GRIFFIN NAMED WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE MONTH

The National Basketball Association today announced that Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin has been named Western Conference Player of the Month for February. It marks the first time Griffin has achieved this honor and the first time a Clipper has won since Chris Paul (December, 2012).

Griffin helped the Clippers to a 7-4 month including victories over Houston, Oklahoma City and Portland. He had averages of 30.0 points and 10.7 rebounds. Amongst Western Conference players, the four-time All-Star ranked third in scoring and sixth in rebounding, and was one of only two players in the league to average at least 30.0 points and 10.0 rebounds for the month. He recorded eight double-doubles and extended his career-best streak of 20-plus-point games to 19 (currently at 20).

Griffin put together a career game on Feb. 5 against Miami, finishing with 43 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in a 116-112 loss. It is just the 10th time since 1985-86 a player has exceeded those statistical minimums in a game and only the fifth time since 1995-96. Griffin has done so two of those five times, including 44 points, 15 boards and seven assists on Nov. 20, 2010. On Feb. 12 vs. Portland, Griffin had 36 points and 10 rebounds in a 122-117 win.

LeBron James of the Miami Heat was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February. Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Brooklyn’s Deron Williams, Charlotte’s Al Jefferson, Chicago’s Joakim Noah, Houston’s James Harden and Dwight Howard, Indiana’s Paul George and David West, Clippers’ Jamal Crawford, Minnesota’s Kevin Love, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Phoenix’s Goran Dragic, Portland’s Damian Lillard, San Antonio’s Patty Mills, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan and Washington’s John Wall.

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