The National Basketball Association today announced that Los Angeles Clippers’ power forward Blake Griffin has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, December 3rd, through Sunday, December 9th. Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks earned the honor for the Eastern Conference.
Griffin averaged a point/rebound double-double in leading the Clippers to four wins in as many games. Among Western Conference players, Griffin ranked ninth in scoring (23.0 ppg), seventh in rebounding (10.0 rpg), and second in steals (2.50 spg). Additionally, Griffin’s .639 field goal percentage ranked sixth in the conference. In a 117-99 win over Phoenix on December 8th, Griffin recorded a career-best four steals to go along with 24 points and eight rebounds.
In helping the Hawks go 3-0 on the week, Smith ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference in scoring (21.0 ppg) and rebounding (12.0 rpg), and tied for sixth in steals (2.00 spg). Smith grabbed a season-high 15 boards in a 104-95 win vs. Washington on December 7th, and followed that up the following night with a season-high three steals in a 93-83 triumph at Memphis.
Here is a recap of the week for Griffin and Smith:
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
December 3 @ Utah: Posted 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 105-104 road win over the Jazz. December 5 vs. Dallas: Recorded 19 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a 112-90 victory against the Mavericks. December 8 vs. Phoenix: Tallied 24 points, eight rebounds and four steals in a 117-99 defeat of the Suns. December 9 vs. Toronto: Contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals in a 102-83 triumph over the Raptors.
Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks
December 5 vs. Denver: Recorded a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double in a 108-104 win against the Nuggets. December 7 vs. Washington: Scored 23 points and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds, while adding four assists and two steals in a 104-95 victory over the Wizards. December 8 @ Memphis: Tallied 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a season-high three steals in a 93-83 win at Memphis.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Al Horford, Boston’s Rajon Rondo, Chicago’s Joakim Noah, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and David Lee, Memphis’ Zach Randolph, New York’s Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Orlando’s Glen Davis, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, and San Antonio’s Tony Parker.