Lakers-Nuggets notebook

THE FACTS: Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and 13 rebounds and the Denver Nuggets rallied in the fourth quarter to hand the Los Angeles Lakers their first loss of the season, 118-112.

QUOTABLE: “When we went small our speed beat their size.”
– Nuggets coach George Karl

THE STAT: Backup point guard Ty Lawson scored 11 of his 17 points early in the fourth to spark a 16-0 Denver run and give his team a six-point lead.

TURNING POINT: Tied at 105, J.R. Smith hit a 3-pointer to spark an 11-0 Nuggets run to give them the lead for good.

Lakers, Celtics not holding anything back in early going

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are running roughshod through the league. They're tops in the Power Rankings, too, but will they keep that perch all season?

The lesson that the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers taught us last year — that great teams can pace themselves in the regular season and flip the switch once the playoffs begin — has apparently been forgotten by the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.

With the exception of Boston’s post-opener hangover in Cleveland, the two conference champs have been perfect through the first two weeks of the season. While other contenders are still trying to find their rhythm or losing focus from night to night, the Lakers and Celtics have hit the ground running, despite injuries to key players.