2019–20 LKL season

The 2019–20 Lietuvos krepšinio lyga, also called Betsafe-LKL for sponsorship reasons, was the 27th season of the top-tier level professional basketball league of Lithuania, the Lietuvos krepšinio lyga (LKL). On 13 March 2020, season was ended prematurely because of the coronavirus pandemic.[1]

Betsafe-LKL
Season2019–20
Number of teams10
Finals
ChampionsŽalgiris
22nd title
  Runners-upRytas
Third placeLietkabelis
Fourth placeNeptūnas

Coronavirus pandemic

On 13 March 2020, the board of the LKL decided to end the season because of the coronavirus pandemic. Along with this decision, they crowned regular season champions Žalgiris as the new Lithuanian champions.[1]

Competition format

During the regular season, all teams play 32 games. The top eight teams in the regular season standings, after playing their entire 32 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 be 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.[2]

Teams

Location and arenas
Location of teams in 2019–20 LKL

At first, nine teams were able to participate because Nevėžis did not provide the required documentation up to 15 August.[3] However, board of the LKL approved participation of that team. [4]

Team Location Arena Capacity
Cbet Prienai Prienai Prienai Arena 1,500
Sintek–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 Lietuvos rytas Arena 2,500
Siemens Arena 10,000
Šiauliai Šiauliai Šiauliai Arena 5,700
Žalgiris Kaunas Žalgiris Arena 15,708

Regular season

League table
Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Qualification or relegation
1 Žalgiris (C) 24 22 2 2135 1680 +455 Already qualified for EuroLeague
2 Rytas 24 17 7 2033 1812 +221 Qualification for Champions League
3 Lietkabelis 24 16 8 1880 1740 +140 Qualification for EuroCup
4 Neptūnas 24 14 10 2009 1933 +76 Qualification for Champions League qualifying rounds
5 Juventus 24 13 11 1847 1877 −30
6 Cbet Prienai 24 11 13 1769 1906 −137
7 Pieno žvaigždės 24 8 16 1861 1993 −132
8 Šiauliai 24 7 17 1892 2045 −153
9 Sintek–Dzūkija 24 6 18 1785 1989 −204
10 Nevėžis[lower-alpha 1] 24 6 18 1626 1862 −236
Source: LKL
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. The rule enforcing relegation of the last placed team was suspended as a result of an early termination of the championship.[5]

Results
Home \ Away CBE DZU JUV LTK NEP NEV PIE RYT SIA ZAL CBE DZU JUV LTK NEP NEV PIE RYT SIA ZAL
Cbet Prienai — 88–72 74–80 80–74 59–101 79–77 81–79 78–87 85–76 64–105 — 94–70 85–95 67–65 79–94
Sintek–Dzūkija 61–68 — 84–77 54–63 80–77 68–62 74–75 54–92 87–61 65–91 — 65–73 86–87
Juventus 65–76 88–75 — 77–83 80–76 92–84 112–108 83–81 77–72 77–101 84–71 — 89–77 66–70 82–91
Lietkabelis 74–61 91–73 84–62 — 102–64 75–51 75–62 83–74 88–70 83–72 76–62 — 85–69 67–81
Neptūnas 86–73 74–67 80–67 78–74 — 88–78 93–70 91–84 90–94 73–80 78–73 115–89 78–84 — 90–70
Nevėžis 73–70 70–74 78–80 91–68 75–68 — 88–87 68–65 85–98 57–83 77–82 — 63–92
Pieno žvaigždės 63–71 79–75 72–84 78–75 77–86 87–66 — 72–93 88–84 64–108 96–74 — 80–73 74–77
Rytas 88–64 98–85 86–65 82–77 85–75 90–71 95–84 — 93–70 70–88 92–69 96–75 97–89 — 96–75
Šiauliai 84–69 71–73 60–86 71–80 95–102 96–81 81–86 81–86 — 63–94 74–87 91–75 —
Žalgiris 87–55 102–50 86–80 96–69 100–82 89–84 81–47 78–72 86–80 — 71–61 83–86 —
Updated to match(es) played on 10 March 2020. Source: LKL.LT
Legend: Blue = home team win; Red = away team win.

Awards
Award Player Team Source
Gentleman of the yearLithuania Arnas ButkevičiusPrienai[6]
The best defensive playerUnited States Thomas WalkupŽalgiris
The best young playerLithuania Rokas JokubaitisPrienai

Best coach of the season
Coach Team Source
Lithuania Šarūnas JasikevičiusZalgiris[7]

All-LKL Team
Pos. Player Team Source
PGUnited States Thomas WalkupŽalgiris [8]
SGLithuania Arnas VeličkaPrienai
SFLithuania Arnas ButkevičiusRytas
PFUnited States Zach LeDayŽalgiris
CLithuania Laurynas BirutisPrienai

Lithuanian clubs in European competitions
TeamCompetitionProgress
ŽalgirisEuroLeagueRegular season
RytasEuroCupTop 16
NeptūnasChampions LeagueRegular season
LietkabelisRound of 16

References
  1. Maggi, Alessandro (13 March 2020). "LKL season cancelled, Zalgiris crowned as Champions". Sportando. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  2. "Betsafe LKL to remain 10-team league, Play-Off series shortened for 2018-19". en.lkl.lt. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  3. "Nevezis removed from Lithuanian top division". Sportando. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  4. "Nevezis is staying in LKL - LKL.LT". en.lkl.lt. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  5. "Nutraukiamas "Betsafe–LKL" čempionatas, nugalėtoju skelbiamas "Žalgiris"" (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Basketball League. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  6. "LKL awards 2020". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  7. "LKL Coach of the Year 2020". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  8. "All-LKL Team 2020". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
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