NBA Week in Review: Who’s Rising, Falling Fast And Notes From Week 1

Oct 30, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) dribbles the ball next to Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) in the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Players in Pre-Season Form:

Anthony Davis: No matter how you slice it, Anthony Davis is off to a slow start. Among basketball fans, Davis is the near unanimous pick to inevitably overtake Lebron as the NBA’s best player, and last year saw him take a huge step forward with his production. In this first week of the season though, Davis has struggled to get his game off the ground. In the season opener against the Warriors, Davis shot an abysmal 4-for-20. His saving grace is his tremendous upside and the fact that the season is still young.

J.R. Smith: Aside from single-handedly murdering my fantasy team with his horrendous performance thus far, Smith is digging himself into a hole. He was given a tremendous opportunity to play starters minutes alongside one of the best passers in the league: LeBron James. Iman Shumpert is out likely until the new year, and Smith hasn’t been able to produce in his starting role. He’s always been a streaky shooter during his tenure in the NBA, but now more than ever, a hot streak would have gone a long way in proving his worth to a team that needs him to score.

Kobe Bryant: It pains me to say it but the Black Mamba just might be mortal after all. Kobe is struggling early and often to but the ball in the basket. Though he remains ball dominant, he’s lost his dominance with the ball. His shooting all around the floor has been tough to watch, and he’s been unable to tap into his usual brand of Kobe basketball. Hopefully he can turn it around quickly, because I’m not sure that anyone wants to live in a world where Kobe Bryant is just mediocre.

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