The NBA announced today that Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has been named the Western Conference Player of the Month for games played during December. It marks Mitchell’s first career player of the month honor and he becomes the first Jazz player to earn the accolade since Deron Williams in November 2010.
Mitchell (6-3, 222, Louisville) posted averages of 30.2 points on 50.2 percent from the field, adding 5.0 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per contest during the month, with Utah posting an NBA-best 12-2 (.857) record in December. He was one of only four NBA players to average at least 30 points, five assists and three rebounds during the month and one of only two players to average 30-or-more points on better than 50 percent shooting.
Here is a closer look at some of Mitchell’s best games during the month:
Dec. 31 vs. Minnesota: Finished with a season-high 39 points (12-of-21 FG and 6-of-11 3FG), along with six assists in a 120-108 victory against the Timberwolves.
Dec. 8 at Minnesota: Posted 36 points (14-of-23 FG), five boards, two assists and a block on the road against Minnesota, winning 136-104.
Dec. 5 at Cleveland: Logged 35 points (12-of-21 FG), six assists, three rebounds and one steal in a 109-108 road victory against the Cavaliers.
Dec. 3 vs. Boston: Registered 34 points (6-of-14 3FG), also handing out six assists in a 137-130 win.
Dec. 25 vs. Dallas: Had 33 points (10-of-11 FT), also recording three rebounds, three assists and three steals, winning the Christmas Night matchup, 120-116.
The two-time NBA All-Star is averaging 25.7 points (tied seventh in NBA) on 45.7 percent from the field, 5.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per contest in his fifth NBA season. He’s one of only eight players in 2021-22 to be averaging at least 25 points, five assists and three rebounds per contest. He’s totaled 10 games with 30-or-more points, which is tied for the ninth most such contests in the NBA this season.
On Jan. 1, the 25-year-old moved his way into the Jazz’s top-10 all-time scoring list and has now totaled 7,376 points in a Jazz uniform.
He shares the honor with Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month.