2021–22 LKL season

Betsafe-LKL
Season2021–22
Duration18 September 2021 – 28 April 2022
(Regular season)
1 May 2022 – 12 June 2022 (Playoffs)
Games played198
Teams11
Regular season
Season MVPCroatia Ivan Buva
Finals
ChampionsRytas (6th title)
  Runners-upLietkabelis
Third placeŽalgiris
Fourth placeŠiauliai–7bet
Finals MVPLithuania Arnas Butkevičius
Statistical leaders
Points United States Patrick Miller 17.93
Rebounds Senegal Amar Sylla 7.62
Assists Lithuania Žygimantas Janavičius 6.84
Index Rating Croatia Ivan Buva 18.41
Records
Biggest home winRytas 108–68 Nevėžis–OPTIBET
(13 February 2022)
Biggest away winŠiauliai–7bet 64–97 Žalgiris
(17 October 2021)
Highest scoringPieno žvaigždės 106–102 Labas Gas
(27 March 2022)
Winning streak14 games
Žalgiris
Losing streak11 games
Labas Gas
Highest attendance9,006
Rytas 67–72 Žalgiris
(23 January 2022)
Lowest attendance130
Labas Gas 63–73 Neptūnas
(7 February 2022)
Average attendance1,239 per match
Seasons

The 2021–22 Lietuvos krepšinio lyga, also called Betsafe-LKL for sponsorship reasons, was the 29th season of the top-tier level professional basketball league of Lithuania, the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL). Žalgiris was defending champions.

For the first time since league's inception, Žalgiris failed to reach finals, after losing semifinal series to Lietkabelis 3–1[1]

Rytas after 12 years break won Betsafe–LKL championship and achieved their 6th title overall.[2]

Teams

Location and arenas

class=notpageimage|
Location of teams in 2021-22 LKL

On 27 April 2021, during 2020–21 LKL season LKL board decided to expand the number of participating teams in tournament. The number of teams has been expanded to 11 teams. 2020-21 NKL season champions Cbet Jonava will join the other 10 LKL teams.[3]

Team Location Arena Capacity
Cbet Jonava Jonava Jonava Arena 2,200
Dzūkija Alytus Alytus Arena 5,500
Labas Gas Prienai Prienai Arena 1,500
Lietkabelis Panevėžys Cido Arena 5,950
Neptūnas Klaipėda Švyturys Arena 6,200
Nevėžis-OPTIBET Kėdainiai Kėdainiai Arena 2,200
Pieno žvaigždės Pasvalys Pieno žvaigždės Arena 1,500
Rytas Vilnius Jeep Arena 2,500
Avia Solutions Group Arena 10,000
Šiauliai-7bet Šiauliai Šiauliai Arena 5,700
Uniclub Casino – Juventus Utena Utena Arena 2,000
Žalgiris Kaunas Žalgiris Arena 15,415

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced with Date of appointment
Nevėžis–OPTIBET Lithuania Marius Kiltinavičius Signed by Sūduva-Mantinga 21 June 2021[4] Pre-season Lithuania Gediminas Petrauskas 21 June 2021[5]
Pieno žvaigždės Lithuania Gediminas Petrauskas Signed by Nevėžis–OPTIBET 21 June 2021[6] Lithuania Mantas Šernius 22 June 2021[7]
Labas Gas Lithuania Mantas Šernius Signed by Pieno žvaigždės 22 June 2021[8] Lithuania Marius Leonavičius 16 August 2021[9]
Dzūkija North Macedonia Nikola Vasilev Mutual consent 15 August 2021 Lithuania Ramūnas Cvirka 15 August 2021[10]
Žalgiris Austria Martin Schiller Sacked 08 October 2021[11] 1st (4–0) Slovenia Jure Zdovc 08 October 2021[12]
Neptūnas Lithuania Tomas Gaidamavičius Mutual consent 11 December 2021[13] 9th (2–7) Lithuania Dainius Adomaitis 18 December 2021[14]
Uniclub Casino – Juventus Lithuania Žydrūnas Urbonas Resigned 30 March 2022[15] 6th (11–12)
Žalgiris Slovenia Jure Zdovc Mutual consent 11 April 2022[16] 2nd (22–3) Lithuania Kazys Maksvytis 11 April 2022[17]

