Doncic and James score 30+ each for 1st time this season in Lakers' 128-121 win over Grizzlies

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic and LeBron James were brought together for nights like these. The two Los Angeles Lakers superstars topped 30 points each in a game for the first time this season.

Doncic had 34 points, hitting 17 of 20 free throws, and six rebounds and eight assists. James had 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting to go with nine rebounds and six assists.

The Lakers rallied for a 128-121 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

It was the third time overall that Doncic and James both scored 30 or more points in the same game, their 42nd together. It happened twice in March, a month after Doncic joined the Lakers in a blockbuster trade from Dallas.

“Just playing in rhythm. Trying to find ways that we can be productive,” said James, the NBA's oldest active player who turned 41 on Tuesday. “Luka did a great job getting to the free throw line. Myself, just trying to sprinkle in a little bit here, a little bit there. Just trying to be consistent and super efficient with my play. We worked well off each other.”

Doncic's 17 made free throws were one off his career high, while his 20 attempts were a season high. As a team, the Grizzlies were 15 of 23 from the line.

“Just trying to get downhill a lot more than usual for me,” Doncic said. “But for him, he's just playing his game, attacking whatever he sees, being efficient and helping us win the games.”

The Lakers improved to 11-0 in clutch-time wins this season. The game was tied twice in the fourth, when the teams traded one-point leads until the final 5 1/2 minutes. James had 10 points in the period and Doncic had six. They combined for five assists and three rebounds.

“He was phenomenal,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said about James. “There was just a few stretches there where they made runs and the response from him, it felt like nearly every time we needed a bucket, he just kind of willed it.”

Doncic hit James with a 70-foot outlet pass at one point.

“One of the best quarterbacks and I’m a pretty good receiver when it comes to that,” James said. “It’s my job to not allow the defense to break that up or steal the ball. He put it on time and on target for me.”

Doncic and James got plenty of help from their teammates. Jake LaRavia had 21 points and nine rebounds and Marcus Smart had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jaxson Hayes added 12 points off the bench.

“Them doing that, it actually takes the pressure and the load off LeBron and Luka,” Redick said.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and guard Marcus Smart celebrate after Smart scored during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, shoots as Memphis Grizzlies center Christian Koloko defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, drives toward the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama, left, and forward Jaren Jackson Jr. defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, left, and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James go after a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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)