Maya command to create a lambert shader & shading group node named for the object

applyMayaMaterial.py

import maya.cmds as mc

def applyMaterial(node):
    if mc.objExists(node):
        shd = mc.shadingNode('lambert', name="%s_lambert" % node, asShader=True)
        shdSG = mc.sets(name='%sSG' % shd, empty=True, renderable=True, noSurfaceShader=True)
        mc.connectAttr('%s.outColor' % shd, '%s.surfaceShader' % shdSG)
        mc.sets(node, e=True, forceElement=shdSG)

applyMaterial("pSphere1")

Thanks a lot. I need to duplicate the shading network. And I use the code cmds.duplicate([mtl, mtl_sg], upstreamNodes=True). It really works. Thanks for your reply.