Not a single MVP vote for Dončić, and MZT let history slip by three points

NBA's top scorer, zero MVP votes

In the 25th annual NBA general managers' survey, Victor Wembanyama took 77 percent of the MVP votes, Nikola Jokić 10, Anthony Edwards 7, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum also getting votes. Luka Dončić - none. And that's after a season in which he led the league in scoring with 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists and made the All-NBA First Team. The irony is that the same GMs ranked him first among forwards, with 37 percent, while putting his Lakers only sixth in the West. Jokić, who won the survey last year with 67 percent, is now a distant second. The biggest title favourites are San Antonio, at 50 percent. The survey doesn't come with a trophy - but it shows how quickly the league forgets who fills its stat sheets.

MZT had history in their hands, Tartu took it by three points

The evening was billed as historic: the first official European win for MZT Skopje Aerodrom in the 21st century, a fan zone outside the arena, a DJ and a call for fans to make the Jane Sandanski hall a living hell. Estonia's Tartu didn't read the script and won 92:95 in the FIBA Europe Cup. The visitors took the first quarter 24:17 and the third 28:23, and although the "storks" came back 30:23 in the last, it wasn't enough. Top scorer for the hosts was Dimitrije Nikolić with 25 points, while Kit Pallek settled it for the Estonians with 29. The club called for hell in the stands, and the official scoresheet recorded 500 spectators. A barrier that's decades old is still standing.

Fenerbahçe with a record 14 blocks, Partizan with a third straight defeat

Šarūnas Jasikevičius's side beat Partizan 74:65 in Istanbul and broke the EuroLeague record with 14 blocks in a single game - the previous 12 was held by Žalgiris, twice, in 2000 and 2008. Marcus Bingham had five on his own. Instead of celebrating, Jasikevičius joked: "Imagine how badly we defend if we constantly have to block. If you defend well, you don't need a block." Partizan led 6:0 and 19:12 after the first quarter, but managed only nine points in the second and lost the third 16:34. Best for the black-and-whites was Ethan Thompson with 13 points. That's a third straight defeat and a 3-3 record, against Fener's 5-1. And an extra slap for Belgrade came almost at the same moment: Lonnie Walker, who has more than 300 NBA games and had been linked with Partizan, chose Beşiktaş.

LeBron and the Lakers: a divorce by mutual consent

A journalist who has followed the club for many years says the split between LeBron James and the Lakers was simple: the club wanted cap space for a team around Dončić and had no interest in spending it on him, and LeBron didn't want to be the second priority. "A mutual divorce," he says. James went to the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year veteran's minimum deal - a man who last season was on a 52.6-million-dollar contract. The Lakers extended Austin Reaves on a max deal, brought in Walker Kessler as their centre of the future and a whole string of other players. The first head-to-head - on Christmas Day, in Los Angeles. When the biggest star of a generation plays for the minimum and the club insists that was the plan all along, who really left whom?

Rabotnički show no mercy, the champions struggled in Gevgelija

In the second round of the domestic league, Rabotnički settled their game against Tikveš Golden Eagle by half-time (49:26) and finished 86:70 at Gradski Park. Viktor Efremovski scored 21 points, Robert Rikić had a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Darin Govens 12 points and 11 assists. Champions MZT were trailing Kožuv 43:42 at the break, and the 73:81 win was pulled out by Andrej Maslinko (19 points, 8 rebounds) and Nikolić (19 points). Good news for Aerodrom is the return of captain Vojdan Stojanovski from injury. Kumanovo came from behind to beat newcomers Štip 70:59 for their first win. At home, MZT still find an answer in the second half - in Europe, they didn't.