Odom and Yao Ming earn Player of the Week honors

Odom helped the Heat to a 2-1 record last week by averaging 23.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game.

He scored 23 points and grabbed 14 boards in a loss to Toronto on March 2 and then collected 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in a victory over Milwaukee two days later. Odom completed his solid week by pouring in a season-high 30 points, grabbing a career-high 19 boards and handing out a career-best 11 assists in a win over Sacramento on March 6.

Yao led the Rockets to a 2-1 mark last week, as he averaged a conference-best 29.7 points per contest.

He netted 33 points and pulled down eight rebounds in a loss to the Lakers on March 3 and then chipped in 27 points, six boards and four assists in a triumph over Minnesota two days later. Yao capped his stellar week with a 29- point, 10-rebound effort in a win versus Dallas on Sunday.

Other candidates for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Boston’s Mark Blount, Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace, Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal, the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal, Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett, New York’s Stephon Marbury, Philadelphia’s Kenny Thomas, Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire and Washington’s Gilbert Arenas.