Josh Richardson Gets Honored for his Latest Performances

Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Josh Richardson has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

During the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Miami Heat shooting guard Josh Richardson as compensation for their controversial superstar, Jimmy Butler. Some liked the idea of the Sixers allowing a 26-year-old guard to come in and attempt to build chemistry with the other young stars on the roster.

Others were highly critical of the move considering it took giving up a player like Jimmy Butler just to get Richardson. No matter how you look at it, though, the Sixers got a young competitive gamer, with solid upside and experience.

Although Richardson's debut season with the Sixers had been a bit of a roller coaster, the young guard seems to be hitting his stride at this point in the season when they really need him the most.

As of late, the Sixers have run into some critical issues. Not only are they struggling a lot on the road, but they also lost their best player in Joel Embiid for at least a couple of weeks. Without Embiid on the floor, it's evident the Sixers aren't better off.

Therefore, the needed somebody to step up in his absence. Lately, Josh Richardson has shined for the 76ers. So much that he earned the Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the previous few performances.

NBA Players of the Week for Week 12!

East: @J_Rich1 (@sixers)
West: @DeMar_DeRozan (@spurs) pic.twitter.com/U1WgMTUuEh

— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2020

In games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and the Dallas Mavericks, Richardson was a clear standout. He averaged 22 points-per-game, 2.3 rebounds-per-game, and 3.7 assists-per-matchup. Following the win over Boston last Thursday, Sixers' head coach Brett Brown credited Richardson for setting the tone for his team.

"I thought his attitude and his attack right out of the gate was impressive," Brown said. "He was just extremely aggressive on both sides of the ball." While Richardson typically carries that momentum with him all the time, his production was failing to match his energy at times earlier in the season.

Now that Richardson is beginning to hit his stride, though, there's hope that he stays healthy and continues to play at this pace. If he does, the Sixers will be in excellent shape moving forward as they continue to try and climb the Eastern Conference ranks.