NEW YORK, April 1, 2011 – The Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played during March.
Rose helped the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls to a 13-3 record in March, a month in which he tallied career highs in points (42 vs. Indiana on March 18) and assists (17 vs. Milwaukee on March 26). Rose, who is the only player in the NBA to rank in the top 10 in both points (25.0 ppg, 7th) and assists (7.9 apg, 10th), also set career highs in three-pointers made (six vs. Atlanta on March 22) and free throws made and free throws attempted (18-21 vs. Indiana on March 18).
Bryant averaged 25.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists, leading the Lakers to a 12-1 record on the month, bringing them within 2 ½ games of San Antonio for first place in the Western Conference. Bryant achieved several milestones in March, moving ahead of Moses Malone for sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during a 26-point performance in a win at Atlanta on March 8, and passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the Lakers’ all-time leader in games played in a win over New Orleans on March 27. Bryant also tallied a season-high 42 points, to go along with 12 rebounds and nine assists in a win over Phoenix on March 22.