NEW YORK, March 2, 2017 – The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in February.
The Cavaliers were 9-1 with James in the lineup in February (9-2 overall) as the 32-year-old forward averaged 25.9 points (third in the East), 10.6 assists (second in the East) and 7.2 rebounds. He shot 63.7 percent from the field (second in the conference) and 56.8 percent from three-point range (fourth in the conference), his highest percentages for any month this season. James scored at least 20 points in eight of his 10 games and dished out 10 or more assists six times on his way to averaging the most assists for any month in his 14-year career. During a 111-104 victory against the New York Knicks on Feb. 4, James became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 28,000 points.
Westbrook averaged a triple-double of 33.4 points (first in the NBA), 11.0 rebounds (tied for fifth in the West) and 10.0 assists (fifth in the NBA) as the Thunder went 7-4 for the month, including wins over the Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz. The 28-year-old guard posted six triple-doubles to improve his league-leading total to 30. Oscar Robertson (41 in 1961-62) and Wilt Chamberlain (31 in 1967-68) are the only players to record more triple-doubles in a season than Westbrook, who leads all active players with 67 for his career. In a 110-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 24, Westbrook became the third player in the last 40 years to tally at least 17 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists in a game, joining Magic Johnson (1989) and Rajon Rondo (2012).
Here is a closer look at February for James and Westbrook:
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Feb. 6 @ Washington: Dished out a career-high 17 assists and scored 32 points in a 140-135 overtime victory against the Wizards.
Feb. 11 vs. Denver: Tallied 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in a 125-109 win over the Nuggets.
Feb. 23 vs. New York: Recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in a 119-104 win over the Knicks.
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Feb. 3 vs. Memphis: Finished with 38 points (17-of-17 free throws), 13 rebounds and 12 assists in a 114-102 win over the Grizzlies.
Feb. 9 vs. Cleveland: Posted 29 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals in a 118-109 victory against the Cavaliers.
Feb. 28 vs. Utah: Made six three-pointers and finished with 43 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a 109-106 win over the Jazz.
Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Houston’s James Harden, the LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin, Miami’s Goran Dragic, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan, Utah’s Gordon Hayward and Washington’s John Wall.
