Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week while Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley scooped Western Conference honours for games played Monday, March 4 through Sunday, March 10.
Drummond led the Pistons to a 3-0 week by averaging 22.3 points (67 per cent shooting), 18.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. He recorded 15-plus points and 15-plus rebounds in each game, including 31 points and 15 rebounds vs. Minnesota (March 6) and his league-leading 11th 20/20 game of the season with 20 points and 24 rebounds at Chicago (March 8).
Drummond recorded 20 points (6-of-7 shooting, 8-of-10 free throws) and eight rebounds in the second half as the Pistons erased a 16-point deficit to beat Minnesota.
He then scored 14 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in the second half at Chicago to help the Pistons win after trailing by as many as 21 points. He outrebounded the Bulls 18-14 in the second half.
Drummond, the NBA's leader in rebounds per game (15.2) and double-doubles (54), has helped the Pistons to wins in 12 of their last 15 games.
Conley won the Western Conference Player of the Week award for the first time in his career. It is the 10th time a Grizzlies player has won the weekly honour.
Conley led the Grizzlies to a 3-0 week with averages of 31.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.33 steals in 34.0 minutes while shooting 57.4 per cent from the field (31-of-54), 55.6 per cent from three-point range (10-of-18) and 78.6 per cent from the free throw line (22-of-28 FT) in home victories over the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic.
Conley led the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring average (15.3 points) and scored in double figures in the final period in all three games, which included come-from-behind wins over Portland and Orlando. In addition, his 94 total points this week represent a career high for any three-game span.
The 6ft 1in guard began the week by scoring a career-high 40 points (12-of-18 shooting, 6-of-7 three-pointers, 10-of-15 free throws), including 19 in the fourth quarter, in a 120-111 win on March 5 vs. Portland.
He followed up with 28 points (11-of-18 shooting, 3-of-7 three-pointers, 3-of-3 free throws), including 13 in the final period, and a season-high tying 11 assists in a 114-104 victory on March 8 vs Utah.
He finished the week by scoring 26 points (8-of-18 shooting, 1-of-4 three-pointers, 9-of-10 free throws), including 14 points in the last frame, and helping the Grizzlies close with a 12-0 run in a 105-97 win on March 10 vs Orlando.
Conley has started all 64 of his appearances this season, his 12th with the Grizzlies, and has averaged a career-high 20.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.39 steals in 33.3 minutes while shooting 43.3 per cent from the field, 36.5 per cent from three-point range and 84.6 per cent from the free throw line.
Since the All-Star Break, the 31-year-old has averaged 25.0 points per game while the Grizzlies have posted a 5-4 record and the top defensive rating (102.0) in the NBA.