Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week, while Hawks guard Trae Young has earned the honor in the Eastern Conference, the league announced today (via Twitter).
It’s the first time this season that Jokic has won the award, which is a little surprising, given his MVP-caliber numbers. During the week of January 17-23, the big man averaged a triple-double in three games, putting up 36.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 10.0 APG, and 2.3 SPG on .650/.400/.862 shooting in 39.2 MPG. The Nuggets went 2-1 in those games, with a loss to Memphis on Friday.
Young, meanwhile, led the Hawks to a 4-0 week, pulling the team within 1.5 games of a play-in spot in the East. The 23-year-old averaged 31.3 PPG, 9.0 APG, and 4.0 RPG with a .476 3PT% in 36.6 MPG, earning Player of the Week honors for a second time this season. He poured in eight 3-pointers in Atlanta’s win over Charlotte on Sunday.
Jokic won the West’s Player of the Week award over fellow nominees Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Dejounte Murray, and Jusuf Nurkic. The other nominees in the East were Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Miles Bridges, Darius Garland, and Khris Middleton (Twitter link).
Jokic has been unbelievable.
If MVP means what it actually means, he is most valuable to his team. He’s on the court – they’re up 12; he goes to the bench for four mins – they’re down 10; he comes back on they go up 8.
He gets the team what they need, when they need it. If he had more than Will Barton and Aaron Gordon to throw it to he’d be averaging 14 assists a game easily.
Too true, too true!
I am so tired of people thinking that MVP just means best player on the best team?!?!?
You might even be in a losing team but it is what you contribute, the value you put on the court… & when we talk about that, Jokic is light years ahead of any player ever in the NBA, that is for sure!