For the third time this season, Kobe Bryant was named the Western Conference Player of the Week, this time for games played between Monday, March 9 and Sunday, March 15.
Bryant led his conference in scoring with 28.5 points per game, alongside 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists to lead the Lakers to a 3-1 week highlighted by tough road wins in Houston and San Antonio. In the 102-95 win over the Spurs on March 12, Bryant hit a clutch fourth quarter three-pointer (as he did in Sunday’s win over Dallas) while recording 23 points and six assists just a night after scoring 18 fourth quarter points to lead L.A. past the Rockets. The latter road win allowed the Lakers to clinch their 20th Pacific Division title and their 56th postseason appearance in 61 NBA seasons.
Here’s a break down of Bryant’s four-game week, courtesy of the NBA. If you want to review the game more specifically, click on the purple link to read the respective running diaries:
March 9 @ Portland: Recorded 26 points and three assists in a 111-94 loss to the Trail Blazers.
March 11 @ Houston: Posted 37 points, six assists, five rebounds and four steals in a 102-96 win over the Rockets.
March 12 @ San Antonio: Tallied 23 points, six assists and four rebounds in a 102-95 win over the Spurs.
March 15 vs. Dallas: Scored 28 points, and added eight rebounds and five assists in a 107-100 win over the Mavericks.
LeBron James, Bryant’s primary competition in the MVP race, won in the Eastern Conference. Other nominees were Atlanta’s Joe Johnson, Cleveland’s Mo Williams, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Miami’s Dwyane Wade, New Orleans’ Chris Paul, New York’s Nate Robinson, Philadelphia’s Thaddeus Young and Portland’s Brandon Roy.
