The NBA announced a pair of familiar names as its Players of the Week on Monday, November 9: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić earned Western Conference honors, while New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson took the award in the East. The selections cover games played November 2–8, making Monday’s announcement a fresh development separate from the individual scoring performances already grabbing headlines.
Dončić produced a remarkable three-game stretch, averaging 45.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists. His week included a 53-point performance against Portland and a run of four straight games with at least 40 points, a milestone the NBA noted had not been achieved by a Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2012. That production helped make him the clear headline in a crowded Western Conference field that also included Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Austin Reaves among the nominees.
Brunson answered with 27.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game for New York. His recognition highlights the Knicks’ strong guard play and gives fans on both coasts something to debate: Dončić owned the most eye-popping scoring average, but Brunson’s control of the offense also earned league recognition. For the Lakers and Knicks, the weekly awards provide another early-season sign that their primary playmakers are setting the tone.