History in Vienna: Dimitrijević is the first Macedonian with a triple-double for the national team

Nenad Dimitrijević finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against Austria and became the first player in the history of Macedonia's senior national team to record a triple-double. Twice before in his career he had come within a step of it - this time everything fell into place. The new Aris point guard did not just dominate individually, he conducted the whole team's game, which is the more important half of the story. The basketball federation described the match as "a basketball symphony in Mozart's city", which sounds like marketing until you look at the numbers. Macedonian basketball has for years lived off individual flashes followed by silence. The question is whether this performance is the start of something or another good day for the archive - the answer comes in November, in Skopje, against Cyprus.

Vienna was not just a win: 91:59 against Austria and a full stand of a kind not seen in years

The score is 91:59, and Macedonia extended its winning run in the second pre-qualifying round for EuroBasket 2029. The team arrived at close to full strength: alongside Dimitrijević there were the new American with a Macedonian passport Moses Wright, captain Vojdan Stojanovski, Stojan Gjuroski and Adem Mekić. Andrej Jakimovski was missing. The game was never in doubt - a rarity for a side used to drama in the closing minutes. But the number that says the most is not on the scoreboard: the Sport Arena had fans with drums, flags and scarves, and the win was celebrated together with the players. That has not happened for Macedonian basketball in a long time. Cyprus completes the group, and the winner goes straight into the qualifiers.

Dončić is the favourite for another NBA scoring title - now the whole weight is on him

After LeBron James's departure, Luka Dončić is left alone at the centre of the Los Angeles Lakers - and that is exactly why ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon see him as the favourite for the scoring title in the 2026/27 season. The logic is simple: last season he averaged 33.5 points per game and led the entire league, and in 2024/25 with Dallas he averaged 33.9. That is twice in three seasons. He is now fully recovered from his hamstring problems and has a whole team built around him, with Austin Reaves as the second option. If the Lakers finish high in the standings, the conversation will quickly shift from scoring title to MVP - an award the club has not won since Kobe Bryant in 2007/08. The Balkans have their man in that race, and that is no small thing.

Vezenkov tore Romania apart: 36 points, an index of 46 and Bulgaria alive in the pre-qualifiers

Sasha Vezenkov played the kind of game rarely seen in a pre-qualifying round - 36 points and an index rating of 46, plus nine rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block, in Bulgaria's 103:86 win over Romania. The Olympiacos forward shot 68.4 percent from the field: 9 of 11 on twos, 4 of 8 from three and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Borislav Mladenov added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Barcelona's new signing Umoja Gibson had 11 points and nine assists. Romania's best was Daron Russell with 22 points. In Group D, Romania are first at 1-1, Bulgaria second at 1-0, Denmark third. The winner goes straight into qualifying for EuroBasket 2029, the other two get one more chance in a third round. Group D will be decided by a single match, and Bulgaria entered it with a player who can carry it on his own.

Jaylen Brown said goodbye to Boston, and the trade nobody expected is still echoing

Jaylen Brown threw a street party in Boston - the "741 Frequency Fest" - and turned up carrying the trophies: Eastern Conference finals MVP, NBA finals MVP and the Larry O'Brien trophy from the 2024 title. "When I came to this city I said I would go to war for it. Thank you Boston, I love you," he told the crowd. He was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick or swap, an unprotected 2031 first-rounder and two future second-rounders. Brown openly admitted he was surprised - last season he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and the Celtics won 56 games. So: a career season, and then the suitcases. The best season of your career is no protection against a trade - not in the NBA, and not in any league below it.