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification or relegation
1 Rytas 30 26 4 2685 2257 +428 Advance to playoffs
2 Žalgiris 30 26 4 2578 2247 +331
3 Lietkabelis 30 23 7 2522 2233 +289
4 Cbet Jonava 30 16 14 2373 2451 −78
5 Šiauliai–7bet 30 15 15 2459 2464 −5
6 Uniclub Casino – Juventus 30 15 15 2526 2485 +41
7 Neptūnas 30 14 16 2332 2390 −58
8 Dzūkija 30 11 19 2291 2427 −136
9 Pieno žvaigždės 30 9 21 2423 2615 −192
10 Nevėžis-OPTIBET 30 7 23 2349 2635 −286
11 Labas GAS 30 3 27 2310 2644 −334
Source: LKL.lT


Results

Home \ Away CBE DZU GAS LTK NEP NEV PIE RYT SIA JUV ZAL CBE DZU GAS LTK NEP NEV PIE RYT SIA JUV ZAL
Cbet Jonava — 85–63 93–77 74–66 64–89 88–76 77–69 79–94 58–69 86–80 80–86 — — 100–84 — — — 91–82 67–91 62–79 65–71 100–97
Dzūkija 86–62 — 72–69 65–76 67–79 81–66 92–86 61–88 75–66 83–80 100–105 73–81 — — 86–90 64–65 93–76 — — — — 63–74
Labas GAS 68–81 70–77 — 65–92 62–87 93–102 79–87 68–82 88–109 80–74 78–81 — 62–72 — — 63–73 86–97 — — — 88–81 71–88
Lietkabelis 88–69 94–63 87–69 — 83–62 60–67 88–70 83–80 87–76 92–89 69–73 103–71 — 82–73 — — — 82–87 86–90 71–66 — 85–67
Neptūnas 75–87 70–85 88–82 53–81 — 94–87 75–71 81–89 86–94 79–88 60–77 75–78 — — 73–83 — 95–61 91–95 93–88 — — 57–77
Nevėžis–OPTIBET 95–100 83–78 90–80 77–78 83–88 — 73–79 68–100 66–79 73–75 69–77 88–92 — — 60–85 — — 85–92 85–109 93–83 — 64–72
Pieno žvaigždės 76–80 75–81 78–81 97–107 69–82 87–88 — 66–76 108–90 76–90 69–85 — 101–78 106–102 — — — — — 67–89 92–84 83–102
Rytas 76–60 81–65 106–77 85–71 97–76 108–73 91–75 — 79–76 89–111 67–72 — 88–68 86–70 — — — 99–66 — 101–68 82–74 87–74
Šiauliai-7bet 93–87 97–85 86–80 74–97 75–77 91–77 84–62 77–89 — 80–66 64–97 — 84–83 96–93 — 84–87 — — — — 91–94 86–89
Uniclub Casino – Juventus 89–86 101–84 88–75 75–92 76–64 94–77 94–82 92–103 70–79 — 71–78 — 95–78 — 93–94 82–79 96–73 — — — — 76–84
Žalgiris 93–70 78–70 103–77 84–70 98–79 102–77 99–70 75–84 90–74 101–77 — — — — — — — — — — — —
Source: LKL.LT
Legend: Blue = home team win; Red = away team win.
Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.

Playoffs

Main article: 2022 LKL Playoffs

Quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in a best–of–five games format, while the finals and third place in a best–of–seven format.

Bracket

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
 
                            
 
 
 
 
Rytas76738792–
 
 
 
Dzūkija63805966–
 
Rytas97729487–
 
 
 
Šiauliai–7bet75847977–
 
Cbet Jonava82667065–
 
 
 
Šiauliai–7bet79887279–
 
Rytas68 88 85 78 79––
 
 
 
Lietkabelis7766637776––
 
Žalgiris9268877889
 
 
 
Neptūnas8870718760
 
Žalgiris71556975–
 
 
 
Lietkabelis70797386–Third place
 
Lietkabelis1029592––
 
 
 
