It only took Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant three games to earn his first honor from the NBA this season. After leading Memphis to a three-game winning streak upon returning from his 25-game suspension, Morant has been named the Player of the Week for the Western Conference, the league announced Monday (via X).
Morant averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 35.1 minutes per game over the course of three Grizzlies wins, securing last Tuesday’s victory over New Orleans with a game-winning shot at the buzzer. Having opened the season with 19 losses in 25 games, Memphis looks revitalized with Morant running the show, having not lost since reactivating the star guard.
Meanwhile, Sixers star center Joel Embiid became the Eastern Conference’s first repeat winner of the Player of the Week Award this season. He also earned the honor once in November.
While the 76ers opened last week with a loss to Chicago, Embiid had 40 points in that game and followed it up with 51 points in a victory over the Timberwolves and 31 more in a win against the Raptors. In his three games last week, the big man put up impressive averages of 40.7 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 6.0 APG and 2.3 BPG in 36.0 MPG.
Morant beat out fellow nominees Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Jamal Murray and Domantas Sabonis in the West. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jarrett Allen, Trae Young, DeMar DeRozan, Derrick White, Tyler Herro and Embiid’s teammate Tyrese Maxey were the other nominees in the East (X
links).
