Walker named player of the week; Pierce runner-up

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

Rockets' Francis, Celtics' Walker Earn Weekly Honors

SportsTicker 

NEW YORK (Jan. 21) -- Boston Celtics forward Antoine Walker and Houston 
Rockets guard 
Steve Francis were named the NBA players of the week on Tuesday.

Walker, the Eastern Conference winner, averaged 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 
4.3 assists 
in a 3-1 week for the Celtics. He registered his sixth double-double of the 
season with 31 
points and 10 rebounds in a 99-93 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

Francis helped lead the Rockets to a 3-0 week, averaging 29.7 points, 5.3 
rebounds and 
9.3 assists. He scored a career-high 44 points and tied a personal best with 
11 rebounds 
in Friday's 108-104 overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Also considered in the Eastern Conference were Boston's Paul Pierce, 
Detroit's Clifford 
Robinson, New Orleans' David Wesley, Toronto's Jerome Williams and 
Washington's 
Michael Jordan.

Other Western Conference candidates were Minnesota's Kevin Garnett, Phoenix's 
Stephon 
Marbury, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Utah's Matt Harpring.

01-21-03 14:49 ET

Produced by SportsLine