Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Love Named Western Conference Player of the Week

The NBA today named Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love as its Western Conference Player of the Week for games played October 29 – November 3. Love becomes the sixth different Wolves player in club history to be named Player of the Week, earning the award for the first time in his five-year career.

Love has been a pivotal player for the Wolves as they improved to 3-0 for the second time in team history (2001-02), that puts the Wolves as just one of just four undefeated teams in the league. In the season opener on Wednesday, Love had 31 points and 17 rebounds, including a game-tying three-pointer with 10.1 seconds left to force overtime.

Oct 30, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic (9) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) during the fourth quarter at Target Center. The Timberwolves defeated the Magic 120-115 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Two days later Love finished with 24 points on 7-for-12 shooting and getting 12 rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s 100-81 win over Oklahoma City. He finished his impressive week with a 34-point, 15-rebound performance in New York.

That is Love’s fourth straight 30+ point/15+ rebound performance against the Knicks and the 20th of his career. And with that performance, Love has now joined Shaquille O’Neal as just the second player since 1985-86 to record four straight 30/15 games against one opponent.

In addition to all of this— Love leads the NBA in scoring with 29.7 ppg and ranks second in rebounds with 14.7 rpg, free throws made 31 and attempted 39.  He’s also tied for first in double-doubles with 3, increasing his total to 121 in his last 135 games. After grabbing two offensive rebounds in Sunday’s win in New York, Love extended his streak of consecutive games with an offensive rebound to 78,  and that is the longest active streak in the NBA.

Sixers rookie Michael Carter-Williams was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week.