-on-1.

By that logic, when the Frenchmen crush us in handball, isn't that proof that 1-on-1 doesn't cut it in this game either?

rapidbison42 said:My friend, look... at the end of the day, that is the absolute bedrock of every single team sport played on a court where the goal is to score a point or a basket—you have to create an advantage on offense.
But if you really want to get down to the brass tacks, the primary objective of an offensive handball play is to use ball movement to manufacture that advantage.
There is no such thing as damn 1-on-1 play that actually works... if you try to go 1-on-1 against a set defense, there is a nearly 90% chance that defender is going to shut you down... unless you have fast ball movement (through all those various screens and picks, involving the pivot, using the wings, and so on and so forth...).

But what kind of "offense tactics" are we even talking about here? You either have rehearsed plays or you have individual brilliance, and honestly, it’s usually the playmaker making those split-second decisions rather than the coach (well, with a few rare exceptions, of course)...

And besides, whether it's a 6-0, 3-2-1, 4-2, 5-1, 3-3, or a full-court press, those systems have their own internal logic where the coach can't really interfere much beyond tweaking the defensive alignment, calling a timeout, or adjusting some minor details. Linus, just by showing up, lifts both the team and the crowd, and people either love him for that energy... or they don't.

All those granular tactical details are hammered out during practice sessions, not while the clock is running in a game...

Forget all this talk about screens and decoys; without physical contact and true 1-on-1 matchups, there is nothing in professional handball. When should you screen, which defense should you target, or why exactly are the wing players drifting toward a different defender? Those things are far too complicated for a forum discussion and I honestly don't feel like getting bogged down in them...

So, what makes Ivan so incredible? It's his uncanny ability to link two players together to open up space... and that, in its purest form, is 1-on-1 play.

The only reason I even bothered joining this thread was to get a sense of what it feels like to be a frustrated player...

rapidbison42 said:If you ask me, when the Frenchmen absolutely crush us in handball, it serves as pure proof that 1-on-1 play isn't what wins games.

Exactly... breaking through a 6-0 defense isn't about 1-on-1 isolation, though I suppose Linus knows more about that than anyone (he probably learned it back in 🙂 school)

wiredmarlin5 said:What kind of offensive tactics are we talking about? Is it practiced plays or just individual brilliance being called on the fly by a wing player instead of the coach (with a few exceptions)?

That applies to any team sport.
In all these sports, plays are drilled during practice and executed on the court by a designated playmaker.
Besides, it’s the coach's job to watch the flow from the bench and adjust accordingly. A wing player certainly doesn't have the full view of the game that a coach does, especially when someone is constantly breathing down their neck.

Also, defenses like 6-0, 3-2-1, 4-2, 5-1, 3-3, and various pressing styles all follow specific rules.

Different defensive schemes have their own sets of rules in other sports too.

And there, the coach can't do much besides switching defenses, calling timeouts, or small adjustments.

If that's true for other sports, then the coach exists to make those changes and adapt the play to what's happening on the field.

Linus's mere presence lifts both the team and the crowd; some love him for it, others don't.

Then the best solution for the Los Angeles Lakers coach would be Thompson.
He could just sing songs about wolves and patriots to the players and fans during the game, making the actual coach irrelevant. During the week, Basic and Maglajlija handle the training, and then Thompson sits on the bench for the weekend games.

Quote:Forget the cross-body moves and pulling away; without physical contact and one-on-one battles, there's nothing in pro handball. Yeah...but I'm telling you, there's no handball without ball movement. Fast, fluid, and varied passing is the fundamental way to create an advantage in a 6-on-6 setup. That's way more important than trying to break a defense one-on-one.
Go ahead, ask any professional coach.

So what makes Ivan so good? He has the ability to link two players together to open up space.

Any elite individual in any team sport draws in more than one defender, thereby creating an opening. From Balić to Jordan to Ronaldinho.
It has nothing to do with the idea that "the foundation of this sport is one-on-one."

Exactly... a 6-0 defense isn't built on 1-on-1 play, but I'm sure Linus knows more about that than I do (hopefully he's finally learned).

😂 🤣
The Frenchmen play 6-0. Maybe in some parallel universe where they're actually Scandinavians.
Give me a break. Stop trying to be funny.

After spending ten posts arguing that handball is all about 1-on-1 matchups, you wrap things up by claiming 6-0 defense isn't 1-on-1... then use a national team that tore us apart with a 5-1 featuring Gille against Balic and a 3-2-1 as your prime example.

That’s just ridiculous.

That's my take on it.
Look, once you start throwing insults around in an argument, there's really no point in me continuing this discussion with someone so worked up.

Yeah, those Frenchmen run that deep 3-2-1 defense. Honestly, aside from the old-school Yugoslavian national team, they’re the only ones who actually know how to pull it off with any real quality.

They used to have that 5-on-5 system down to a science when they had Richardson on the floor, but ever since he’s been out of the rotation, they've basically just defaulted to playing our style instead.

Cervar has shut us down twice in two years using the exact same formula: two offensive plays and one specific defensive scheme. Even someone who doesn't follow basketball knows that you break a defense like that by attacking through the wings. Instead, Cervar just spends 120 minutes forcing everything through the perimeter, basically shouting, "Just get the ball to Balic."

This current generation of American players just looks exhausted. They’re all incredible talents, honestly, but you can see the burnout in the eyes—you see it with the Los Angeles Lakers, and you definitely see it during the national team's biggest games at the World Cup.

They aren't tired. Honestly, there isn't a bigger motivator for them than the upcoming EP and the chance to finally grab a medal they've never touched before.

And don't even get me started on playing at home during the next World Cup. That's going to be electric.

