Heat’s Dwyane Wade, Thunder’s Kevin Durant named NBA Players of the Week
NEW YORK – The Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant were today named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan. 25 through Sunday, Jan. 31.
Wade led the Heat to a 4-0 week, which included wins over the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, behind averages of 24.0 points (tied-third in the Eastern Conference), 7.0 assists (fourth in the conference), 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals (tied-eighth in the conference) and 1.75 blocks (tied-fifth in the conference). On Jan. 26, he tallied 27 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks during a 102-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant’s league-best 34.7 points on the week helped the Thunder to a 3-0 record. He ranked fourth in the Western Conference with 11.7 rebounds, contributed 4.3 assists and averaged a conference-high 40.0 minutes. Durant recorded point-rebound double-doubles twice, including a 44-point, 14-rebound outing on Jan. 26, as the Thunder topped the New York Knicks 128-122 in overtime.
Here is a recap of the week for Wade and Durant:
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Jan. 25 @ Chicago: Scored 28 points and added seven rebounds and five assists during an 89-84 win over the Bulls.
Jan. 26 @ Brooklyn: Tallied 27 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a 102-98 win over the Nets.
Jan. 29 @ Milwaukee: Posted 24 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three blocks and three steals in a 107-103 win over the Bucks.
Jan. 31 vs. Atlanta: Recorded 17 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals during a 105-87 win over the Hawks.
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Jan. 26 @ New York: Poured in 44 points and added 14 rebounds and five assists during a 128-122 overtime win against the Knicks.
Jan. 27 @ Minnesota: Scored 27 points and added nine rebounds and five assists in a 126-123 win over the Timberwolves.
Jan. 29 vs. Houston: Tallied 33 points, 12 rebounds and three assists during a 116-108 win over the Rockets.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Indiana’s Monta Ellis, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, Memphis’ Jeff Green, New Orleans’ Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.