By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was named the Western Conference Player of the Week, the NBA announced.
Jokic had a series of near-perfect and historic performances to help the Nuggets begin the 2018-2019 season with three wins in a row.
Per Nuggets.com:
The NBA has announced that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Tue Oct. 16th to Sunday Oct. 21st.
Jokić becomes the first player to win the award in the 2018-19 season and has now earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors three times in his career, also doing so twice last season.
Jokić, 23, averaged 26.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.67 steals and 1.00 blocks while helping the Nuggets start the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2009-10 season. He also shot .632 from the field and .500 from three during this stretch. He became the first player ever to record a 30+ point triple-double on 11 or fewer FG attempts. Jokić also joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only two players in NBA history to post a 30+ point triple-double and be perfect from the field.
Jokić started the week by registering 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks in 34 minutes of action in a season opening win on the road over the Clippers on Oct. 17th. He then recorded his 17th triple-double of his career with 35 points (11-11 FG), 12 rebounds, 11 assists, four steals and one block in the home opening win over Phoenix on Oct. 20th. He capped off the week with his second double-double of the season and third straight 20+ point game, tallying 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists beating the Warriors on the second night of a back-to-back on Oct. 21st.
Jokić becomes the sixth player in franchise history to win the award three or more times, joining Alex English, Dikembe Mutombo, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups.