Lillard, Valanciunas named NBA rookies of the month

Published April 05, 2013

Sports Network

New York, NY –  Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard received his fifth consecutive Western Conference Rookie of the Month award, while Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas earned the honor in the Eastern Conference for March.

Lillard topped all rookies in scoring (21.3 ppg), assists (6.8 apg) and 3- pointers made (42) for March, while becoming only the fourth first-year player in NBA history to tally 1,390 points and 475 assists in a single month.

Valanciunas averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 62 percent from the field in March. The 6-foot-11 Lithuanian led all rookies in the East in rebounding for month while reaching double-figures in points in 11 of his final 12 games.

New Orleans' Anthony Davis and Orlando' Maurice Harkless were also nominated for the award.

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James, Durant named NBA Players of the Month

Published April 05, 2013

Sports Network

New York, NY –  Miami Heat star LeBron James picked up his fifth consecutive Eastern Conference Player of the Month award on Friday, while the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant took home Western Conference honors for games played in March.

James helped the Heat to a league-best 17-1 record for the month. The team won 27 straight games, the second-most in NBA history, before losing at Chicago on March 27. For the month, James averaged 25.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists while shooting 53 percent from the field.

Durant, who is on pace to win his fourth straight NBA scoring title, averaged a league-best 27.6 points for the month to go with 8.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Others nominated included Boston's Jeff Green, Brooklyn's Deron Williams, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Indiana's Roy Hibbert, Miami's Dwyane Wade, Memphis' Mike Conley, New York's J.R. Smith and San Antonio's Tim Duncan.

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