WEEK 20 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

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Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks has once again proven why he’s one of the best players in the game today, as he was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season. This latest honor comes after an incredible performance in week 20, where he averaged 37.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, leading the Mavericks to a 2-1 record during that stretch. However, that’s not all that he accomplished this week, as he also made history by becoming the first player ever to record six straight triple-doubles, surpassing Russell Westbrook’s previous record of five set back in March 2019.

This marks the 12th time that Doncic has earned this award, with the first time being back in 2020 week 5. With his amazing display of talent and skill, the Mavericks currently hold a 37-28 record and have secured a play-in spot for now. Should Doncic continue to perform as he has been, then there’s a good chance that the Mavericks could make the playoffs again, just like they did in 2022 when they made it all the way to the Western Conference finals, only to lose out to the eventual champions, the Warriors.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls has also been making waves, as he was named the conference’s Player of the Week for the first time this season and the 15th time in his career. DeRozan has been on fire lately, averaging 29.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, and leading the Bulls to an impressive 3-1 record during week 20. With his help, the Bulls are now on track to make the playoffs, after missing out last year and getting eliminated in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022.

As of this moment, the Bulls have a 31-34 record, which is good enough for 9th place and a play-in spot. However, with DeRozan’s continued dominance on the court, there’s a real chance that they could make a deep playoff run this year, something they haven’t done since Derrick Rose led them to the Eastern Conference finals back in 2011.