Carter and Shaq earn Player of the Week honors

Carter helped the Raptors to a 4-0 record last week. He recorded two double- doubles and finished the week averaging a team-high 23.5 points and 7.8 assists per contest.

Carter collected 21 points and a career-high 12 assists in a win over Philadelphia on December 2 and followed that performance with a 21-point, 10- assist effort against Boston the next day.

O’Neal posted averages of 19.7 points, 16.7 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per game, as Los Angeles went 3-0 for the week. The Lakers are in the midst of a nine- game winning streak.

O’Neal had 15 points, 16 boards and blocked nine shots during a victory over San Antonio on December 3. The next day versus Dallas, he netted 25 points and pulled down 19 rebounds. O’Neal then completed his stellar week by contributing 19 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in a triumph over Utah on December 7.

Other candidates for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, Detroit’s Ben Wallace, Houston’s Yao Ming, Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal, Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett, New Jersey’s Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin, New Orleans’ Baron Davis and Jamaal Magloire, Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson and Phoenix’s Stephon Marbury.