With another week of the NBA season in the books, in the pocket, and out of sight, it's time to take a look at the best players of the last week. If you missed last week's, click here. If not, let's get into it, these are the 10 best players of the week.
Kevin Durant
The Golden State Warriors are already at the top of the Western Conference with the best record in the entire league, and they just expanded the gap between them and the 2nd seed Houston Rockets this past week. Following the perfect 3-0 week, the Warriors find themselves with a 40-10 record, four games ahead of the Rockets. Leading the way for the Warriors were two players, the first of which is Kevin Durant. For the week, Durant averaged 20.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2 blocks per game while shooting 45% from the field and 47% from three-point range. Durant's best performance of the week came in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves when he put up a triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists along with 2 steals and 3 blocks.
Dwight Howard
I've said this before and I'll say it again; Dwight Howard is probably the most under-appreciated player in the NBA right now. While he's no longer the MVP-caliber player he was earlier in his career, he's still a double-double machine who's able to grab over 15 rebounds a game seemingly at will. Howard finds 's himself just missing out on my best player of the week lists a lot, but this week, he made the cut. For the week, Howard averaged 18.5 points, 15.8 rebounds, a steal, and an insane 5 blocks per game while shooting 51% from the field.
James Harden
As I said earlier, the Houston Rockets find themselves in the 2nd seed in the Western Conference right now, trying to retake their spot at the top of the conference. This week saw the Rockets go 2-1, which puts them at 35-13 on the season and down four games to the Golden State Warriors, but they're still on their tails. Leading the way for the Rockets this week was James Harden, who continues to put up great numbers as he makes a run at the MVP this season. For the week, Harden averaged 25.3 points, 4 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 41% fro the field and 38% from three-point range.
Jonas Valanciunas
No, really. When you play on a team with two all-stars in DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, it's hard sometimes to shine in your own right. It's even harder when you just barely play over 21 minutes a game. That's been a big problem for Jonas Valanciunas, who has a career average of 25.6 minutes per game. This past week, however, Valanciunas made the most of his limited minutes and found him putting up some of the best stats around the league. For the week, Valanciunas averaged 22 points, 13.5 rebounds, a steal, and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 63% from the field and 67% from three-point range. Just imagine if he actually got good minutes.
Kyrie Irving
With the Cleveland Cavaliers struggling big time lately, the Boston Celtics looked primed to stay atop the Eastern Conference. However, following a 1-3 week, the Celtics find themselves with a 35-15 record on the season, just one game ahead of the 2nd seed Toronto Raptors. However, looking on the bright side, Kyrie Irving had a fantastic week for himself. For the week, Irving averaged 32.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game while shooting 58% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Irving's best performance of the week came in a loss to the Orlando Magic where he put up 40 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on 14/23 (61%) shooting and 5/7 (71%) three-point shooting.
Anthony Davis
After being so average for so long this season, the New Orleans Pelicans look to have finally found their footing and have had a really great month of January. This past week, the Pelicans had a perfect 3-0 week, boosting them up to a 27-22 record on the season and moved up to the 6th seed in the Western Conference. Whether or not those winning ways will last (considering some...recent events), but for now, let's celebrate their success this week. Specifically, Anthony Davis, who had a great week for himself. For the week, Davis averaged 26.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 51% from the field.
LeBron James
As I said earlier, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been struggling big time since the new year began, currently holding a 5-7 record in January. Adding onto that record was a 1-1 outing this past week, putting them at a 29-19 record and 3rd in the Eastern Conference. Even though the team is struggling as of late, there has been one consistent for them, and that's LeBron James. Despite the team's struggles, James is still putting up great numbers and routinely puts up some of the best stats in the entire league. This week was no different. For the week, James averaged 27 points, 9.5 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and a block per game while shooting 53% from the field. James' best performance came in a win over the Indiana Pacers when he put up a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Stephen Curry
As I said before, the Golden State Warriors are looking to cement their spot at the top of the Western Conference on their run for their 3rd NBA Championship in four years. Following a perfect 3-0 week, the Warriors have continued to solidify their spot as the best team in the entire league. Two players fueled their great week. One was Kevin Durant, the other was Stephen Curry, who had a huge week for himself. For the week, Curry averaged 35.3 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 60% from the field, 57% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line. Curry's best performance of the week came in a win over the Boston Celtics when he put up a season-high 49 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.
Russell Westbrook
Following up their great month of December, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been having an even better January so far, currently holding a 10-3 record on the month so far. This week saw the Thunder go perfect on the week, going 3-0 and improving their record to 30-20 on the season. Leading the way for the Thunder was, of course, the reigning-MVP Russell Westbrook, who had a phenomenal week. For the week, Westbrook averaged 36.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 57% from the field and 36% from three-point range. Westbrook had two standout performances this week. The first was a 46 point, 6 rebound, and 6 assist outing in a win over the Washington Wizards, and the second was another win over the Detroit Pistons where he put up a triple-double with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists.
DeMarcus Cousins
And rounding out the list is my pick for the Player of the Week, DeMarcus Cousins. That pick is a bittersweet pick, as this was the last week Cousins will play following his season-ending Achilles rupture, putting an end this all-star and MVP-caliber season. While nobody knew this would be the final week of his season, Cousins certainly played like it was, as he had fantastic outing all week long before going down with his season-ending injury. For the week Cousins averaged 25 points, 16.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 2.7 steals, and 2 blocks per game while shooting 47% from the field and 39% from three-point range. His best performance of the week was easily his insane 44 point, 23 rebound, and 10 assist outing in a double-overtime win over the Chicago Bulls, becoming just the fifth player in NBA history to do so and the first since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972. His season might have ended early, but DeMarcus Cousins certainly ended it on a hell of a high note.
Thanks for reading.
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