Timberwolves' Kevin Love named Western Conference Player of the Week
Timberwolves Forward Kevin Love Named Western Conference Player of the Week
Minneapolis/St. Paul The NBA today named Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love as its Western Conference Player of the Week for games played between February 17 and 23. This is the second time this season he has earned the award, the first time since the 2003-04 season that Minnesota has won multiple players of the week in the same season. Love was previously named Player of the Week for games played Oct. 29 - Nov. 3, which was the first such honor of his career.
Love started his week with a 42-point, 16-rebound effort to lead the Wolves to a 104-91 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers, his fourth 40+ point performance of the season (only Kevin Durant, 9, has more 40-point games). He followed that performance with the first triple-double of his career three days later in Utah, scoring 37 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and handing out a career-high 10 assists in Minnesota's 121-104 win over the Jazz. He became just the eighth player over the last 30 years to tally 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 10+ assists and 5+ three-pointers in a game, while his 37 points were the most in a triple-double since 2010 (37- David Lee, Apr. 2, 2010). Love closed out his week with a 31-point, 10-rebound performance at Portland, his club-record fifth consecutive 30+ point outing and 10th straight 25+ point, 10+ rebound game, the longest streak in the NBA since Shaquille O'Neal had 13 in 2001.
On the week Love averaged 36.7 points (2nd in NBA) on 57.1% shooting, 12.7 rebounds (4th in NBA) and 3.7 assists per game. He also drained 13 three-pointers (46.4% from three-point range) while connecting on 25 free throws (T-2nd in NBA) at a 86.2% clip.
This season Love is averaging 26.3 points, 13.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, on pace to become the first player to average 26+ points, 13+ rebounds and 4+ assists in a season since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76. Love currently leads the league in double-doubles (47), 20/10 games (36), 30/10 games (16) and 40/10 games (4).
Contact information:
Aaron Seehusen, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1602, seehusen@timberwolves.com
Dan Bell, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1603, bell@timberwolves.com
Alex King, Minnesota Timberwolves, (612) 673-1632, king@timberwolves.com
