Josh Giddey's halfcourt heave at the buzzer gives Bulls 119-117 win over the Lakers

CHICAGO (AP) — Josh Giddey made a halfcourt heave at the buzzer to cap perhaps the wildest finish in the NBA this season, giving the Chicago Bulls a 119-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Patrick Williams and Coby White hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the closing seconds for the Bulls, who trailed by five points with 12.6 seconds remaining.

Giddey finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. White scored 26 points and Kevin Huerter added 21 as the Bulls won for the ninth time in 11 games. And this one was easily their wildest in recent memory.

The Lakers looked like they had the game at hand leading 115-100 after Austin Reaves made two free throws with 13 seconds remaining. The Bulls weren’t finished, though.

Williams nailed a 3 for Chicago with 10 seconds remaining. Giddey stole a pass from James and White hit a 3 with 6 seconds to go, putting the Bulls on top 116-115.

Reaves then drove for a layup to give Los Angeles a 117-116 lead with 3 seconds to go. But the Bulls still found a way to pull this one out, mobbing Giddey after he buried the winner.

Reaves led Los Angeles with 30 points. Luka Doncic had 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Jaxson Hayes scored 19, and James finished with 17 points and 12 assists.

Lakers: A night after winning at the buzzer in Indiana on James' tip-in, the Lakers lost for the eighth time in 12 games.

Bulls: For a team that appeared to be out of it not too long ago, the Bulls are showing some fight.

The Lakers led by 13 midway through the fourth quarter before the wild finish.

White and Huerter each were 5 of 10 on 3-pointers, while Giddey was 4 for 9.

The Lakers wrap up a four-game trip Saturday at Memphis. The Bulls host Dallas that night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Chicago Bulls' Coby White (0) celebrates after making a three-point basket during the final seconds of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddy (3) celebrates with teammates after making the winning basket in an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) talks with head coach JJ Redick left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James shoots around before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James looks on from the bench before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' Gabe Vincent (7) goes up for a shot against Chicago Bulls' Coby White (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Bulls' Patrick Williams (44) battles Los Angeles Lakers' Jarred Vanderbilt (2) for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic (77) goes up for a shot against Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic (9) and Kevin Huerter (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) yells to teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey right, celebrates with teammates Nikola Vucevic center, and Coby White left, after making the winning basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey right, celebrates with teammates Nikola Vucevic center, and Coby White left, after making the winning basket against the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)