2018–19 LKL season

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.

Betsafe-LKL
Season	2018–19
Duration	September 2018 – June 2019
Games played	200 (180 regular season, 20 playoffs)
Teams	10
Regular season
Season MVP	Martinas Geben
Finals
Champions	Žalgiris (21st title)
Runners-up	Rytas
Third place	Neptūnas
Fourth place	Lietkabelis
Finals MVP	Edgaras Ulanovas
Statistical leaders
Points Kerem Kanter 16.8 Rebounds Martinas Geben 7.4 Assists Dovis Bičkauskis 5.7
Records
Biggest home win	Žalgiris 93–48 Skycop (30 December 2018)
Biggest away win	Pieno žvaigždės 68–109 Žalgiris (25 November 2018)
Highest scoring	Šiauliai 82–117 Rytas (1 May 2019)
Winning streak	12 games Žalgiris
Losing streak	12 games Nevėžis
Highest attendance	11,294 Žalgiris 95–86 Rytas (9 December 2018)
← 2017–18 2019–20 → All statistics correct as of 1 August 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

Dzūkija

Juventus

Lietkabelis

Neptūnas

Nevėžis

Pieno žvaigždės

Prienai

Rytas

Šiauliai

Žalgiris

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

	Quarterfinals				Semifinals				Finals
	Žalgiris	2
	Dzūkija	0
					Žalgiris	2
					Lietkabelis	0
	BC Lietkabelis	2
	Pieno žvaigždės	0
									Žalgiris	3
									Rytas	0
	Neptūnas	2
	Skycop Prienai	1
					Neptūnas	0
					Rytas	2			Third place
	Rytas	2
	Juventus	1
									Neptūnas	3
									Lietkabelis	0

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	Martinas Geben	Juventus

Source:^[4]

LKL Finals Most Valuable Player Award

Pos.	Player	Team
SF	Edgaras Ulanovas	Žalgiris

LKL Defensive Player of the Year

Pos.	Player	Team
PG	Thomas Walkup	Žalgiris

All-LKL Team

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

Source:^[5]

Player of the week

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

Player of the month

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

Player of the playoffs stages

Round	Player	Team	PIR
Quarter-Finals	Arnas Butkevičius	Rytas	30
Semi-Finals	Brandon Davies	Žalgiris	23,5
Finals	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