Nikola Jokic, Donovan Mitchell Named NBA Players of the Week
The NBA has named Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers) the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 9 (December 12-18) of the 2022-23 NBA season.
The two-time defending league MVP, Nikola Jokic reminded everyone this past week why he has a chance to win three consecutive MVP awards.
The Denver Nuggets are once again one of the better teams in the Western Conference and Jokic led them to a 2-1 record this past week, averaging 36.0 points, 17.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 62.3 percent from the floor.
Jokic capped off his magnificent Western Conference Player of the Week campaign with a historic 40-point, career-high 27-rebound and 10-assist night on Sunday, becoming the first player to have at least 40 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists since Wilt Chamberlain had 52 points, 32 rebounds and 14 assists in 1968.
The Eastern Conference has been tight all season long, but Donovan Mitchell has kept the Cleveland Cavaliers as one of the top teams in the conference to this point.
Mitchell has quickly turned into one of the best offseason acquisitions in the entire NBA and he led the Cavaliers to a 3-1 record this past week after averaging 33.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 53.9 percent from the floor and 42.5 percent from long-range.
His biggest performance from this past week came against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, as Mitchell ended up scoring 41 points on 14-24 shooting, 8-15 from three-point range, tying his season-high in scoring for the Cavs.
This marks the 12th time in Nikola Jokic’s career that he has received the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week honor, tying him with the likes of Pat Ewing, Tracy McGrady and Hakeem Olajuwon for the 14th most all-time.
For Donovan Mitchell, this is the fourth time he has been named NBA Eastern/Western Conference Player of the Week and Mitchell is now the 18th player in team history to receive Player of the Week honors, joining the likes of LeBron James, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Carlos Boozer, Andre Miller, Wesley Person, Terrell Brandon, Larry Nance, Brad Daughtery, Ron Harper, Hot Rod Williams, Mike Mitchell, Kenny Carr, and World B. Free.
Kyrie Irving (BKN), Trae Young (ATL), Paolo Banchero (ORL), Jalen Brunson (NYK), Julius Randle (NYK) and Tyler Herro (MIA) were also nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Week, as Anthony Edwards (MIN), LeBron James (LAL) and Damian Lillard (POR) were nominated for Western Conference Player of the Week.
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