NEW YORK (Ticker) — For the third time this season, LeBron James has been named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
The All-Star forward earned the honor Monday after averaging 30.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals while leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 2-1 record last week.
On Friday, James collected 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists and six steals against Portland, becoming the first player in the league to put up those numbers in a game since Jason Kidd on January 20, 2003.
James, who won the award for the sixth time in his career, joins Gilbert Arena, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson as the only players in the league to win the honor at least three times this season.
Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony earned the Western Conference honor after averaging a league-best 31.8 points on 58 percent shooting.
Anthony nailed his fourth game-winning shot of the season to defeat the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, 101-99.
Star Milwaukee Buck Michael Redd led his team to a hard-fought victory over Portland, handing the Trail Blazers their fourth straight loss in the process.
Redd was outstanding, knocking down 33 points – 27 in the first half - and was ably backed up by substitute Charlie Bell who added 14 and eight assists for Milwaukee (33-33).
A jumper by Redd with 8:27 to play gave the Bucks the lead for good 85-83.
Australian Andrew Bogut had eight points in just 15 minutes playing time for the Bucks.
In Chicago, the Bulls went down at home to the Miami Heat by one point after Luol Deng’s potential game-winner missed on the buzzer.
Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade failed to become the first player in the club’s history to produce 13 consecutive 20-point games, shooting poorly (1-of-8 field goals) and coughing the ball up 10 times on his way to 15 points.
In other games from the NBA on Saturday (US), the San Antonio Spurs beat cross-town rivals the Houston Rockets 92-77 on the back of Tony Parker’s 23 points, while the Denver Nuggets thrashed the New Orleans / Oklahoma City Hornets 109-94.
The Detroit Pistons (52-13) were too good for the struggling Charlotte Bobcats, winning 108-103.
EL SEGUNDO, California (Ticker) — Jim Jackson is heading to his 13th NBA team.
Five days after being waived by the Phoenix Suns, the veteran swingman signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
“Jim Jackson has been a solid player for many years in the NBA and we feel he’ll be a good addition to our team,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. “Being such a young team, he gives us veteran savvy as well as the ability to play multiple positions.”
The Lakers released forward-center Slava Medvedenko, who has been with the team for the last six seasons, to make room on the roster for Jackson.
Jackson, 35, averaged just 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 27 games, including one start, for the Suns this season. He last played on January 4 against Philadelphia.
The Suns had acquired Jackson from the New Orleans Hornets in January 2005. He averaged 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 67 games four starts###with Phoenix last season.
The 6-6, 220-pound Jackson has career averages of 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 872 career games.
The fourth overall pick in the 1992 draft, Jackson has played for Dallas (1992-1997), New Jersey (1997), Philadelphia (1997-98), Golden State (1998), Portland (1998-99), Atlanta (1999-2001), Cleveland (2001), Miami (2001-02), Sacramento (2002-03), Houston (2003-05), New Orleans (2005) and Phoenix.
Medvedenko, 26, played in just two games this season before injuring his back in a November 9 contest at Minnesota.
“We’re sorry to have to let Slava go even though it was unlikely that he would’ve been able to play the rest of the season because of his injury,” Kupchak said. “He’s been a positive addition to us for six years, including helping us win two championships.”
The 6-10 Medvedenko was a reserve on the 2001 and 2002 championship teams. He averaged a career-high 8.3 points in 2003-04.
