Jokic's triple-double lifts Nuggets over Suns 133-111

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had his second triple-double of the season despite a quiet shooting night, Jamal Murray scored 23 points, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns 133-111 in their home opener on Saturday night.

Jokic finished with 15 assists, 14 rebounds and 14 points on just 5 of 8 shooting. His first field goal attempt came with 2:26 left in the second quarter. He notched the triple-double on a turnaround hook shot with 57 seconds in the period.

Jokic has 166 career triple-doubles during the regular season, third behind Russell Westbrook (203) and Oscar Robertson (181), and 18 more in the playoffs.

Devin Booker had 31 points and Grayson Allen scored 17 for the Suns, who were playing the second game of a tough back-to-back. They tipped off Saturday night 20 hours after losing by 27 to the Los Angeles Clippers and didn’t have center Mark Williams, who was out with a right knee injury.

Phoenix trailed by 20 early in the third quarter but went on a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to 83-74. The Nuggets scored the next 11 points and took a 100-83 lead into the fourth.

Murray, who had 25 points and 10 assists in the loss at Golden State, sparked Denver at the start of the final period with a 3-pointer that made it 108-86. He also beat the buzzer at the end of the first quarter with a 55-foot pullup jumper.

The Suns got within 110-99 midway through the fourth but the Nuggets answered with a 14-2 run to put it away.

Aaron Gordon followed his career-high 50-point game Thursday night with 17 points and was 1 of 6 from deep.

Suns: Visit the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Nuggets: At the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, left, looks to pass the ball as Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen, right, defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards, center, goes up for a basket as Denver Nuggets forwards Aaron Gordon, left, and Christian Braun, right, defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown, second from front right, fouls Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) who was driving to the basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, looks to pass the ball as Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen, right, defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, pulls in a rebound as Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro, right, defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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)