LeBron James scored 25 points, Luka Doncic added 32 and the Los Angeles Lakers trounced the Denver Nuggets on the road by 23 points Saturday, showing flashes of the title contender people thought they could be when they made a move to pair the two stars.

Winners of 13 of their last 14 against the Lakers and eight consecutive head-to-head matchups at home, the Nuggets (37-20) were taken out of their comfort zone by a new-look Los Angeles roster. Anthony Davis was the player cashed in for Doncic, but somehow it was the Lakers’ defense that affected the hosts most. Denver shot 40% from the floor.