Luka Dončić has delivered one of the most prolific scoring weeks in recent NBA season openers. The Lakers point guard was named Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 45 points, 7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists across three games. In the East, the honor goes to Jalen Brunson, leading the Knicks back to a winning record.
Two games over 50 points
Dončić played three of the week's four games; he missed the Detroit matchup due to lower back soreness. In two of them he surpassed 50 points: he scored 52 against the Jazz and 53 in the victory over the Blazers, a game in which the Lakers trailed at halftime before he led the comeback in the third quarter. The Lakers are 9-2, tied with the 76ers for the best record in the league, and without Dončić they also won in Detroit, with Austin Reaves contributing 43 points.
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Brunson decisive in Cleveland
Brunson averaged 27.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. His best game came in Cleveland, the first matchup against the Cavaliers since the Knicks swept them in the Eastern Conference Finals. He scored 18 consecutive points in four and a half minutes of the second quarter and finished with 31 points and 9 assists. The Knicks, who started the season with questions, improve to 5-4.
A star-studded list of nominees
The competition was fierce. In the West, also nominated were Austin Reaves, Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LaMelo Ball, and Deni Avdija. In the East, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, Jaylen Brown, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Karl-Anthony Towns.