CHARLOTTE, NC (WCCB Charlotte) — Kemba Walker’s 34.8 points per game, including a career-best 52 points against Utah, boosted the Hornets guard to Eastern Conference Player of the Week. It is the third career Player of the Week award for Walker, who led the Hornets to a 3-1 record on the week.
The 52-point game set the single-game franchise mark. To go along with the flurry of points, Walker tallied nine rebounds and eight assists in the game, becoming only the fifth NBA player since the 1985-86 season to tally a 52-point, nine-rebound and eight-assist performance and only the fourth player this season to record a 50-plus point game.
During the week, Walker led the Eastern Conference in points per game (34.8), field goals made per game (11.3), free throw percentage (.923, 36-of-39, min. 20 FTA), while also ranking fourth in steals (2.25) and ninth in assists per game (6.0). He also averaged 6.0 rebounds per game. Walker led the NBA in total points (139) and total field goals (45) and was the only player in the NBA to record at least 125 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists during the week.
For the season, the Connecticut product is averaging a career-high 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.9 minutes per game, leading the Hornets in scoring, minutes played and steals. Since Christmas Day, Walker leads the Eastern Conference with 25.4 points per game.
