Miami Heat forward LeBron James and the Houston Rockets guard James Harden have been named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week.
James led the Heat to a 4-0 mark as Miami extended its winning streak to 26 games, the second-longest streak in NBA history, trailing only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers (33). He averaged 30.8 points, 10.0 assists, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks, while shooting 59 percent from the field. He recorded his fourth triple-double of the season with 25 points (14 in the fourth quarter), 12 rebounds and 10 assists, as the Heat rallied from a 27-point deficit to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 20. He scored a team-high 37 points to go with 12 assists as Miami came from 17 points down to win at Boston on March 18. This is James’ sixth Player of the Week nod this season.
Harden led the Rockets to a 3-0 week with averages of 26.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He scored a game-high 29 points, connecting on 17-of-18 from the free throw line, in a win over Utah on March 20. He hit a jumper with 4.5 seconds left to lift the Rockets to a 96-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs, capping a 29-point, nine-rebound, six-assist effort, on March 24. This is the third time Harden has captured Player of the Week honors this season.
