SALT LAKE CITY (April 23, 2012) – The NBA announced today that Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, April 16, through Sunday, April 22. This is the fourth Player of the Week award for Jefferson in seven-plus NBA seasons and the first as a member of the Jazz. Jefferson previously won the Western Conference Player of the Week award with the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 4, 2009 and January 27, 2008, and the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award with Boston on March 4, 2007.
The 6-10, 289-lb. center registered three double-doubles, averaging 20.0 points, a league-high 15.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks for the week while leading the Jazz to a perfect 3-0 record, as the team competes for a playoff spot. During the week, Utah earned a triple overtime win vs. Dallas (4/16), a win at Portland (4/18) and an overtime win vs. Orlando (4/21).
In 59 games (all starts) overall on the season, Jefferson is averaging 19.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, a career-high 2.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.
Here is a closer look at the week for Jefferson:
- Al Jefferson, Utah Jazz
- April 16 vs. Dallas: Posted 28 points, tied a career-high with 26 rebounds, had two blocks and one assist as the Jazz defeated Dallas, 123-121, in triple-overtime. Jefferson had 20 points and 16 rebounds in the second half and three overtimes to aid the Jazz in their first victory vs. Dallas in the last eight attempts.
- April 18 at Portland: Scored 11 points to go along with 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 112-91 win in Portland.
- April 21 vs. Orlando: Totaled 21 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two assists as the Jazz overcame a 14-point second-quarter deficit to win, 117-107, in overtime.
Jefferson becomes the 13th different player in Jazz history to win a Player of the Week award, and it is the 50th such award in franchise history. He joins Karl Malone (23 times), John Stockton (six), Adrian Dantley (five), Carlos Boozer (four), Deron Williams (three), Andrei Kirilenko (twice) and John Drew, Rickey Green, Darrell Griffith, Bobby Hansen, Jeff Malone and Mehmet Okur (once apiece). Williams was the most recent Jazzman to win the award, taking the honors on November 15, 2010. The award, which has been given weekly since the 1979-80 season, was originally the NBA Player of the Week before splitting into Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week in 2001-02.
Miami’s LeBron James was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Denver’s guard Ty Lawson, L.A. Clippers guard Chris Paul, San Antonio’s guard Manu Ginobili, New York’s forward Carmelo Anthony, and Washington’s center Kevin Seraphin and guard John Wall.