NBA team of the week
By Ethan Barlow
It’s been an action-packed week of basketball in the NBA (Image: Getty Images)
In the last action before All-Star weekend, here were the standouts from this week in the NBA:
PG - Luka Dončić
Luka Dončić congratulates his sidekick, Kyrie Irving (Image: Getty Images)
Luka Dončić continues to be one of, if not the most consistent performer in the league. It seems that the Dallas Mavericks’ superstar has 30 points in every game he plays, to go along with ranking third in the league for assists per game (APG). Dončić will partner one of his MVP competitors, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the Western Conference's All-Star backcourt in the 73rd edition of the All-Star game, in Indianapolis on Sunday. This will be the 2019 Rookie of the Year’s fifth All-Star appearance despite only being his sixth season in the league. Since his rookie season, Doncic’s PPG, RPG and APG haven’t dropped below 27,8,8.
The Mavericks started their 3-0 week with a massive win over the West’s second seed, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The home team ran out 146-111 winners and Dončić was the standout, with 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. The Mavs stayed in Dallas as they beat the Washington Wizards with the help of Dončić’s 66th career triple-double. The San Antonio Spurs were the next team to fall to defeat in Dallas, but this time it was Kyrie Irving who was the standout. Since the 2016 NBA champion has returned from his injury, the Mavericks have gone undefeated and if he can stay healthy, why can’t the Mavericks make a championship charge?
The Mavs’ flawless week and six-game unbeaten run now leaves them just outside the play-off places, as they sit one win behind the sixth seed in the Western Conference. After missing the play-offs last season, Dončić and Irving’s partnership may be the difference as it is one of the best, and certainly the best backcourt pairing in the league. Both guards' stats were remarkably similar this week and “Uncle Drew” just missed out.
Across the three games in Dallas, the 24-year-old averaged: 28.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. The four-time All-NBA superstar shot: 56% from the field, 30.4% from three-point range and 78.6% from free throws.
SG - Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards shoots towards the basket in last year’s All-Star game (Image: Getty Images)
Anthony Edwards has elevated his game this season and is now unarguably one of the best shooting guards in the league. The 2020 number-one pick has been essential to the Minnesota Timberwolves leading the Western Conference so far this season, despite it being very close at the top. Edwards will make his second All-Star appearance off the bench on Sunday. Fans would have wanted to see the “Ant” fly in Saturday’s Dunk Contest, but the Atlanta-born dunker said: “I’m an in-game dunker. I don’t have dunks in my bag for tricks. I’m not really a big trick guy, I just like to dunk on people.” And dunk on people Edwards certainly does as his highlight package can’t be matched by many in the league.
After a flawless week, the Timberwolves are once again the first seed in the West after it has switched between themselves the Thunder, the LA Clippers and the Denver Nuggets, all in the last couple of weeks. The Timberwolves started their week with a massively impressive 121-100 win in LA, against the Clippers. There were no standouts for the away team but much like they've done often this season, they worked brilliantly as a team to stay in command of the Western Conference. The Timberwolves finished their road trip and week with back-to-back wins in Portland against the Trailblazers. Edwards dropped 41 and 34 points in each game to round off a good week for himself and his team.
The Timberwolves are now on a four-game winning streak and when they return from All-Star weekend, they will hope to continue their run into the last 25 games or so, to secure first seed.
Across the three away games, “Ant-Man” averaged: 32.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals. Minnesota’s number five shot: 54.5% from the field, 30.8% from three-point range and 94.7% from free throws.
C - Anthony Davis
Has Anthony Davis managed to put his injuries behind him? (Image: Getty Images)
Anthony Davis has been back to his injury-free best this season as he has played in an impressive 52 of the LA Lakers’ 56 games this campaign, which is almost more than he played in the entirety of last season (56). Davis' career has been ravaged with injuries but when healthy he is one of the most dominant two-way players in the league. “AD” will be on the Western Conference's team bench on Sunday, making his ninth All-Star appearance. The 2012 first overall pick was selected in eight consecutive seasons between 2014 and 2021 but injury-riddled years made him miss the last two All-Star occasions. Davis has been selected for four NBA All-Defensive teams but has never won Defensive Player of the Year and he is certainly in the running this season.
The Lakers started their week completing a historic feat in their 139-122 win over the AD’s former employees the Pelicans. Not only did they score 87 points in a half (a franchise record), only bettered by five teams, with the great 2018 Golden State Warriors holding the record (92). All five of the Lakers starters had 20-plus points which had only occurred five times previously. The Lakers then won at home to the league’s worst team, the Detroit Pistons. It was another well-rounded scoring performance from the Lakers starters, but Davis was the standout with six blocks. Davis was the star man once again in the Lakers' win at the Utah Jazz, scoring 37 points, with 15 rebounds.
The Lakers’ perfect 3-0 week now brings them comfortably positive with a 30-26 record. Davis and LeBron James are arguably the best duo in the league and will expect to climb higher up the table before the playoffs commence.
Across the week, the 2017 All-Star Game MVP averaged: 25.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3 blocks. The Olympic and World Cup gold medallist shot: 54.2% from the field, 28.6% from three-point range and 85.2 from free throws.
SF - Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum aiming for the basket as a 2023 All-Star (Image: Getty Images)
Jayson Tatum has led the NBA’s best team this season, the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are 43-12 so far this season, and unlike the Western Conference, they sit comfortably at first seed. Tatum has been the standout, but the Celtics have been able to rely on many this season, which is the reason for their early season dominance. Tatum is set to make his fifth All-Star appearance on Sunday when he will be joined by franchise teammate, Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics had an impressive 4-0 week and they started it with a win in Boston, against the Wizards. Tatum’s 35-point triple-double was the highlight of the Celtics’ opening game of the week. There was a rematch of last season's Conference final, but this time the Celtics came out on top in Miami against the Heat. Tatum was one assist shy of back-to-back triple-doubles. Tatum hit the Brooklyn Nets for 41 in Brooklyn before the Celtics won by 50 in the reverse matchup to round off a flawless week.
Across the week, “The Problem” averaged 30.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.3 blocks. The 2017 third-overall pick shot: 52.4% from the field, 35.3% from three-point range and 91.7% from free throws.
PF - Zion Williamson
A dunk for Pelicans star “Zanos” (Image: Getty Images)
Zion Williamson hasn’t quite hit the heights of his last two seasons, hence no inclusion in Sunday’s All-Star match but there’s no doubt he has the tools to be one of the best in the league when he applies himself properly. Williamson is the third number-one overall pick in this team, as he was the 2019 draft’s top man. Williamson is another face people would have loved to see in Saturday’s dunk contest as he made a name for himself as a ridiculous dunker. The Pelicans superstar famously hit a 360-windmill dunk in a competitive match, which not many can say they’ve done.
The Pelicans had a negative start to their week when they fell to the on-from Lakers. They bounced back with a win in Portland against the Trailblazers without the help of Williamson. Zion returned for their second win of the week in Memphis, against the Grizzlies. Williamson dropped 36 points at home to the Wizards to complete a positive week for the New Orleans side.
This week left the Pelicans in the play-off positions but only just, as there are just three wins between the fifth and ninth seed. The Pelicans have the squad to get over the line as along with their big three, have played pretty consistently this season and their in-season tournament performance showed how far they’ve come as a team.
Across the Pelicans’ positive week, the former Duke student averaged: 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and one block. “Zanos” shot: 58.5% of the field, 0% from three-point range (Williamson didn’t shoot a single three, this week) and 78.3% from free throws.
6th man of the week - Grant Williams
Rookie of the week - Brandon Podziemski