FILE (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The NBA named Donovan Mitchell the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Jazz to a three wins in four games last week.
The Jazz sophomore had to pick up the slack with all the injuries the Jazz have had including its starting point guard Ricky Rubio and its backup point guard Dante Exum. This has forced Mitchell to play the position and be the playmaker.
The only loss the Jazz had in this stint is to the team with the second best record in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks. Mitchell had 26 points, pull down three rebounds in the loss.
The Jazz’s star averaged 31.5 points and dished out 5.75 assists per game over all last week. His highest point totals came against the Lakers Friday scoring 33 and then the next night put up 34 points against the Bulls.
Mitchell has shot 48.4 percent overall and has the burned the nets from three-point range shooting 48.6 percent. He scored at least 30 in three straight games, which is the first time he has done so.
“He’s shown a decisiveness to attack,” Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said after Mitchell’s 33-point performance in a win over the Lakers. “You don’t even have to think of it as scoring, it’s just attacking. Sometimes he’ll be the one to score. Sometimes he’ll pass it. Really, he was ready to go.”
It is Mitchell’s first time earning the Player of the Week award and with the return timetables still a bit unknown for the injured Jazz players, the team will most likely have to count on the sophomore again.
Monday – Detroit Pistons at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Tip-off: 7:00 PM MST
Wednesday – LA Clippers at Staples Center. Tip-off: 8:30 PM MST
Friday – Cleveland Cavaliers at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Tip off: 7:00 PM MST