Murray scores 34 points as Nuggets beat Hornets 115-106

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 34 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 28 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds and the Denver Nuggets held on to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 115-106 on Sunday night to extend their franchise record to road winning streak to 10 games.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had 14 points off the bench for the Nuggets (17-6), who are off to their best start in franchise history.

Miles Bridges finished with 24 points while Brandon Miller added 16 for the Hornets, who played without six players due to injuries including their top two point guards, LaMelo Ball and Collin Sexton. Rookie Liam McNeeley added a boost off the bench with a career-high 13 points for the Hornets, making 4 of 5 shots from 3-point range.

Murray, who had 52 points on 10 3-pointers last week's 135-120 win over Indiana, erupted for 23 points in the first quarter Sunday but the Nuggets still trailed 58-57 at halftime.

That all changed in the second half Jokic began to take over, using his versatility to score and create for the his teammates.

The Nuggets built a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Hornets (7-17) clawed back to within seven after Miller knocked down a 3 from the wing plus the and-1 free throw to cut the lead to seven. But the Hornets weren't able to build on that momentum.

Murray finished the game 14 of 25 from the field and wasn't much of a factor in the second half with just 9 points.

Charlotte outrebounded Denver 47-35.

Bridges had nine rebounds and eight assists for the Hornets, but missed all six of his 3-point shots.

Denver: At Kings on Thursday night.

Charlotte: Host Bulls on Friday night.

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

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) brings the ball upcourt against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jim Dedmon)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, second from right, shoots a jump shot over Charlotte Hornets center Mason Plumlee, front left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jim Dedmon)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, front right, passes the ball while defended by Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jim Dedmon)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray controls the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jim Dedmon)

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)