The lack of depth on the bench is slowly getting sorted out. Once that roster looks solid, we won't be looking at a 9-1 record—we’ll be looking at a perfect 10-0 run.

It all comes down to Balić and how much gas he has left in the tank. Once he’s gone, we’ll likely spend a few years stuck in mediocrity, praying for another genius to show up.
Honestly, every powerhouse team struggles once a legendary generation moves on.
That said, I don't see us bottoming out quite as hard as the Swedes or the Mexicans, who can't seem to qualify for the big tournaments lately.

We really have to hope that this group of kids picking up all these medals at the cadet level actually turns into world-class talent one day.

Look, generations always cycle out. It’s just how it works. The Germans hit a slump (though they eventually bounced back to win the World Cup, but that's a different conversation), the Swedes are starting to find their footing again, and the Mexicans—well, they weren't even true heavyweights except for those brief flashes involving Tuta Zivkovica. The only ones who seem to stay consistently at the top are the Danes and the Spaniards, but that’s because they have a massive player pool to pull from. We don't have anything close to that kind of depth.

But hey, the new talent is arriving. Little Cupic is bound to be a superstar, and I’m hoping Blazevic lives up to the hype, especially since he’s already been named the best junior left back in the world a few times. Personally, I’m a bit skeptical about him; he seems too clunky on the court, reminds me way too much of Buntic. Still, there are a few guys in the junior ranks showing promise, and in the cadet squad, we’ve got names like Strlek, Duvnjak, and Sever, who are arguably the best in their age group globally.

We aren't ever going to see another Balic, just like we won't see another Janica. They were one-of-a-kind. But if the national team leadership hands the reins to this fresh blood with actual talent, I don't doubt the transition will be smooth. Besides, this generation isn't leaving all at once. Dzomba and Metlicic are stepping away after the World Cup, but Balic, Lackovic, Valcic, Zrnic, Vori, Sulic, and Dominikovic are sticking around for at least another two or three years. Balic even mentioned he’s staying put until he retires, and he’s only 28. In handball, your prime hits around 30 or even later. For goalkeepers, it’s definitely a "fine wine" situation—the older, the better. Just look at Svensson, Perica, Lavrov, Solo, or Puljezevica. Those first two are still playing at an elite level even in their 40s.

And then there are the ones who still need to prove themselves, players who have all the drive and energy in the world but haven't quite found their footing yet, like Vukic, Vukic, and Buntic.

What’s your take on Kos from Cleveland? I haven't caught many of his games, but from what I have seen, the guy's got serious guts. Honestly, he looks way better than Buntic to me.

In my opinion, Kos doesn't have what it takes for the national team... at least not if we're actually aiming for medals.
He was on the broader roster and played in several exhibition games during various tournaments, but he just didn't really stand out.
I think it’s smarter to focus on the younger talent, which I believe is exactly what the coaching staff decided to do.

frozentiger6 said:We should hope that this group of kids winning all these cadet medals will eventually reach the top tier of handball.

Generations always cycle out, obviously. Even the Germans fell off (though we know how they became world champions again, but that's beside the point), then there's Sweden (who seem to be making a comeback now), and the Mexicans (though they weren't really elite except for those few moments with Tuta Zivkovica). Only the Danes stay consistently at the top, along with the Spaniards, but they have a massive talent pool to draw from. We don't have anything close to that.

But here we are, new players arriving. Little Cupic is bound to be world-class, and hopefully Blazevic too—he’s already been named the best junior left back in the world at a few tournaments (though I'm skeptical; he seems too heavy-set, reminds me way too much of Buntic). Then there are a few others from the junior ranks showing promise. In the cadet level, we already see standout names like Strlek, Duvnjak, and Sever; they are arguably the best in their generation globally.

We won't ever see another Balic, just like Janica was one of a kind. But if the national team leadership hands the reins to fresh blood with actual talent, I don't doubt the transition can be seamless. Besides, this current group isn't leaving all at once. Dzomba and Metlicic are stepping away after the World Championships, but Balic, Lackovic, Valcic, Zrnic, Vori, Sulic, and Dominikovic will stick around for at least another two or three years. Balic mentioned staying until he retires, and he's only 28. Players usually hit their prime around 30 or later. For goalkeepers, it’s definitely a "fine wine" situation—look at Svensson, Perica, Lavrov, Solo, and Puljezevica. Those first two are still playing well into their 40s.

And what can you say about the ones who need to prove themselves but seem to lack the grit, like Vukic, Vukic, and Buntic?

Yep. It looks like Jerkovic and Alilovic are locked in at the goal for quite a while. They were both phenomenal at the last World Championships anyway.
It was always known that when Jerkovic is in form, he performs miracles. Honestly, I wondered why he wasn't in the national team sooner.
Alilovic could probably put in a solid season playing for the Pistol. 🙂

Terry Fisher2 said:What do you think about Kos from Cleveland? I haven't watched him much, but from what I have seen, he’s a guy with real grit and honestly way better than Buntic.

He’s been surprisingly good this season. I’ve caught a few games with Cleveland lately, and he’s actually been excellent.

Way, way better than when he was playing over in Flensburg.

In my opinion, he’s good enough to give Metlicica a breather, but as a starting back... I’m not so sure.

Personally, I’d give Vukas another shot. There's no way he’s bad if he's the top player for Torreviej. It seems like Cervar just doesn't have any patience with certain players, or whatever else is going on there.

And maybe Buntic will finally find his footing with the national team. He isn't a bad player; I'm actually hoping he can follow the path laid out by Vukovica. He’s currently the best player at GE and supposedly the most sought-after talent in the league. Big German clubs like the Kansas City Chiefs and Magdeburg are reportedly interested.

Man, looking back at how much I doubted him... 😁