NBA: 10 Worthwhile Things To Watch For During Opening Week

Oct 27, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks over Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

How LeBron James Looks Going Forward

It was the first game of the season, and it’s pretty easy to overreact. But LeBron James didn’t particularly look all that explosive in game 1 of 82. When he was out of the game, he was often seeing laying on his back (ala Steve Nash late in his career).

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After watching LeBron James do inhuman thing after inhuman thing throughout the majority of his career, it was just strange – and sad – to see him perform as a shell of his former athletic self. He did finish with 25 points and 10 rebounds in the Cavs’ season-opening loss against the Bulls, but towards the end of the game it was pretty evident that he’d lost a step of athleticism. It’ll be interesting to see if that theory holds true through a few games.

Another thing to keep in mind, his efficiency rate. Last year during the playoffs it was an issue, but many attributed that to the lack of help he had. In game 1, LeBron hit on 12 of his 22 shot attempts; 54 percent from the field.

Next: Miami's Starting Problem