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Marcin Gortat, Russell Westbrook win NBA Player of the Week

By John Buhler

Dec 14, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies beats Washington Wizards 112-92. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies beats Washington Wizards 112-92. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /
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Marcin Gortat and Russell Westbrook are your NBA Players of the Week.

It was a great week for the NBA, but for two players in particular it was the best week.

According to ESPN’s Arash Markazi, Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat and Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook have been named Eastern and Western Players of the Week, respectively.

Gortat’s Wizards have won four straight to move back to .500 at 14-14 due in large part to his stellar play last week. Gortat had two double-doubles against the Sacramento Kings on December 21st (27 points, 16 rebounds) and the Memphis Grizzlies on December 21st (12 points, 12 rebounds). He also had 25 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

With the Wizards at .500 and in 11th place in the tight Eastern Conference, Washington will need to lean on Gortat as well as their backcourt duo of point guard John Wall and shooting guard Bradley Beal if they want to get back into contention in 2016.

Westbrook’s Thunder are 21-10 and in third place in the Western Conference, leading the Northwest Division and behind only the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs in the conference standings.

Westbrook led the Thunder to a 3-1 record last week, with their only lost coming on Christmas Day to the Chicago Bulls. He had at least 23 points in all four games last week, including a high of 33 against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 21st and a double-double against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. Westbrook has a rebound shy of his fourth triple double this season (30 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds).

Westbrook continues to play like a top ten player in the Association and may arguably be the best backcourt player in the West not named Stephen Curry. Westbrook has his Thunder team in the thick of things in the top fifth of the Western Conference.

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