Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant Named NBA Players of Week
The NBA announced Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic and Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant as the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week for March 7-13.
Doncic led the Mavericks to a 3-1 record with averages of 30.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. His performance was capped off with being key in Dallas' road win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. While he finished with 26 points in that one, he had 30 points in each of his previous three outings.
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Among the finalists in the Western Conference included Deandre Ayton, Nikola Jokic, Ja Morant, and Jordan Poole.
Doncic recently had earned Western Conference Player of the Month (February) and has continued to play at a high-level for the Mavericks. He is knocking on the door of the MVP conversation and is surely well in the mix for All-NBA First-Team contention.
For Durant, he led the Nets to a 3-0 record with one being his 53-point outing against the New York Knicks. Kyrie Irving remains ineligible to play in games at Barclays Center and with other key players like Ben Simmons and Seth Curry sidelined, Durant knew the assignment.
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The finalists in the Eastern Conference included Giannis Antetokounmpo, Wendell Carter Jr., Darius Garland, and Pascal Siakam.
Both Durant and Doncic will face each other during this week's games when the Mavericks and Nets face off on Wednesday. Simmons will still be sidelined for that one and Irving remains ineligible to play.
It's never easy to win a Conference Player of the Week award, but if Doncic continues to lead the Mavericks to a great record with big stats, he could perhaps repeat. Matchups against the Nets and Philadelphia 76ers could send a message and a terrible defense like the Charlotte Hornets is primed to give up big stats.
