Jokic's triple-double and Watson's career-high 32 points push the Nuggets past the Pelicans, 125-118

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 125-118 on Wednesday night.

Peyton Watson scored a career-high 32 points as Denver won for the eighth time in nine games. Jamal Murray had 14 points, including a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left.

Zion Williamson scored 14 points for New Orleans in 29 minutes in his return from a left hamstring injury that had sidelined him for eight games.

Rookie Derik Queen, who started opposite Jokic at center, scored a season-high 30 points to go with nine rebounds. He also helped cause Jokic to commit nine turnovers and foul out with 2:44 left.

Trey Murphy III added 23 points for the Pelicans, who lost their seventh straight and fell to 0-3 under interim coach James Borrego.

After trailing by as many as 19, New Orleans reduced its deficit to single digits in the final minutes, but former Pelican Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 14 points, hit a pair of clutch jumpers for the Nuggets.

Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears scored 16, giving the guard 11 or more points in all but one of New Orleans' 15 games this season.

Watson scored 11 of his points in the first six minutes of the second half, when the Nuggets widened their lead from 62-58 at halftime to 81-70.

That's when Jokic started to take over, hitting a putback layup, a 7-foot pull-up jumper and a 3 that made it 93-76.

With Williamson back in the starting lineup, the Pelicans raced to a 13-point lead when Herb Jones' 3 made it 23-10 in the first quarter. But Denver steadily erased its deficit and took the lead for good when Watson's 3 made it 51-49 with 3:02 left in the second quarter.

Nuggets: Visit the Houston Rockets on Friday night in NBA Cup West Group C play.

Pelicans: Visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in NBA Cup West Group B play.

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson goes to the basket against Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) goes to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) is fouled by New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) goes to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen (22) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) goes to the basket over Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson slam dunks against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

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)