Some games have highlights, some lowlights.

The first NBA matchup of superstars-to-be LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, touted as the second coming of Magic vs. Bird, was filled with 20-watt moments.

There was more energy coming from the blimp flashing their names overhead Wednesday night than there was on the court. Fans who paid scalpers up to $300 for tickets at Cleveland’s packed Gund Arena, thinking they were buying a piece of history, were left with worthless scraps of paper. The joint emptied out early.

James’ defining image in his seven-point home debut was not a grandiose dunk but a pose of him sitting glumly on the sideline in the third quarter, wrapped in blue towels, trying to figure out the mess the Cavs were in. It’s not high school anymore, Toto.

The baby-faced Anthony had another forgettable night of shooting, though not nearly as dreadful as his 1-for-13 effort Tuesday in a loss at Indiana. This time he was 6-for-17 with 14 points in a 93-89 win by his Denver Nuggets.

The star, really, was easy-to-overlook Earl Boykins, a 5-foot-5 guy who gets funny stares when he goes through airports with the Nuggets.

He is a sparrow among eagles, but on this night he soared with 18 points, all in the second half.

“I’m kind of glad Earl stole the show,” Anthony said. “That keeps the pressure off me.”

Surely there will be greater duels between James and Anthony, if not this rookie season than in other seasons and, someday, in the playoffs. The only other time they’ll meet this season is Dec. 3 in Denver. Maybe the altitude will elevate their games.

Denver's Carmelo Anthony, left, and Cleveland's LeBron James wait for the action to start in the fourth quarter of their first NBA matchup. The Nuggets won, 93-89, Wednesday night in Cleveland.

A week into the season, James and Anthony couldn’t find the flow of this game. James didn’t freeze up, but he was frozen out of the Cavs’ offense when the ball wasn’t in his hands.

Their mamas told them there’d be nights like this and they were right. Gloria James and Mary Anthony sat in the stands, watching their sons, feeling their growing pains. Shots clanked off the rim instead of swishing through the nets.

“I knew there was going to be some bumps and bruises,” said LeBron, who shot only 3-for-11 but contributed 11 rebounds, seven assists, three blocked shots and two steals. “Being the No. 1 pick, I went to the sorriest team from the year before. By December and January, we’ll be a good team.”

That’s doubtful. March might be too optimistic. Next season is more likely. So far the Cavs are 0-4 and still playing like a pickup team in the schoolyard.

“I try not to make excuses, but we’re a young team and most of our guys don’t know how to crunch it out at the end,” James said. “We come back from 15 down and we can’t get over the hump. That’s been all four games.”

The fault for this fizzle of a super rookie matchup lies less with James or Anthony than with those who expected too much of them too soon.

“I don’t think the national-championship game got this much focus. It’s crazy,” Anthony said.

Basketball is still a team game, and not until James and Anthony are jamming smoothly with their teammates will they be able to play “Top This!” with each other.

When both sides are cold — the Nuggets shot 43 percent, the Cavaliers 38 percent — it’s hard to establish any rhythm at all.

James is 0-3 in his career against his close friend. The two faced each other twice while in high school.

They had planned to get together for dinner Tuesday night, but there was too much going on with their families around. When they met about two hours before the opening tip-off, they embraced in a big hug.

They, too, wanted to deliver the kind of show everyone expected, though they are both mature enough to get their priorities straight.

“I don’t want to say I’m disappointed,” James said. “We need to get a win — simple as that.”