LeBron James, Blake Griffin named NBA Players of the Week
It pays to win.
LeBron James was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a trio of blowouts during a 3-0 stretch.
James, who took home the honor for the second time this season, has helped get the Cavaliers back on track, something that was readily apparent this past week. The superstar was instrumental in digging Cleveland out of a four-game skid, averaging 25.7 points, 8.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals.
While the Cavaliers started out slow, their defense has turned a corner and they're starting to play like the feared team most expected them to be.
Blake Griffin, meanwhile, averaged 23.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a perfect 4-0 week. It helped him secure Western Conference Player of the Week honors for the fifth time in his career.
All four wins came away from home and completed what was a franchise-best 6-1 road trip.
Griffin's numbers are slightly down from a year ago, but he remains a vital piece on an 11-5 Clippers team.