Josh Richardson earns Player of the Week honors
The Philadelphia 76ers are 25-15. On the surface, that record doesn't look bad, but the team currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference. They are still trying to find their groove consistently on offense with all of their new pieces. That being said, one of their new pieces has been settling in nicely as of late and he's been rewarded by the league for his strong play.
Josh Richardson was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 12 of the NBA season. The 26-year-old guard averaged 22.7 points, 3.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds in a stretch that saw the Sixers post a 2-1 record. Richardson shot 51 percent from the floor and hit 15 of his 16 free throws attempted during that span.
Richardson's strong week began with a 23-point performance against the Thunder as part of a 120-113 victory. He shot 9-17 from the floor and 2-4 from beyond the arc. Richardson followed that up with a 29-point game against Boston in a 109-98 win. He scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Sixers to a 32-18 advantage over the final 12 minutes. Finally, in the team's loss to Dallas, Richardson scored 16 points on 42.9 percent shooting.
Overall on the season, Richardson is averaging 15.5 points on 43.9 percent shooting and 35.2 percent from beyond the arc. In addition to his recent offensive success, Richardson has continued to be a strong defender for Philadelphia, posting a defensive rating of 104.3, which is ahead of teammate Ben Simmons (106.7).
Brandon Apter is a Sixers contributor to 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @bapter23.