Cavaliers’ LeBron James, Warriors’ Stephen Curry named Kia NBA Players of the Month
NEW YORK – The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in February.
James led the East in scoring (24.8 ppg) and finished tied for second in assists (7.3 apg) as the Cavaliers went 8-5 for the month (8-4 with James in the lineup). He added 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 49.6 percent from the field. James joined the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook as the only players to average at least 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in February. James posted four double-doubles and notched his first triple-double of the season with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 120-100 win over the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 8.
Curry led the Warriors to a 9-1 record behind a league-high 36.7 points, the highest scoring average in a calendar month (minimum 10 games) since Kobe Bryant’s 40.4 points in March 2007. The Golden State guard, who recorded two 50-point games, also averaged 7.3 assists and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 53.6 percent from three-point range. Curry tied the NBA record for three-pointers in a game with 12, capped by the last-second game-winner, in a 121-118 overtime win over the Thunder on Feb. 27. He also became the first player in NBA history to make at least 10 three-pointers in back-to-back games. During February, Curry broke his own single-season record for threes (he has now hit 288) and set the record for consecutive games with a three-pointer (now at 129).
Here is a closer look at February for James and Curry:
LeBron James, Cleveland
Feb. 1 @ Indiana: Finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a 111-106 win over the Pacers.
Feb. 18 vs. Chicago: Scored 25 points on 11-for-19 shooting and added nine rebounds and nine assists in a 106-95 win over the Bulls.
Feb. 21 @ Oklahoma City: Scored 25 points and added 11 assists, seven rebounds and three steals in a 115-92 win over the Thunder.
Stephen Curry, Golden State
Feb. 3 @ Washington: Shot 11-for-15 from three-point range on his way to scoring 51 points in a 134-121 win over the Wizards.
Feb. 24 @ Miami: Finished with 42 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 118-112 win over the Heat.
Feb. 25 @ Orlando: Finished with 51 points on 20-for-27 shooting and added eight assists in a 130-114 win over the Magic.
Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Brooklyn’s Brook Lopez, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Dallas’ Chandler Parsons, Houston’s James Harden, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Portland’s Damian Lillard, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry and Washington’s John Wall.
Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the MonthThe Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month are part of a series of oncourt performance awards called “The Kia NBA Performance Awards.” The series, currently in its ninth season, is part of a multiyear marketing partnership between Kia Motors America and the NBA, and includes five of the league’s most prestigious year-end honors: Kia Most Valuable Player Award, Kia Defensive Player of the Year, Kia Sixth Man Award, Kia Most Improved Player Award and Kia Rookie of the Year. It also includes the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month during the regular season. Kia serves as the Official Automotive Partner and Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA. For more information on the “The Kia NBA Performance Awards,” visit
Pacers’ Myles Turner, Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month
NEW YORK – The Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in February.
Turner, who earned Rookie of the Month honors for the first time, ranked third among East first-year players in scoring (13.4 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg) and minutes (29.8 mpg). He also shot 51.0 percent from the field, the second-best mark for East rookies. Turner recorded his first two career double-doubles during the month and produced a run of nine straight double-digit scoring games. On Feb. 19, Turner scored 16 points and blocked a career-high six shots in a 101-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, part of a 4-1 stretch for the Pacers.
Towns, the Western Conference winner for the fourth month in a row, led all rookies in scoring (21.1 ppg), rebounding (11.8 rpg) and minutes (34.6 mpg), and ranked third in field goal percentage (53.7) and blocked shots (1.64 bpg). He posted double-doubles in nine of 11 games, including a 30-point, 15-rebound performance in a 112-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 27. Towns scored a career-high 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 117-112 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 10, and he matched his career high with 17 rebounds to go with 26 points in a 112-105 win over the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 6.
Here is a closer look at February for Turner and Towns:
Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
Feb. 1 vs. Cleveland: Notched his first career double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) and added four blocked shots in a 111-106 loss to the Cavaliers.
Feb. 8 vs. L.A. Lakers: Shot 6-of-8 from the field and posted 14 points and 13 rebounds in an 89-87 win over the Lakers.
Feb. 24 vs. New York: Scored 24 points and collected six rebounds in a 108-105 victory against the Knicks.
Feb. 24 vs. New York: Scored 24 points and collected six rebounds in a 108-105 victory against the Knicks.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Feb. 3 @ L.A. Clippers: Scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 108-102 victory against the Clippers.
Feb. 20 vs. New York: Contributed 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 103-95 loss to the Knicks.
Feb. 22 vs. Boston: Shot 13-of-22 from the field and finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in a 124-122 win over the Celtics.
Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Denver’s Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Jokic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ D’Angelo Russell, New York’s Kristaps Porzingis, Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor and Phoenix’s Devin Booker.
Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the MonthThe Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month are part of a series of oncourt performance awards called “The Kia NBA Performance Awards.” The series, currently in its ninth season, is part of a multiyear marketing partnership between Kia Motors America and the NBA, and includes five of the league’s most prestigious year-end honors: Kia Most Valuable Player Award, Kia Defensive Player of the Year, Kia Sixth Man Award, Kia Most Improved Player Award and Kia Rookie of the Year. It also includes the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month during the regular season. Kia serves as the Official Automotive Partner and Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA. For more information on the “The Kia NBA Performance Awards,” visit NBA.com/awards.
