NBA Clutch: Kyle Lowry (East) y Stephen Curry (West) los Jugadores de la Semana en la NBA y unas cositas más...

TORONTO’S LOWRY AND GOLDEN STATE’S CURRY NAMED

NBA EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

 The Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Feb. 22 through Sunday, Feb. 28.

Lowry led the Raptors to a 3-1 week (3-0 in games in which he appeared) behind averages of 28.7 points (first in the Eastern Conference), 8.7 assists (tied-second in the conference) and 6.3 rebounds.  Lowry recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists during a 122-95 win against the New York Knicks on Feb. 22.  He closed his week by hitting the game-winning shot as part of a 43-point performance in a 99-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 26. 

Curry led the Warriors to a 4-0 week behind a league-leading 43.8 points, producing games of 36, 42, 51 and 46 points.  He made at least five three-point field goals in each contest, including two games with 10 or more threes, and shot 61.1 percent (33-of-54) from long distance.  On Feb. 27, Curry capped his 46-point outing by making the game-winning three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left in overtime as the Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-118.  He finished with 12 threes, tying an NBA single-game record.

Here is a recap of the week for Lowry and Curry:  

Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors

Feb. 22 @ New York: Recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists during a 122-95 win over the Knicks.

Feb. 24 vs. Minnesota: Tallied 21 points, six assists and three rebounds in a 114-105 win over the Timberwolves.       

Feb. 26 vs. Cleveland: Scored 43 points and added nine assists, five rebounds and four steals during a 99-97 win over the Cavaliers.

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Feb. 22 @ Atlanta: Scored 36 points and added eight assists and six rebounds during a 102-92 win over the Hawks.

Feb. 24 @ Miami: Posted 42 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 118-112 win against the Heat.  

Feb. 25 @ Orlando: Made 20-of-27 field goals, including 10-of-15 from deep, en route to 51 points during a 130-114 win over the Magic.   

Feb. 27 @ Oklahoma City: Scored 46 points, including 12-of-16 on threes, and had six assists in a 121-118 overtime win over the Thunder.   

Other nominees for the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Al Horford, Detroit’s Reggie Jackson, Portland’s Damian Lillard, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and Washington’s John Wall.

Brad Stevens (East) y Terry Stotts (West) nombrados de los dirigentes del mes de Enero en la NBA

CELTICS’ STEVENS AND TRAIL BLAZERS’ STOTTS NAMED

NBA EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE COACHES OF THE MONTH

The Boston Celtics’ Brad Stevens and the Portland Trail Blazers’ Terry Stotts today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in February. 

Stevens led the Celtics to the best record in the Eastern Conference (9-3) in February, which included a 6-0 mark at TD Garden.  The Celtics scored 100-plus points in 10 of 12 games and led the conference in scoring at 110.8 points.  Boston recorded wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, and enters March with the East’s third-best record (36-25). 

Stotts guided the Trail Blazers to a 9-2 record in February, which included wins over the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers.  Portland ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring (110.6 points) and enjoyed the league’s second-best point differential (+8.0 points).  Stotts’ Trail Blazers closed the month winning eight of their final nine games and enter March tied with the Dallas Mavericks’ for sixth place in the Western Conference.

Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Charlotte’s Steve Clifford, Golden State’s Steve Kerr, San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Toronto’s Dwane Casey.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES’ MIKE CONLEY RECEIVES
JANUARY NBA CARES COMMUNITY ASSIST AWARD

PRESENTED BY KAISER PERMANENTE

– NBA and Kaiser Permanente to donate $10,000 to the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation –

Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley has received the January NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of his work to empower youth through basketball and encourage healthy and active living in the Memphis community, the NBA announced today.  The award recognizes an NBA player each month who best reflects the passion that the league and its players share for giving back to their communities.

Kaiser Permanente and the NBA are honoring Conley for his efforts to improve the health and wellness of local youth and raise awareness for sickle cell anemia.  Serving as a member of the NBA FIT Team and ambassador for Jr. Grizzlies, Conley has hosted and participated in more than two dozen basketball skills clinics for young boys and girls this season. 

Conley soon recognized that clinic participants often lacked the proper footwear to play and launched the Shoe Up! with Mike Conley campaign, a seasonlong initiative to provide shoes and basketball skills training to kids from underserved communities across Memphis.  In January, Shoe Up! with Mike Conley partnered with Under Armour, Samaritan’s Feet and more than 100 community volunteers to give new sneakers to 200 children, prior to leading a basketball clinic at FedEx Forum.

“I’m grateful that the NBA has given me a platform to support the causes that are important to me,” said Conley.  “It’s a blessing to be recognized, but the real blessing is to be able to inspire youth to love this game and recognize its possibilities in creating change in our communities.”

A longtime advocate for research and treatment of sickle cell anemia, Conley often dedicates his time to hosting events and raising awareness and funds for the disease, as two of his family members suffer from sickle cell.  In addition to supporting advanced sickle cell treatment centers like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Conley recently worked to secure a $15,000 contribution from local donors to Methodist Hospital in support of sickle cell research.

Before Memphis’ home game tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA Cares Ambassador Bob Lanier, Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace and Kaiser Permanente Director, Community Benefit Madelyn R. Adams will present Conley with the award during an oncourt ceremony.  The award honors the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson, who improved the community piece by piece.  In addition, Kaiser Permanente and the NBA will donate $10,000 on Conley’s behalf to the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation.

To learn more, please visit http://www.nba.com/communityassist/.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care.  We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans.  Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve.  We currently serve more than 10 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia.  Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers.  Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management.  Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.