DeMar DeRozan, James Harden named Players of the Week

The Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 13.

DeRozan led the Raptors to a 3-0 week, averaging a league-leading 34.7 points to go with 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He leads the NBA in scoring (34.0 ppg) and has an NBA-best eight 30-point games this season. DeRozan is the first player to score at least 30 points in eight of his first nine games of a season since Michael Jordan in 1986-87.

Harden helped the Rockets to a 2-1 week behind averages of 27.0 points, 14.3 assists (first in NBA) and 9.7 rebounds. Harden has recorded at least 24 points and 12 assists in each of the past six games, the longest streak in NBA history.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Dennis Schroder, Brooklyn’s Brook Lopez, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Utah’s Gordon Hayward.