A Clash of Power and Helplessness That Cost Zvezda Everything

In their last eight encounters, Zvezda has suffered seven defeats against the Lithuanians, most recently on Thursday evening, at the opening of the new EuroLeague season.

The Arena witnessed new coach Ibon Navarro, new players in the red-and-white jersey, but also a team still far from where it aspires to be. Of course, it's just the beginning, and it's worth remembering last season and how quickly things can turn around, so this team has some credit at the start.

Zvezda showed some good aspects, but also areas where the former Unicaja coach, with his coaching staff, will need to work. And there isn't much time, as a double-header is scheduled in Belgrade next week, where the Serbian team will need to secure at least one victory to alleviate the pressure that will undoubtedly follow the defeat against Žalgiris.

One of the reasons for Zvezda's loss was Jonathan Motley's disastrous performance at the opener. A quick look at the interior line suggests it won't be Zvezda's primary weapon this season, but Motley, nevertheless, arrived with a serious reputation that he needs to live up to.

The former EuroCup MVP, a member of Fenerbahçe and Hapoel Tel Aviv, admittedly had one of the two toughest assignments at the start of the EuroLeague. On the opposing side stood Jonas Valančiūnas, who completely outplayed Motley in their direct duel, forcing Ibon Navarro to use Semi Ojeleye at the five position and injecting serious nervousness and doubt among the fans.

Motley committed four offensive fouls; it seemed the referees had him targeted. He was uncertain in his decisions, growing more timid with each play, ultimately finishing the game with an unbelievable index rating of minus 13 – certainly one of the worst individual performances in the history of this competition.

Of course, it's just one game, and the narrative can completely shift after the next. However, Motley failed to impress, far from it, and will need to perform significantly better going forward if he doesn't want to quickly lose the fans' trust.

After a 15-year hiatus, Jonas Valančiūnas, one of the most dominant centers to ever play in this competition, made his EuroLeague return. Following a long 14-year NBA career, where he even played alongside Nikola Jokić last season, Jonas returned to Europe to leave his mark.

If his performance in Belgrade is any indication, that mark will be profound. True, Valančiūnas was never a great defender, and he won't be this season either, especially since he can only defend the pick-and-roll in a drop coverage, allowing opposing guards to shoot unimpeded. However, everything else is in Jonas's favor, as the Arena clearly saw.

From the outset, Valančiūnas showed he would be the main figure of the game in Belgrade – he already had six points after a few minutes, and with two consecutive dunks at the end of the first quarter, he showcased his class, proving he would be almost impossible to stop. Jonathan Motley, as mentioned, was the first to feel this, and it seems these duels, as well as the Lithuanian's clashes with Izundu, decided everything in Belgrade – Jonas looked dominant against Zvezda's centers.

Žalgiris's game will change fundamentally; much will revolve around and depend on the towering Lithuanian, and for a long time, we haven't seen anything like this in the EuroLeague – a center and his post-game being the main asset. Nevertheless, the first test was passed, and the former NBA star showed he would be a true leader for his team. Will this be enough for Žalgiris to finally reach the Final Four after 2018?

Whenever a foreign team suffers a defeat or multiple losses at the start of a new season, everyone tends to point out that the team will need time to gel and for the new coach to adapt to everything that awaits him in the new environment.

However, this is often not the case when it comes to Belgrade's giants and EuroLeague members. Nevertheless, if Zvezda wants to achieve something with Navarro, who is a systemic coach, they will have to wait and endure nights like these.

Zvezda, at times, showed glimpses of a new style of play and the kind of basketball the Spaniard desires, but it also showed that it will take time for everything to fall into place. Therefore, it's best to wait a little longer and let Navarro work with the team in peace. And that, at least judging by his previous experiences, will surely yield results.

VIDEO: EuroLeague Kicks Off! Zvezda Players Warm Up, Here's Who's First on the Court