CLEVELAND -- The NBA announced today that Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has been named the Eastern Conference Player of Week for games played Monday, March 21, through Sunday, March 27. This marks the fourth time this season James has earned Player of the Week accolades, as well as the 52nd time in his career, the most in NBA history. It also marks the 52nd time in franchise history a player has earned Player of the Week honors and the 33rd time James has earned the honor as a member of the Cavaliers.
James led Cleveland to a 3-1 record this past week, averaging 29.0 points on .564 shooting from the field, including .455 shooting from three-point line, 8.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.0 steal in 35.3 minutes per contest. He led the Eastern Conference in points per game (29.0), total points scored (116), field goals made (44) and plus/minus (+62), while ranking second in the East in assists per game (8.8), second in free throws made (23) and 11th in rebounds per game (8.5). The 12-time NBA All-Star was the only player in the NBA to have multiple triple-doubles last week (2), as well as the lone East player to average at least 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists.
James, who recorded at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in all four contests, opened the week with a triple-double performance in the Cavs' 124-91 win over Denver on March 21 after tallying game highs of 33 points on 12-19 (.632) shooting, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in 33 minutes. In Cleveland's 113-104 win against Milwaukee on March 23, James poured in a game-high 26 points, six rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one block in 37 minutes. At Brooklyn on March 24, James made his first 10 field goal attempts and finished with a game-high 30 points on 13-16 (.813) shooting from the field, six rebounds, a team-high five assists and one steal in 35 minutes. It was the third time in his career he made his first 10 field goal attempts, and his .813 field goal percentage was his second-highest in any NBA game in which he made at least 10 shots (Feb. 4, 2013 against Charlotte, .929, 13-14). The 6-8 forward closed out the week with another triple-double in a 107-93 win at New York on March 26, his third of the season and 42nd of career, after recording 27 points, 11 rebounds, a game-high 11 assists, one steal and two blocks in 36 minutes. He also moved past Robert Parish (9,614) for 16th all-time in field goals made with his fifth make against the Knicks.
In 2015-16, James has appeared in 70 games (all starts) with averages of 25.0 points (sixth in NBA) on .510 shooting from the field, 7.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists (ninth in NBA) and 1.4 steals in 35.6 minutes per game. His four player of the week awards this season are the most in the Eastern Conference and second-most in the NBA. James and the Cavaliers currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 52-21 record.
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors was named the Western Conference Player of the Week.
(Cleveland Cavaliers press release)
