NBA Power Rankings: Breaking Down the Best and Worst of the First Week
The shortened 2011-12 NBA season has been full of surprises, disappointments and lots of excitement. Star players such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have been sensational thus far, while Chris Paul and Dirk Nowitzki have underperformed in the early going.
While it's still early to get too excited or concerned about certain teams and players, the excuses for players' performances won't be accepted once the season kicks into gear and guys should be in basketball shape.
Let's look at the best and worst of the NBA season's first week
Best Players
Kobe Bryant: Despite distractions from his wife filing for divorce, the Los Angeles Lakers star has been fantastic this season. Bryant has averaged 25.6 points, 6.4 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game. After starting out 0-2, the Lakers have won three straight games to climb above .500 in the standings.
Bryant has led the Lakers in scoring in four of the team's five games, and with center Andrew Bynum back in the lineup after serving a suspension, the Purple and Gold look like an NBA Finals contender yet again.
LeBron James: The Miami Heat star has been spectacular this season and has made the boys from South Beach look nearly unstoppable.
Miami is the only undefeated team left in the Eastern Conference, and they can thank James' averages of 33 points, seven assists and 7.5 rebounds per game for their hot start.
Worst Players
Lamar Odom: The former Lakers forward was traded to the Dallas Mavericks before the season started and doesn't seem to have settled in well with his new team.
Odom almost seems disinterested in Dallas, and is averaging just over four points and four rebounds per game. In his Mavericks debut against the Heat on Christmas Day, Odom was ejected after receiving his second technical foul.
Josh Smith: The athletic Atlanta Hawks forward is only averaging 10.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, and his field goal and foul shot percentages are well below his career averages.
Smith needs to step up his game, or the Hawks will limp into the playoffs and get eliminated in the first round.
Best Team: Miami Heat
The Miami Heat look incredibly dangerous right now, and their fast-paced offense looks almost unstoppable with the amount of athleticism their team has. LeBron James is on a mission this season to prove his critics wrong, and his 33 points per game scoring average leads the NBA.
With Udonis Haslem healthy and Shane Battier adding depth to the bench, the Heat look like the early championship favorites.
The second best team in the league is the Oklahoma City Thunder, who, at 5-0, have the best record in the league.
Worst Team: Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are at the bottom of the Southeast Division with an 0-3 record, and their minus-15 point differential is the worst in the league.
Scoring has been a problem for the Wizards, which explains why their 82.7 points per game average is ranked last in the NBA.
Play of the Week: Kevin Durant Game Winner vs. Dallas
Thunder superstar forward Kevin Durant made an amazing buzzer-beating three-point shot to beat the Dallas Mavericks this week after he made a poor defensive play that allowed Vince Carter to hit the go-ahead shot on the previous possession.
Worst Play of the Week: Danilo Gallinari Fails vs. Lakers
With the Denver Nuggets trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by only two points, forward Danilo Gallinari misses an easy layup attempt that would have tied the game.
The Lakers ended up winning.
Nicholas Goss is an NBA Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.