Uniclub Casino — Juventus1017387––
 
Žalgiris92908589–––
 
 
Šiauliai–7bet75857076–––
 

Final standings

Pos Team Pld W L Qualification or relegation
1 Rytas (C) 43 36 7 Qualification to Champions League regular season
2 Lietkabelis 42 30 12 Qualification to EuroCup
3 Žalgiris 43 34 9 Already qualified to EuroLeague
4 Šiauliai–7bet 42 19 23 Qualification to Champions League qualifying rounds
5 Cbet Jonava 34 17 17
6 Uniclub Casino – Juventus 33 15 18
7 Neptūnas 35 16 19
8 Dzūkija 34 12 22
9 Pieno žvaigždės 30 9 21
10 Nevėžis-OPTIBET 30 7 23
11 Labas GAS 30 3 27
Source: LKL.lT
(C) Champions

Attendance

Average attendances

Pos Team Total High Low Average
1 Žalgiris 39,091 5,603 1,000 2,299†
2 Rytas 49,141 9,006 806 2,137†
3 Šiauliai–7bet 44,412 4,867 720 2,115†
4 Lietkabelis 42,048 6,480 510 1,911†
5 Neptūnas 17,228 2,578 355 957†
6 Uniclub Casino – Juventus 14,131 1,957 378 883†
7 Cbet Jonava 14,098 1,700 382 783†
8 Nevėžis-OPTIBET 8,810 1,322 305 551†
9 Dzūkija 6,310 780 180 371†
10 Pieno žvaigždės 5,180 1,000 150 345†
11 Labas GAS 4,733 1,100 130 316†
League total 245,182 9,006 130 1,239†

Source: LKL.LT


Awards

All official awards of the 2021-22 LKL season.

Regular Season MVP

Pos. Player Team Source
C Croatia Ivan Buva Rytas [18]

LKL Finals MVP

Pos. Player Team Source
SF\PF Lithuania Arnas Butkevičius Rytas [19]

All-LKL Team

Player Team Source
Lithuania Lukas Lekavičius Žalgiris [19]
United States Jon Elmore Šiauliai-7bet
Lithuania Arnas Butkevičius Rytas
Lithuania Gediminas Orelik Lietkabelis
Croatia Ivan Buva Rytas

Coach of the Year

Player Team Source
Lithuania Giedrius Žibėnas Rytas [19]

Best Defender

Player Team Source
Lithuania Vytenis Lipkevičius Lietkabelis [19]

Breakthrough of the Year

Player Team Source
Greece Panagiotis Kalaitzakis Lietkabelis [19]

Player of the month

Month Player Team PIR Source
2021
September United States Jon Elmore Šiauliai–7bet 19.7 [20]
October United States Patrick Miller Uniclub Casino – Juventus 28 [21]
November Lithuania Giedrius Staniulis Šiauliai-7bet 26 [22]
December Serbia Đorđe Gagić Lietkabelis 26.3 [23]
2022
January Belgium Manu Lecomte Cbet Jonava 28 [24]
February Belgium Manu Lecomte Cbet Jonava 32.5 [25]
March Croatia Ivan Buva Rytas 21 [26]
April Colombia Juan Palacios Cbet Jonava 27.6 [27]

Statistics

Individual statistics

Rating

Rank Name Team Games Rating PIR
1. Croatia Ivan Buva Rytas 34 626 18.41
2. United States Patrick Miller Uniclub Casino – Juventus 29 531 18.31
3. Senegal Amar Sylla Nevėžis–OPTIBET 29 498 17.17

Source: LKL.LT

Points

Rank Name Team Games Points PPG
1. United States Patrick Miller Uniclub Casino – Juventus 29 520 17.93
2. Croatia Ivan Buva Rytas 34 560 16.47
3. Lithuania Deividas Gailius Neptūnas 31 500 16.13

Source: LKL.LT

Rebounds

Rank Name Team Games Rebounds RPG
1. Senegal Amar Sylla Nevėžis-OPTIBET 29 221 7.62
2. Colombia Juan Palacios Cbet Jonava 24 182 7.58
3. Lithuania Benas Griciūnas Neptūnas 34 229 6.74

Source: LKL.LT

Assists

Rank Name Team Games Assists APG
1. Lithuania Žygimantas Janavičius Neptūnas 32 219 6.84
2. United States Speedy Smith Rytas 40 229 5.73
3. United States Jon Elmore Šiauliai–7bet 30 165 5.50

