dollar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week Spurs forward Harrison Barnes won the award in the West, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a perfect 4-0 during the week of November 18-24, helping the team get out of the hole it dug for itself at the start of the season. After losing eight of their first 10 games this fall, the Bucks are now 8-9 and in sixth place in the East.
The two-time MVP averaged 32.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.5 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game in wins over Houston, Chicago, Indiana and Charlotte. He made 61.2% of his 21.3 field goal attempts per game for the week.
While it was Antetokounmpo's 24th career Player of the Week award, it is a first for Barnes, who has appeared in 928 regular-season games since entering the NBA as the seventh overall pick in the 2012 draft.
According to the Spurs, Barnes is the first player since the inception of the Player of the Week award in 1979 to win the first award of his career in his 13th season (or later). Barnes has also become the first Spur to be named Player of the Week since then DeMar DeRozan in January 2020, according to the team.
Barnes' Spurs went 3-0 this week, posting surprise victories over the Thunder on Tuesday and the Warriors on Saturday. The 32-year-old forward played a key role, averaging 22.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 1.7 APG while shooting .618/.600/.727.
The other Eastern Conference Award nominees were Hornets teammates LaMelo Ball And Brandon MillerCeltics teammates Jaylen Brown And Jayson TatumHeat Swingman Jimmy ButlerCavalier Guard Ty JeromeRaptors Center Jakob Pöltland magic forward Franz Wagner.
In the west, the Lakers teammates Anthony Davis And LeBron JamesClippers teammates James Harden And Ivica ZubacThunder Guardian Shai Gilgeous AlexanderMavericks guard Kyrie Irvingand Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins were also nominated (Twitter link).