NBA Tipoff: 10 Players Who Impressed in the NBA's First Week

With the NBA season finally underway, it's time to look back and examine our week of NBA action.

There have been several surprises, as some teams have come out of the gate hot, while others, sometimes surprisingly, have struggled early on.

But which players have been impressive so far? True it is only a small fraction of the way through the season, but these 10 players have made their mark early on.

If they can continue their impressive performances they could lead their team to an NBA Championship.

10. Norris Cole, Miami Heat

Going into the season, most people likely had not heard the name Norris Cole much, if at all.

Now, however, Cole, a rookie out of Cleveland State is shining in his new role with the defending Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat.

Cole is averaging 11.3 points per game coming off the bench for Miami, and he put up 14 points in the fourth quarter of the Heat's game against the Celtics.

LeBron James certainly has also impressed early, playing amazing basketball. James has scored 33 points a game, but what Cole has brought is something few people expected.

Although Mario Chalmers played well at times last year, if Cole could be the team's future point guard and be a legitimate scoring threat, it could elevate the Heat to an almost unstoppable level.

It may be a bit premature to call Cole the fourth "heatle" but nevertheless, he could be a huge x-factor for this Miami team this season. 

9. Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are one of the best up and coming teams in the Eastern Conference and they have a 3-0 record so far in this young season.

One of the biggest reasons for that has been the play of their center Roy Hibbert.

In his fourth season now in the NBA, Hibbert seems to be finally coming into his own. Hibbert has had a double-double in each of the Pacers games this season and is averaging 15 points per game.

He is also fourth in the NBA in rebounding at over 12 per game, and is playing nearly 33 minutes a game, 10 more than his career average. 

If Hibbert continues to develop into one of the best centers in the NBA, the Pacers could find themselves with a top-four record in the East this season. 

8. DeJuan Blair, San Antonio Spurs

Another big man coming into his own this season is DeJuan Blair out of Pittsburgh for the San Antonio Spurs. 

Blair is second on the Spurs in scoring, which is quite surprising when you think about a team who has guys like Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Richard Jefferson on their team.

The Spurs are one of the older teams in the west and if they are going to be one of the conference's top teams, they will need young guys like Blair to continue to step up.

Blair is efficiently scoring at 16 points a game, and nearly 60 percent. In each of his last two games, Blair has eclipsed the 20-point mark for San Antonio.

Blair won't be asked to put the team on his back with all the other star players on the roster, but if he can turn into an effective third or fourth option it makes the Spurs a much more dangerous team.

7. Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets

When he came into the NBA, many people questioned whether Ty Lawson could be a truly effective point guard because of his size. So far this season, he has proved all of his doubters wrong.

In his first two seasons in the NBA, Lawson played behind the likes of Chauncey Billups and Raymond Felton at point guard, but this year he was finally given the reigns to the explosive Nuggets offense and he has done a tremendous job with it so far.

Lawson is scoring at 22.3 ppg, as well as 62 percent from the field and four steals a game.

One thing Lawson doesn't do much of is assists. He averages just three a game, but as a scoring guard he is proving he can get the job done.

Despite trading Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks last season, Denver is still one of the more exciting teams to watch in the NBA and they have several players who can light it up at any point.

Lawson could be their overall best player, however. He is showing it with his performance so far this year.

6. Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic were in desperate need of someone to step up this season and become their number two offensive weapon behind Dwight Howard. They may have found it in an unexpected place—from Ryan Anderson.

Anderson averages under nine points a game in his career, but this season he is scoring at 19.5 ppg in Orlando's first four games, putting him in the Top 20 of the NBA in scoring.

In fact, Anderson's stats are way up around the board in every category including minutes. 

Despite trade rumors swirling around this team, the Magic have played well so far this year, going 3-1 in their first four games, in large part due to the effectiveness of Anderson.

Who knows if he can keep it up through the course of a 66-game season, but for now Anderson has surprisingly proven that he is one of the better forwards in the Eastern Conference and is providing some unexpected help to Superman.

5. Gerald Wallace, Portland Trail Blazers

Another team in the mix for a top Western Conference playoff spot is the Portland Trail Blazers.

They have started hot this season going 3-0 and it is in large part due to the play of Gerald Wallace.

Wallace was acquired midseason last year from Charlotte and now in his first full season in Portland he is looking to put together another All-Star year.

Wallace is scoring at nearly 20 points per game so far, and he is leading the NBA is shooting percentage at nearly 68 percent. Talk about efficiency.

Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge are one of the best one-two punches in the league even though there are others who might get more attention.

The Blazers ran into the buzz saw that was the Mavs in the playoffs last year, but once they get in this season, they will be a team to watch as a dark horse to take the west. 

4. Kyle Lowry, Houston Rockets

It doesn't seem like Kyle Lowry has been in the league for six years, but that is indeed the case.

Lowry has never really honed his potential in his career so far with the Grizzlies or Rockets, but that all may change this season.

Lowry has started off hot, scoring 17 points per game and nine assists in the Rockets first three games.

Lowry is leading the team in both of those categories, as well as steals and surprisingly rebounds.

If he can continue to play well this year, Lowry could lead Houston to the playoffs. With weapons around him like Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, Lowry will assuredly keep racking up assists as well, helping his numbers.

3. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

While it's true the top three players on this list normally impress on the basketball court, they have particularly stood out in the NBA's first week.

Kobe Bryant is doing some excellent work, scoring the ball at 27.8 points a game so far this year, and willing the Lakers to a 3-2 record.

The Lakers had to play without Andrew Bynum in those four games, but still picked up wins over Utah and New York thanks to Kobe.

With all the offseason rumors surrounding the Lakers possibly trading for Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, and then the subsequent trade of Lamar Odom, there has been much scrutiny placed on LA this season—not to mention the way the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs last year and Kobe's much publicized divorce in the offseason.

Despite all of this, and his age, Kobe is still showing he is one of, if not the best player in the NBA this week.

Hats off, Black Mamba.  

2. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

With the addition of Chris Paul, the Clippers quickly became one of the most talked about teams heading into the 2012 season.

Paul's addition to play along side of Griffin, as well as the additions of Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler, had many wondering if the Clippers might finally be the better team in LA.

While it's still too early to tell, Blake is certainly doing his part.

Despite all of the other scoring options on the team, Griffin is still managing to put up 28 points per game in the Clippers' first three contests, third in the league.

Griffin has gone from just a rookie of the year candidate last year to a possible MVP one in his second full season. 

Along with his 28 points, Griffin is shooting 55 percent from the field, and is grabbing 10 boards a game.

Paul meanwhile is leading the league in assists. With Griffin on his team, that's no surprise. 

1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Durant took the number one spot on this list essentially with one shot.

Durant's buzzer beating three against the Mavericks not only cemented him as one of the game's most clutch players, but also kept the Thunder unbeaten and made them the clear favorites coming out of the west this year.

It comes as no surprise that Durant is second in the NBA in scoring, only trailing LeBron James, and he looks ready to win his first league MVP this year.

With the Lakers and Mavericks seemingly on the decline, the West is right there for the taking for OKC this year.

Durant will no doubt continue to put up the numbers. If Russell Westbrook can learn to keep feeding him the ball instead of shooting so much, the Heat are the only team I can confidently say would be better then the Thunder this season.