Source: LKL.LT

Other statistics

Category Player Team Games Average
Steals United States Randy Culpepper Pieno žvaigždės 18 2.50
Blocks Senegal Amar Sylla Nevėžis–OPTIBET 29 2.17
Turnovers Lithuania Ignas Sargiūnas Labas Gas 30 2.87
Fouls drawn United States Patrick Miller Uniclub Casino – Juventus 29 5.24
Minutes Lithuania Arnas Beručka Pieno žvaigždės 31 33:23
FT % Lithuania Mindaugas Girdžiūnas Rytas 24 90.24%
2-Point % Lithuania Edgaras Želionis Neptūnas 32 71.32%
3-Point % Lithuania Lukas Lekavičius Žalgiris 36 47.46%

Source: LKL.LT

Individual game highs

Category Player Team Opponent Statistic
Rating Croatia Ivan Buva Rytas Cbet Jonava (Jan 13, 2022) 49
Points Colombia Juan Palacios Cbet Jonava Labas Gas (Apr 27, 2022) 36
Rebounds Colombia Juan Palacios Cbet Jonava Šiauliai–7bet (Mar 6, 2022) 18
Assists Lithuania Vaidas Kariniauskas Rytas Nevėžis–OPTIBET (Feb 13, 2022) 15
Steals United States Markell Johnson Pieno žvaigždės Nevėžis–OPTIBET (Nov 20, 2021) 6
United States Randy Culpepper Pieno žvaigždės Labas Gas (Mar 27, 2022)
Colombia Juan Palacios Cbet Jonava Šiauliai–7bet (May 6, 2022)
Blocks Senegal Amar Sylla Nevėžis–OPTIBET Žalgiris (Apr 14, 2022) 6

Source: LKL.LT

Team statistics

Speedy Smith during Game 5 of the 2022 LKL Finals
Category Team Average
Rating Rytas 102.58
Points Rytas 87.47
Rebounds Neptūnas 36.63
Assists Žalgiris 20.96
Steals Lietkabelis 8.49
Blocks Labas Gas 3.55
Turnovers Neptūnas 15.77
FT % Žalgiris 79.09%
2-Point % Neptūnas 57.52%
3-Point % Žalgiris 39.36%

Source: LKL.LT

Lithuanian clubs in European competitions

Team Competition Progress
Žalgiris EuroLeague Regular Season
Lietkabelis EuroCup Eighthfinals
Rytas Champions League Round of 16
Juventus Qualifying rounds

References

  1. ^ "Lietkabelis makes history, forces Zalgiris to the first semifinal elimination ever". en.lkl.lt. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Šventė sostinėje: dramatišką mūšį laimėjęs "Rytas" – "Betsafe-LKL" čempionas". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  3. ^ "LKL valdyba nubalsavo – kitą sezoną čempionate rungtyniaus 11 komandų". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  4. ^ "M.Kiltinavičius grįžta į puikiai pažįstamą klubą". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  5. ^ "G. Petrauskas tapo Kėdainių ekipos vyr. treneriu". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 21 June 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
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  8. ^ "Geriausiu treneriu pripažintas M. Šernius grįžta į Pasvalį". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 22 June 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Prienų ekipai diriguos M. Leonavičius". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 16 August 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  10. ^ "R.Cvirka stojo prie "Dzūkijos" vairo". krepsinis.net (in Lithuanian). 15 August 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Zalgiris parts ways with Coach Schiller". zalgiris.lt. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
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  13. ^ ""Neptūnas" atsisveikino su T. Gaidamavičiumi". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Oficialu: į Klaipėdą sugrįžta D. Adomaitis". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Ž.Urbonas palieka komandos vyr. trenerio postą". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 30 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
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  20. ^ "Rugsėjo MVP tapęs šiauliečių vedlys J. Elmore'as: "Kažkada noriu žaisti Eurolygoje arba NBA"". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 2 October 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
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  23. ^ "Gruodžio MVP tapęs Dž. Gagičius: "Noriu laimėti trofėjų"". lkl.lt (in Lithuanian). 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
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  25. ^ "Emmanuel Lecomte – MVP of February". en.lkl.lt. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
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