Deandre Ayton earns 1st career Player of the Week honor after Suns go 3-0

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week, the NBA announced on Monday.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week.

This marks the first time Ayton has received the award in his career after being selected No. 1 overall out of Arizona in the 2018 NBA Draft.

In the week that covered Nov. 21-27, the center averaged 23.7 points on 67.4% shooting, 16.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while putting up a double-double in each of the Suns’ three wins.

Ayton has now extended his double-double streak to five consecutive games, matching a career high.

In those five contests, the Phoenix center is averaging 20.2 points on 66.7% shooting, 13.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 blocks.

Those metrics over a five-game span have only been accomplished by two players since the 2014-15 season: Antetokounmpo (2018-19) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (2021-22), who both went on to win the NBA’s MVP award in those respective years.

Ayton also registered season-highs of 29 points and 21 rebounds in Phoenix’s 113-112 win over the Jazz in Utah in the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday.

The 29-plus-point, 21-plus-rebound performance is the first of its kind by a Suns player since Amar’e Stoudemire (33 points, 21 rebounds) did so against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2007.

The Suns, who boast both the Western Conference’s best record at 13-6 thanks to their current four-game winning streak and the NBA’s best home record of 11-1, travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Monday night.

Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com.

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