Kings center Domantas Sabonis and Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week for games played between January 6-12, the league announced on Monday (Twitter link).
Sabonis, the Western Conference’s winner, spearheaded a 3-0 week for Sacramento by averaging a staggering 22.0 points, 20.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.3 blocks on .610/.750/.769 shooting in his three appearances (42.4 minutes per game).
The NBA’s leading rebounder for the third straight season (14.2 RPG), the Lithuanian big man had a monster double-double in Friday’s victory at Boston, scoring 23 points and pulling down a career-high — and franchise record — 28 rebounds.
After losing six straight games, the last of which came after firing Mike Brown and promoting interim head coach Doug Christie, the Kings have reeled off seven consecutive victories. Three-time All-Star Sabonis has thrived during the team’s dramatic turnaround, averaging 19.9 PPG, 17.3 RPG, 7.0 APG and 0.9 BPG on .600/.588/.714 shooting in 37.9 MPG.
Garland, who won the East’s award, averaged 26.0 PPG and 7.7 APG on an excellent .528/.409/.929 shooting line in helping lead Cleveland to a 2-1 record last week (32.3 MPG). On the season, the 24-year-old is a fraction of a percent below the vaunted 50/40/90 club (.498/.429/.917 shooting splits) for the Cavaliers, who hold the best record in the league at 33-5.
It’s the second time this season that Garland has been named the East’s Player of the Week — he also won the award on November 11.
According to the NBA, the other nominees in the West were Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Sabonis’ teammates DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk, Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson Jr., Alperen Sengun and Russell Westbrook. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Zach LaVine, Garland’s teammate Evan Mobley, Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum were nominated in the East (Twitter link).