Miroslav Cuk

If that had been the first time you watched these two teams, you'd think the guests were some sort of juggernaut in the league.

Aaron Gordon missed this game, so the home team played extra small against the motivated opponent.

The Nuggets looked scared of Charlotte.

missing everything in the process, while the Hornets were happy to grab rebounds on both sides of the court.

Minus 12 in the rebounding column, combined with the Nuggets 2 of 16 from the outside, produced a 26-point lead for the guests at halftime.

After only six minutes of the third quarter, David Adelman decided he's seen enough and he pulled the starters out of the game.

The final numbers, despite the Nuggets barely winning the second half, were devastating.

Eight of 38 from the outside for 21% needed much better rebounding numbers to compensate for.

Alas, it was the Hornets with a 23 rebound edge in this game, so the Nuggets' win streak was over.

Two nights later, the Lakers came to town.

Aaron Gordon returned to the lineup, and the Nuggets started great.

They implemented a great strategy, and that was hitting nine of their first 11 threes in the first quarter.

The second one was still very good, especially the last 30 seconds of it that ended up on an 8-0 run, including Jamal's three quarters of a court last second heave for a 14-point lead at the half.

The second half wasn't so good.

Jamal, who was incredible with 26 points in the first half, was held to just two points in the second.

The Lakers didn't do anything special on offense, but Denver was unable to secure many defensive rebounds.

The three-point shot cooled off, just three of 17 in the second half, and the loss was running at the Nuggets like a runaway train.

On a 41-year-old LeBron James, yes, similar to...

To Runaway Train.

Slow but unstoppable.