Dwyane Wade had a tremendous week. The Miami Heat’s superstar averaged 33.3 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds per game. He shot to a 49.3 field goal percentage and a 35.7 clip from behind the three-point line. The twenty-eight year old recorded three double-doubles in as many games and Heat victories. For the season, Wade is averaging 26.4 points per game, fifth in the National Basketball Association. He is also fifth in steals, 1.83 SPG. Wade was named the Eastern Conference player of the week.

“I’m excited that for the first time this season I was able to earn Player of the Week honors,” he told Miami Heat.com, “but I’m more excited by the fact our team played well and captured three wins during the week.”

Goaltender Ryan Miller gave the American Olympics men’s ice hockey club a chance to win the gold medal. In six games, the twenty-nine year old posted a .946 save percentage and 1.35 goals against average. While the latter statistic is not usually useful, for it is a team evaluation, it reflects Miller’s dominance.

 America was not comprised of pushovers. But, the squad was an underdog. Zach Parise, Phil Kessel, Bobby Ryan, and Patrick Kane were the notables, but when juxtaposed with the favorites, the United States, on paper, did not stack up. Miller came within one goal of triumphing. He was rightfully named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Dwight Howard’s week can be described in one word. “Wow!” The twenty-four year old averaged 28 points and 16.3 rebounds per game. His best performance came against the Detroit Pistons when he recorded 33 points and 17 boards, as well as a field goal percentage of 84.6. Howard is having yet another incredible season. He has been named the National Basketball Association’s Player of the Week three times and is first with rebounds per game average, at13.5. Marcus Camby is closest to Howard in RPG, but is 1.4 behind.

Steven Stamkos is the National Hockey League’s most improved player this year. After a 49-point rookie season, the 20-year old has 70 points-35 goals and the same number of helpers. In four games last week, he lit the lamp three times and recorded six assists, adding to his thirteen-game point streak. Stamkos was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week. Continued strong play could result in a postseason berth for the last year’s second to last place finishers. He is on pace for a 47-goal, 94-point season. While these are not MVP-type numbers, a Hart Trophy certainly appears to be in Stamkos’ future.

Alexander Ovechkin led the Capitals to a 4-0-0 week. The Russian-born superstar scored seven goals and notched three helpers. He recorded a hat trick in a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Ovechkin leads the National Hockey League in goals, with 42, and in points, 86. He is cruising to a third-consecutive Hart Trophy campaign. Ovie is on pace to score 58 goals and amass 120 points, which would be a career high. Without the twenty-four year old, first place in the Eastern Conference would be a pipe dream in Washington. There should be no question that he is, far and away, the best player in the NHL.

If the Oklahoma City Thunder played in the Eastern Conference, the club would be in fifth place. But, with a respectable26-21 record, the NBA’s newest franchise is tied for the last playoff spot in the tough West. The bulk of that success ought to be attributed to this week’s athlete, Kevin Durant. The third-year pro is having a most valuable player type of season, averaging 29.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, with a 48.8 field goal percentage. In his past three games, the Washington, D.C. native scored 28, 30, and 45 points and pulled down 11, 4, and 11 boards respectively. He led Oklahoma City to a couple victories, including an impressive 101-84 triumph over the 32-15 Denver Nuggets. Durant, 21, provides Thunder fans with a sound reason for optimism.

The Colorado Avalanche has been one of the National Hockey League’s few Cinderella stories this year.  Much of that success ought to be attributed to star goaltender Craig Anderson. The Park Ridge, Illinois native posted a pair of shutouts last week. He allowed one goal on eighty-one shots, en route to three Avalanche victories, a sparkling .988 save percentage and 0.33 goals against average. Anderson has been reliable all season. In forty-three games, the twenty-eight year old has posted a .923 save percentage. He has led the Avs to a third-place in the Western Conference.

The National Hockey League’s best player had a brilliant week. This is a recording. Alexander Ovechkin recorded ten points-three goals and seven assists. Most notably, the Capitals’ superstar had a five point game against the pathetic Toronto Maple Leafs. In forty-games, Ovechkin has lit the lamb 30 times and added 34 helpers. Known for his scoring ability, the Russian native has certainly improved the “distribution” aspect of his game. If said statistical trend continues this year, he will have more assists than goals for the first time in his short NHL life, during which he hitherto has 484 points.  Alexander the Great is on pace to finish with 55 goals and 117 points this season, which would be a career high.  The first-place Capitals success shows no signs of slowing.

This was an obvious choice! Alex Burrows picked up back-to-back hat tricks, en route to a couple Canucks victories. The Pincourt, Quebec native notched three goals in a 7-3 shellacking of the Blue Jackets and a 4-0 defeat of the shockingly mighty Phoenix Coyotes. Burrows certainly made the most of his opportunities, lighting the lamp six times on nine shots. After a slow start to the 2009-10 campaign, Vancouver sits in the bottom of the Western Conference playoff picture. With Burrows surging, Henrik Sedin leading the National Hockey League in scoring, and, of course, Roberto Luongo in net, Canucks fans could be in store for an exciting second half of the season.