Celtics’ Thomas named East Player of the Month; Warriors’ Curry and Durant share West honor
NEW YORK – The Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas today was named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in January, and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were selected as co-winners of the Western Conference honor.
Thomas led the NBA in scoring (32.9 ppg) and tied for fifth in the East in assists (6.9 apg) for the month as the Celtics went 10-4 to take over first place in the Atlantic Division. The 5-9 Thomas, who was named an All-Star for the second straight season, shot 49.7 percent from the field, 43.2 percent from three-point range and 94.1 percent from the free throw line. He recorded eight games with at least 30 points, including two with 40 points or more. Thomas has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 33 games, the NBA’s longest streak this season. His current scoring average (29.7 ppg) is just shy of Boston’s single-season record, which Larry Bird set with 29.9 points per game in 1987-88.
Curry ranked fourth in the West in scoring (27.8 ppg) and Durant was fifth (27.4 ppg) as the Warriors posted an NBA-best 12-2 record in January. Named an All-Star starter for the fourth consecutive season, Curry led all NBA players with 62 three-pointers, averaged 6.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds and shot 47.9 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from three-point range. Durant, an All-Star selection for the eighth year in a row, was second in the conference in blocks (2.07 bpg) and eighth in field goal percentage (56.5), and he added 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Here is a closer look at January for Thomas and Curry and Durant:
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Jan. 3 vs. Utah: Scored 29 points and dished out a career-high 15 assists in a 115-104 win over the Jazz.
Jan. 11 vs. Washington: Finished with 38 points, five rebounds and five assists in a 117-108 victory against the Wizards.
Jan. 30 vs. Detroit: Shot 15-of-15 from the free throw line on his way to 41 points and added eight assists in a 113-109 win over the Pistons.
Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant, Warriors
Jan. 4 vs. Portland: Curry posted 35 points and seven rebounds and Durant added 30 points in a 125-117 win over the Trail Blazers.
Jan. 18 vs. Oklahoma City: Durant scored 40 points on 13-for-16 shooting and Curry added 24 points in a 121-100 win over the Thunder.
Jan. 25 @ Charlotte: Durant scored 33 points and Curry hit six three-pointers on his way to 28 points in a 113-103 win over the Hornets.
Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s Paul George, Miami’s Goran Dragic, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker, Portland’s CJ McCollum, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and Toronto’s Kyle Lowry.
Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month
The 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 10th season, is part of a multiyear marketing partnership between Kia Motors America and the NBA, and also includes five of the league’s most prestigious year-end honors: Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, Kia NBA Sixth Man Award, Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award, and Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Each year-end award will be presented at the first-ever NBA Awards Show in New York City on Monday, June 26, 2017. Kia serves as the Official Automotive Partner and Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA. For more information on the “Kia NBA Performance Awards,” visit nba.com/video/kia-performance-awards.
76ers’ Joel Embiid and Suns’ Marquese Chriss named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month
NEW YORK – The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and the Phoenix Suns’ Marquese Chriss today were named Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in January.
Embiid, the third pick in NBA Draft 2014 presented by State Farm, has earned the Eastern Conference honor all three months this season. In January, the 7-foot center led all rookies in scoring (23.4 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg) and blocked shots (2.56 bpg). Philadelphia went 7-2 when Embiid played and 10-5 overall for the month. Embiid scored at least 20 points in each of his first seven games of January after doing the same in his final three games of December, joining Allen Iverson as the only players in 76ers history to record 10 straight 20-point games in their rookie seasons.
Chriss, the eighth pick in NBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm, ranked fourth among Western Conference rookies in scoring (8.3 ppg), fifth in rebounding (3.6 rpg) and third in field goal percentage (45.9) for the month. He also led all first-year players in steals with 1.36 per game. The 6-10 forward scored in double figures five times, including a career-high 20 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 30.
As part of NBA All-Star 2017, Embiid and Chriss are both set to compete in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 17 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans (9 p.m. ET, TNT and ESPN Radio).
Here is a recap of January for Embiid and Chriss:
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Jan. 13 vs. Charlotte: Posted 24 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a 102-93 win over the Hornets.
Jan. 16 @ Milwaukee: Notched 22 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in a 113-104 victory against the Bucks.
Jan. 18 vs. Toronto: Scored 26 points (12-of-14 free throws) and grabbed nine rebounds in a 94-89 win over the Raptors.
Marquese Chriss, Phoenix Suns
Jan. 3 vs. Miami: Recorded 18 points and six rebounds in a 99-90 victory against the Heat.
Jan. 8 vs. Cleveland: Contributed 12 points, four assists, three rebounds and three blocks in a 120-116 loss to the Cavaliers.
Jan. 21 @ New York: Notched 15 points, five rebounds and three steals in a 107-105 win over the Knicks.
Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Brooklyn’s Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac, Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon, New Orleans’ Buddy Hield and Philadelphia’s Dario Saric.
Washington’s Brooks and Golden State’s Kerr named NBA Coaches of the Month
NEW YORK – The Washington Wizards’ Scott Brooks and the Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in January.
Brooks guided Washington to an Eastern Conference-best 12-4 record during January as the Wizards climbed into a tie for first place in the Southeast Division. Washington went 7-0 at Verizon Center to extend its home winning streak to 15 games, tied for the second-longest run in franchise history. The Wizards closed the month on a five-game winning streak, which included victories over the current Atlantic Division leader, the Boston Celtics, and the Southeast co-leader, the Atlanta Hawks. Brooks’ team held opponents to 43.4 percent shooting from the field, the best mark in the NBA.
Kerr led the Warriors to an NBA-best 12-2 record in January, with Golden State losing to the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime and falling to the Miami Heat after Miami guard Dion Waiters made a tiebreaking three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left. The Warriors led the NBA in scoring (120.3 ppg), assists (30.6 apg), field goal percentage (50.9) and point differential (14.1) for the month, which included wins over the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Rockets and the LA Clippers. On Jan. 23, Kerr and his staff earned the honor to coach the Western Conference All-Stars in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game after clinching the best record in the conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 5.
Other nominees for the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month were Atlanta’s Mike Budenholzer, Boston’s Brad Stevens, Indiana’s Nate McMillan, the LA Clippers’ Doc Rivers, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Philadelphia’s Brett Brown.
