James Harden and Pascal Siakam named NBA Players of the Week
Tuesday 12 November 2019 07:43, UK
Houston Rockets guard James Harden has been named Western Conference Player of the Week with Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam taking honours in the East.
Harden claimed the Western Conference Player of the Week award for games played from November 4-10.
It is the 23rd time Harden has received the award in his career, all coming as a Rocket. Houston were 3-0 for the week and outscored opponents by an average of 15.7 points per game. Harden recorded a double-double in each game while averaging 40.7 points, 9.3 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 2.33 steals and 1.33 blocks. He also hit 22 three-pointers on 43.1 per cent shooting for the week.
Harden has scored a total of 334 points in 318 minutes of play this season. That is the highest total through the first nine games of a season since Michael Jordan scored 337 in 1988-89. Harden has hit 39 three-pointers this season, marking the fourth-highest total through the first nine games of a season and the most by a player besides Stephen Curry.
The Rockets are 6-3 this season with Harden ranking first in the league in scoring (37.1 PPG) and sixth in assists (8.2 APG). In 2018-19, he became the first player in NBA history to have averaged at least 35.0 points and 7.0 assists in a single season.
Siakam has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played from November 4-10.
Siakam earns the honour for the second time in his career and becomes the sixth player Raptors in franchise history win the award multiple times joining DeMar DeRozan (10 times), Vince Carter (seven), Chris Bosh (seven), Kyle Lowry (four) and Kawhi Leonard (two).
Siakam averaged a team-high 30.3 points and 11.3 rebounds as the Raptors finished the week with a perfect 3-0 record. He also shot 51.5 per cent (34-for-66) from the field and 81.0 per cent (17-for-21) at the free throw line.
Siakam began the week by posting 23 points and 13 rebounds on November 6 vs Sacramento, helping the Raptors improve to an Eastern conference-best 4-0 at Scotiabank Arena. He then tied his career-high with 44 points on November 8 at New Orleans, marking the second time he has recorded a 40-point game and the first time on the road.
Siakam finished the week by leading the Raptors with 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 113-104 comeback victory on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, snapping the Lakers' seven-game winning streak.
A native of Cameroon, Siakam was selected 27th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft following two seasons at New Mexico State. He was named the NBA's Most Improved Player during the 2018-19 campaign and the MVP of the 2017 NBA G League Finals.
