Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving named East player of the week

Published Dec. 16, 2013 2:32 p.m. ET

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INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, NBA officials announced Monday.

Irving helped lead the Cavs to two wins in three games last week, averaging 29.0 points and 6.3 assists in the process. He also shot 51 percent from the floor, including 41 percent on 3-pointers, and 93 percent on free throws during that span.

"He deserves it," said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "He put up some big numbers for us. He was aggressive, especially at the right times, for us. Obviously, the neat part about it is we won some games. I've talked to him about this before. He can get a lot of accolades. He has a chance to be that good. He has special talents. Can he continue to find ways to attain those accolades while the teams winning? When that happens, to me, it's very meaningful."

Irving is in his third season. He was named Rookie of the Year in 2011-12, and to the East All-Star team last season. This is the second time in his career he was selected as player of the week.

"He's capable of putting up points. He's capable of putting up assists. He's capable of putting highlight films together," Brown said. "But now can you continue doing that and propelling your team to wins? That's the process he's going through right now. And that's what has been happening to us as of late. So it's a well-deserved honor."

Overall, Irving is averaging 20.9 points and 5.8 assists.

Meanwhile, Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, and third time this season. Aldridge led the Blazers to a 4-0 record with averages of 25.5 points and 14.8 rebounds.

Irving and the Cavs (9-14) and Aldridge and the Trail Blazers (21-4) play Tuesday for their lone meeting in Cleveland.

Others nominated for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week honors: Brooklyn's Deron Williams, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Indiana's Roy Hibbert, Miami's LeBron James, Minnesota's Kevin Love, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Toronto's DeMar DeRozan.