NBA Players of the Week: Pelicans' Anthony Davis and Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic

Micah Adams

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NBA Players of the Week: Pelicans' Anthony Davis and Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic image

Anthony Davis and Nikola Vucevic were named Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week on Tuesday (AEDT.

2018-19 Players of the Week
  Western Eastern
Week 1 Nikola Jokic Kemba Walker
Week 2 Stephen Curry Giannis Antetokounmpo
Week 3 Russell Westbrook Victor Oladipo
Week 4 CJ McCollum Pascal Siakam
Week 5 Anthony Davis Nikola Vucevic

Anthony Davis

The Western Conference honours Davis, who averaged 34.3 points shooting an efficient 51.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. He also had 14.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.0 blocks per game in a 3-1 week for the New Orleans Pelicans.

AD was stellar in the Pelicans wins this past week. In their victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday he posted 25 points, 20 rebounds and six assists. He closed the weekend off with 43 points, 17 rebounds and five assists in a close win over the New York Knicks followed by a 40 point, eight rebound, eight assist performance in a win over the Denver Nuggets.


Davis has been playing MVP-caliber basketball so far this season averaging 27.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.8 blocks per game. His shooting percentages have been terrific as well, shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from three while playing a league-most 38.0 minutes per game. 

This is Davis' fifth time taking home the Player of the Week honour after being selected twice last season.

Nikola Vucevic

Eastern Conference honours go to Nikola Vucevic who averaged 27.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in leading the Magic to a 3-1 record that included impressive victories over the 76ers (spoiling Jimmy Butler's debut), Lakers and Knicks. He outscored Joel Embiid 30-19 in their head-to-head matchup and erupted for 36 points and 13 rebounds in a win over LeBron James and the Lakers.

The eighth-year veteran is having a career year, scoring over 20 points per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the floor which would be a career high. Vucevic is one of just three players - along with MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis - currently averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, one block and one steal per game, putting him well on his way towards securing his first career All-Star appearance.

The seven-footer has also been a revelation from downtown, connecting on 45.2 percent on 2.5 attempts per game after entering the season with a career three-point FG percentage of 30.8 percent.

This is the second time he's won the award, the other coming in March 2014. That was also the last time a Magic player was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

Micah Adams

Micah Adams Photo

Micah Adams is a Managing Editor and Head of Affiliate and Commercial Content at Sporting News. Prior to joining SN in 2021, Adams spent over a decade producing and leading content teams at ESPN, DAZN and The Social Institute. Adams graduated from Duke University in 2009 and remains a Cameron Crazie at heart well into his 30s. When not losing sleep or hair over the Blue Devils, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bulls, and USMNT, Adams enjoys chasing his two small children around along with his wife, losing golf balls, spending time outdoors and binging terrible movies.