The NBA season starts with Simmons' torn Achilles, while Rabotnički come back from 14 down in Bitola

Simmons tears his Achilles, Curry scares the Warriors

The new NBA season has not even started and the treatment room is already full. Ben Simmons, who got a one-year deal with Sacramento after sitting out an entire season, tore his Achilles tendon in practice, and an MRI confirmed his season is over before it began. In preseason he was putting up 6.7 points, 5 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 17.5 minutes, enough to believe his career had a second act. In San Francisco, Stephen Curry slipped while dribbling at an open practice and limped off. The diagnosis is a sprained right ankle, "nothing serious", says the club, and Steve Kerr insists he is fine. Last season he missed 27 games in a row with his knee, and at 38 every "nothing serious" sounds like a prayer. Golden State open the season against the Lakers.

The EuroLeague is selling seats: a 50-million-euro ticket

Valencia, Dubai, Paris and PAOK are closest to permanent places in the EuroLeague, according to people familiar with the talks. The price of a franchise starts at 50 million euros and will be negotiated individually, and the league already has 15 offers worth a combined 1.2 billion euros. The plan is to expand to 24 clubs as early as next season, with eight new places, after which 21 of the 24 would hold permanent membership. The obstacle is called the NBA: the Americans, with whom the EuroLeague is negotiating a joint competition, do not want such a big league and are pushing for a smaller one. The first decisions could come in November or December. When the entry ticket is 50 million, which Balkan club can even reach the ticket window?

Obradović: 450 games in Greece, all with Panathinaikos

Željko Obradović has become the fifth coach in the history of the Greek league, played since the 1963/64 season, to reach 450 games on the bench - and all 450 have been with Panathinaikos. The milestone came in round three, against Peristeri. Ahead of him on the list are only Soulis Markopoulos (712), Vangelis Alexandris (537), Giannis Ioannidis (489) and Argyris Pedoulakis (462). The 66-year-old Serb returned to Athens this summer after a 14-year break, and in his first spell, from 1999 to 2012, he delivered 23 major trophies, including five EuroLeague titles. In an era when coaches are replaced after every bad month, loyalty like this is almost exotic.

Rabotnički come back from 14 down in Bitola

Pelister opened the round-three derby in the Super League as if they wanted to settle it in six minutes: 18:4 on the scoreboard, and 41:33 at half-time. Then Rabotnički won the third quarter 26:18, took the lead with under eight minutes left and stretched it into double figures. Bitola fought back to 83:83 with 46 seconds on the clock, but the visitors converted the key possessions and won 91:87. Viktor Efremovski led the Skopje side with 22 points, while debutant Nikola Kočović stood out for the hosts. Macedonia's most decorated basketball club now has three wins from three games. Pelister have something to think about: a 14-point lead does not slip away by accident.

Kumanovo win the thriller in Kavadarci by a single point

Tikveš Golden Eagle led 75:72 with 23 seconds left and the Jasmin hall could already smell victory. Then national team player Ǵuroski sank two free throws, and after a mistake by Mirkov, Cameron Gooden was accurate from the line to put MKK Kumanovo ahead 76:75 with 14 seconds to go. The last attempts by Zlatev and Gligorijević did not drop. Gooden finished with 21 points, Stevanović with 15, and Ǵuroski with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. For Tikveš, Suks had 27 points and eight rebounds - enough for the stat sheet, not enough for the win. Also in round three, KK Skopje got their first win of the season, 83:68 over Strumica.