Domantas Sabonis, Jalen Brunson named NBA Players of the Week

Kings center Domantas Sabonis and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced.

Sabonis, the NBA’s leading rebounder at 12.6 per game, led Sacramento to a 4-0 week and averaged a triple-double in the process, posting 18.5 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists in the four victories. Despite playing with a heavily taped right hand due to an avulsion fracture in his thumb, the two-time All-Star has led the Kings to a 24-18 record, the No. 4 seed in the West.

Brunson led New York to a 3-1 week while averaging 34.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on a sparkling .516/.500/.971 shooting slash line. The 26-year-old has a strong case to be an All-Star for the first time in 2022/23. Through 41 games, he’s averaging 22.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.0 steals on .474/.396/.857 shooting and has been the team’s closer in crunch time. The Knicks are currently 25-19, the No. 6 seed in the East.

According to the NBA, the other nominees in the West were Harrison Barnes, Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, and Ja Morant, while Joel Embiid, James Harden, Julius Randle, Jayson Tatum, and Gabe Vincent were nominated in the East.