CLEVELAND, OH - March 1, 2010 - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named today as the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month presented by Kia Motors for games played in the month of February.
James averaged 32.6 points on .506 shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 10.5 assists in 41.3 minutes per game, leading the Cavs to an 8-3 (.727) record for the month of February. The Cavs currently stand at a league-best 46-14 (.767) and had a season-high and franchise record tying 13-game winning streak from January 16th to February 11th. James has now won the award for the 15th time in his career and sixth consecutive month dating back to the 2008-09 season: for the fourth consecutive month this season, four times in 2008-09; two times during 2007-08, once in 2006-07, twice in 2005-06 and twice during the 2004-05 campaign.
During the month, James ranked first in points per game (32.6), second in field goals made per game (10.6) and assists per game (10.5) and third in steals per game (2.1) among Eastern Conference players. He scored at least 20 points in all 11 games in February and dished out at least eight assists in all but one game.
In the Cavs’ 105-89 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, he posted 22 points and a career-high tying 15 assists for his 19th double-double on the season and added six rebounds, one steal and one block. James’ performance marked just the sixth time this season a player has had a 20-point, 15-assist and five-rebound performance.
On February 6th versus the New York Knicks, James set a franchise record with 35 points in the first half, including scoring 24 straight points in a six-minute stretch. The last player to score 24 or more consecutive points for his team was Carmelo Anthony, who scored 26 points in a row on Dec. 10, 2008 versus Minnesota. James finished the game with 47 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a season-high tying five steals in 44 minutes, making him the first player to have at least 47 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and five steals in a game since Rick Barry (64 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and five steals) did for Golden State on March 6th, 1974. James tallied 43 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high tying 15 assists, for his third triple-double this season, and added four blocks in a 118-116 overtime loss to Denver on February 18th. He became the first NBA player ever to have at least 43 points, 15 assists, 13 rebounds, two steals and four blocks in a game (Elias).
James recorded his 23rd double-double this season with 20 points and a game-high 13 assists in a 105-95 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at Quicken Loans Arena on February 23rd. In the Cavs 108-88 victory at Boston on Feb. 25th, he scored 21 of his 36 points in the first half and added seven rebounds and nine assists. The Cavaliers win at Boston snapped the Cavs’ five-game losing streak at TD Garden.
The Utah Jazz’s Carlos Boozer was named the Western Conference Player of the Month. Other nominees for Eastern Conference Player of the Month presented by Kia Motors were Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Boston’s Rajon Rondo, Orlando’s Dwight Howard and Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala.