NBA team of the week

By Ethan Barlow

It’s been another action-packed week in the NBA (Image: Getty Images)

There is just over a month of the regular season left, with each team pushing for post-season basketball. Here are the top performers from the last week of NBA action:

PG - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander starred for OKC again (Image: Getty Images)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another standout week as the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC) won two of their three games. OKC still sit just one win behind the Western Conference’s first-seed Minnesota Timberwolves. With Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns out for the rest of the season with an injury, the Thunder will be favourites to end the season at the top of the tree going into the playoffs.

The Thunder began their week with a win in Phoenix to see off a Suns team without Devin Booker. The following night OKC travelled to California and were beaten by the LA Lakers, but they made amends when they beat the Trailblazers in Portland with the help of a 37-point SGA performance.

Across the three matches, the Canadian MVP candidate averaged: 30.7 points, six rebounds, six assists, 2.7 steals and two blocks. The 25-year-old shot: 52.4% from the field, an extremely poor 10% from behind the arc and 89.3% from the free-throw line.

SG - DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan was in brilliant form for the Bulls this week (Image: Getty Images)

DeMar DeRozan partnered Coby White and Nikola Vucevic in all averaging 20-plus points for the Chicago Bulls this week. DeRozan just pipped the other two to this team in a brilliant week for the Bulls. They have won their last three matches after starting their week with a loss. The Bulls sit as ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, in the play-in positions. Despite a terrible start to the season, the Bulls are just four wins behind the playoffs and a late season run could push them into guaranteed playoff basketball.

The Bulls started their successful week with a loss in Chicago against the Milwaukee Bucks. Coby White was the standout in an impressive win at the Sacramento Kings. DeRozan was the star in another win at the Utah Jazz before the Bulls beat the in-form Golden State Warriors in San Fransisco.

Across the Bulls’ impressive week, the former Spurs and Raptors man averaged: 26.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and six assists. The 2009 draft pick shot: 55.6% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 93.8% from free-throws.

C - Alperen Sengun

Alperen Sengun has stood out in a poor Rockets team (Image: Getty Images)

Alperen Sengun has been one of the positives in a disappointing season for the Houston Rockets. They are sitting seven wins behind the playoffs, it's very unlikely Houston will see post-season Basketball. Despite a poor campaign, it was a good week, winning two of their three matches with Sengun being the standout performer.

The Rockets started their week with a win at the Phoenix Suns, with Jalen Green being the standout on that occasion. Sengun had a historic night when he dropped 45 points in Houston against the San Antonio Spurs. The Rockets ended the week with a loss at home to the LA Clippers but nevertheless, it was a positive week which has been hard to come by this season for the Rockets.

Across the week, the Turkish international averaged: 29.7 points, 15 rebounds, 6.3 assists and three steals. The 2021 draft pick shot: 52.8% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 57.9% from free-throws.

SF - Paolo Banchero

The Orlando Magic’s main man makes his team of the week debut (Image: Getty Images)

Paolo Banchero has been the Orlando Magic’s standout player this season and this week he helped them to be the only team in the NBA to have a flawless week. The Magic won three matches without reply and are now on a five-game winning streak which emulates their early season form which had them towards the top of the Eastern Conference. The Florida-based team have moved up from seventh seed to fourth seed over the last week.

The Magic started with a win at home to the Detroit Pistons, before wins at the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards. It might not have been the most difficult opponent, but no win is guaranteed in the NBA.

Across the Magic’s flawless week, last season’s Rookie of the Year averaged: 25.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and six assists. The 2022 number-one overall draft pick shot: 53.7% from the field, 36.4% from three-point range and 87.5% from free-throws.

PF - Domantas Sabonis

Slam dunk from Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis (Image: Getty Images)

Domantas Sabonis has the most triple-doubles in the NBA this season, and this week he inspired the Kings to a 3-1 week. Despite a positive week, the Kings dropped out of the playoff positions as there is stiff competition for the post-season places.

The Kings started their week with an overtime win at the home of the Western Conference leaders, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sabonis was two assists away from a triple-double, but it was the sixth man, Malik Monk, who grabbed the headlines with 39 points off the Kings’ bench. The Kings narrowly lost at home to the Bulls in their second match of the week. Sabonis’ first triple-double of the week helped the Kings to a win at the LA Lakers before they won at home to the Spurs.

Across the week, the Lithuanian centre averaged: 21.5 points, 18.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals and one block. The triple-double leader shot: 53.8% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 70% from free-throws.

6th man of the week - Malik Monk

Sabonis’ Kings, teammate, Malik Monk, is this week’s sixth man (Image: Getty Images)

Rookie of the week - Victor Wembanyama