The Los Angeles Lakers made an emphatic statement as their NBA Western Conference final series began, beating the Denver Nuggets 126-114.

Anthony Davis had 37 points and 10 rebounds and LeBron James added 15 points and 12 assists as the Lakers moved comfortably to a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series.

The Lakers had been slow starters in their previous two series, dropping Game One against the Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets.

But they blasted out of the gates for this one, taking a double-digit lead with a 34-21 second quarter, and pulling out to a 103-79 lead at three-quarter-time.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 18 points while Dwight Howard had 13 in a comprehensive victory for the Lakers, who had not been to the NBA's final four since winning their last championship in 2010.

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who are in the Conference finals for the first time since losing to the Lakers in 2009.