It's Monday, you know what that means! It's time to take a look back at the past week and see who the best players were around the league. Selections are based mostly on the player's stats, but (minus the rookie of the week) their team's record during the week is also taken into consideration. Click here to check out last week's if you missed it. If not, let's get into this.
Point Guard: Stephen Curry
After their disaster of a 2019-20 season, the Golden State Warriors have been able to rebound nicely this year. They're not the absolute powerhouse they were for most of the 2010s, largely due to the departure of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson's injury, but they now find themselves with a 19-15 record, the 7th best in the West, after a perfect 3-0 record this week. Despite the struggles this season, the Warriors are holding a winning record, and it's largely thanks to Stephen Curry, especially this week. For the week, the two-time MVP averaged 30 points, 6 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 42% from the field, 33% from three-point range, and 97% from the free-throw line. Curry opened the week with his best performance, putting up 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Knicks.
Honorable Mentions:
Trae Young: 28.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 10.5 APG, 42% FG, 38% 3P
Damian Lillard: 28 PPG, 9 APG, 47% FG, 32% 3P, 94% FT
Shooting Guard: James Harden
The James Harden trade has been an unmitigated success for the Brooklyn Nets. After a rocky start, especially considering that they had two superstars on the roster, the Nets went for broke and traded a good chunk of their depth chart in a four-team trade to get Harden. It's paid off big time, as they're now 22-13, the second-best in the East, and just half a game behind the first-place 76ers, and while their eight-game win streak ended this week, they still went 3-1 this week. It's clear, James Harden is the driving force behind Brooklyn's success, especially this week. For the week, Harden averaged 28.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and a steal per game while shooting 45% from the field and 45% from three-point range. Harden would open the week with a 37 point, 11 rebound, 7 assist performance against the Clippers, before dropping a triple-double with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists against the Kings
Honorable Mentions:
Bradley Beal: 32 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 51% FG, 33% 3P, 94% FT
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 27.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.6 APG, 60% FG, 54% 3P
Small Forward: Jimmy Butler
The Miami Heat haven't had a good season so far, but things are looking up right now. After making a shocking run to the Finals last year, the Heat have disappointed, sitting at 11-17 at one point this season. However, they now find themselves on a five-game win streak, three of which were from this past week, and now sit at 16-17. It's not a winning record, but it's something. Leading the way for the Heat this week was Jimmy Butler, who's rebounded from a poor start and a 10-game absence due to health & safety protocols and is now playing some fantastic basketball. For the week, Butler averaged 25 points, 7.3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 46% from the field, 43% from three-point range, and 93% from the free-throw line. Butler recorded two double-doubles during the week, dropping 27 points and 10 assists against the Raptors, and then dropping 33 points and 10 rebounds against the Jazz two days later.
Honorable Mentions:
LeBron James: 26 PPG, 8 RPG, 8 APG, 2 SPG, 1 BPG, 51% FG
Kawhi Leonard: 27 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, 55% FG, 46% 3P
Power Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Milwaukee Bucks have had an up and down February. Starting the month with a five-game winning streak and sitting at 16-8, they then went on a five-game losing streak to put them at 16-13, only to now find themselves on a four-game winning streak with a 20-13 record. It's been a roller coaster of a month, to say the least. Still, they find themselves as one of the top teams in the East, and this week, it was all Giannis Antetokounmpo. For the week, the reigning MVP averaged 37.7 points, 12 rebounds, 5.3 assists, a steal, and a block per game while shooting 56% from the field and 40% from three-point range. Antetokounmpo opened the week with his best performance, putting up 38 points and 18 rebounds against the Kings.
Honorable Mentions:
Zion Williamson: 29.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 5 APG, 1 BPG, 59% FG
Julius Randle: 24.8 PPG, 12 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 48% FG, 47% 3P
Center: Nikola Jokić
Even though they have a winning record right now, the Denver Nuggets have been kind of disappointing this season. Currently sitting at 18-15 on the year, they're not bad, but you'd expect more from a team that finished in the top three of the West last season. Especially considering how they have Nikola Jokić, who is having an MVP-caliber season right now. This past week, while the Nuggets only went 2-2 for a .500 record, Jokić was in great form. For the week, Jokić averaged 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 52% from the field, 53% from three-point range, and 92% from the free-throw line. Jokic would have two standout performances this week. The first being his 41-point performance in the win over the Trail Blazers. The second being his triple-double in a blowout win over the Thunder, where he recorded 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists for his eighth triple-double of the season.
Honorable Mentions:
Nikola Vučević: 29.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.3 BPG, 50% FG, 43% 3P, 100% FT
Karl-Anthony Towns: 25 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 47% FG, 35% FG, 91% FT
6th Man: Goran Dragić
As I mentioned earlier, the Miami Heat have had a disappointing season so far, but they look to be turning it around, as they're now on a five-game winning streak. A big reason for that has been Jimmy Butler, but the contributions of Goran Dragić off the bench can't go unnoticed. While he only played in two games off this week, Dragić played very well as the team's sixth man. For the week, Dragić averaged 20.5 points and a steal per game while shooting 46% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Dragić would close out the week with his best performance, putting up 26 points in a win over the Jazz.
Malik Monk: 24.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 53% FG, 48% 3P
Montrezl Harrell: 19.7 PPG, 8 RPG, 59% FG
Rookie: Tyrese Haliburton
A lot of people have written off the Rookie of the Year race and have pretty much crowned LaMelo Ball already. While he's definitely the front-runner for the award, I don't think it's as much of a one-man race as many people make it out to be. There's definitely competition for the award and the rookie with the best chance of winning outside of Ball is Tyrese Haliburton. While the Sacramento Kings have continued to be...the Sacramento Kings, and currently sit at 13-20 on the season after a 1-3 week, Haliburton has continued to shine, and in the three games he played this week, he was electric. For the week, Haliburton averaged 21 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals per game while shooting 51% from the field and 39% from three-point range. Haliburton would have two games where he matched his career-high of 23 points, first in a loss to the Bucks, then in a loss to the Nets two days later.
Honorable Mentions:
LaMelo Ball: 21 PPG, 6 RPG, 6 APG, 2 SPG, 47% FG, 36% 3P
Saben Lee: 13.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 60% FG, 80% 3P
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