NBA Players of the Week: James Harden of the Houston Rockets and D'Angelo Russell of the Brooklyn Nets

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James Harden of the Houston Rockets and D'Angelo Russell of the Brooklyn Nets have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week for games played between Jan. 14-20, the NBA announced on Monday.

2018-19 Players of the Week
  Western Conference Eastern Conference
Week 1 Nikola Jokic Kemba Walker
Week 2 Stephen Curry Giannis Antetokounmpo
Week 3 Russell Westbrook Victor Oladipo
Week 4 CJ McCollum Pascal Siakam
Week 5 Anthony Davis Nikola Vucevic
Week 6 Tobias Harris Giannis Antetokounmpo
Week 7 Paul Millsap Kawhi Leonard
Week 8 Stephen Curry Bradley Beal
Week 9 James Harden Thaddeus Young
Week 10 Paul George Giannis Antetokounmpo
Week 11 James Harden Giannis Antetokounmpo
Week 12 Donovan Mitchell Kawhi Leonard
Week 13 James Harden D'Angelo Russell

James Harden, Houston Rockets

Harden averaged 54.3 points per game last week on 48.5 percent shooting from the field, 35.8 percent from the 3-point line and 89.3 percent from the free throw line.

The reigning MVP scored a season-high 57 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 14. He followed that game up by setting a new season-high of 58 points in an overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets two days later.

In Houston's final game of the week, Harden led the Rockets to an overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers with 48 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.

 

According to ESPN, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are the only players in the last 50 seasons to have scored more total points than Harden in a three-game span. Harden also became only the second player in NBA history — the other being Wilt Chamberlain — to score 30-plus points in 19 consecutive games with his performance against the Lakers.

Harden will have an opportunity to extend that streak to 20 games on Monday when the Rockets take on the Philadelphia 76ers.

D'Angelo Russell, Brooklyn Nets 

Russell scored only 10 points in Brooklyn's overtime win over Houston, but we exploded for a combined 74 points in the franchise's two other games last week.

Russell finished with 34 points in a win over the Boston Celtics on Jan. 14. He shot 13-for-26 from the field and 7-for-13 from the 3-point line.

Russell then tied his career-high with a 40-point showing against the Orlando Magic on Jan. 18. Russell made eight of his 12 3-point attempts in the game, the last of which helped the Nets extend their win streak to three games.


The Nets now have a 24-23 record on the season, good enough for the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference. Russell has been a huge reason why they've been able to keep themselves in playoff contention despite losing Caris LeVert to a gruesome ankle injury early in the season.

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Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News