Actually, there were few reasons why Val was...well...as he was.
Please take notice how Italy played on offence and how LTU was defending in the first half. ITA set numerous screens and LTU were switching then all without hesitation. The point of this for ITA was to create a mismatch when LTU big had to guard Bellineli, Gentile or Aradori. Even Lav had some problems with that and he is wayyyy better at defending smalls near the 3pt line. Meanwhile Val was absolutely horrendous in this matter, because he was just too slow. Secondly, due to his poor positioning while meeting the cutting guard he either fouled or ITA would make a tough shot over him. Some of those shots where miraculous for ITA, but even so, Val's position was always, or almost always not the correct one. ITA played unconventional basketball with 4 small guys on the 3pt line and when defending, LTU C's had to go far from the basket. Lav was better at rotating and returning to his man due to the fact that he's faster and have WAY more experience.
On offence the biggest problem for Val was not knowing the sets...I have no idea how is it possible, he was playing 9th game in the tournament, but he was lost sooooo many times that it seams someone just whipped his memory the night before. Second thing - screens. He was called for the foul once while trying to set a screen and didn't set a solid screen the whole game. He was just too anxious to cut to the basket and didn't hold his screen long enough. Because PnR are such a big part of LTU's game, bad screens where hurting the team and good offensive flow.
ITA is the smallest team in the tournament but they managed to get to the top8, it's clear that they know how to defend big man (not named Marc Gasol), so it was very hard to make a good entry pass to the post. And when big's got the ball down low, there was always a crowd of 6 Italians down there.
During the run in the 4th, LTU changed defensive tactics and guards where not changing with bigs, instead big would just imitate a step out and would stay with his man, while the guard would catch up with his man, because ITA player setting screen was not cutting to the basket and small was not attacking hard out of the screen. This confusion lasted for 2-3 minutes but it was enough to go on 15-0 run during first 5 mins of the 4th Q.
Because ITA was so centered in the post when defending, LTU guards had great games, Kalnietis and Seibutis with 15, Pocius with 11. ITA coach did a great job on Kleiza. They had his man standing very very close to him, making Linas to take a dribble, and we all know how that usually ends.
