Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid named Kia Players of the Month

The superstar big men in L.A. and Philadelphia take home the honors for the months of March and April.

From NBA.com News Services

Updated on April 11, 2023 8:55 PM

Los Angeles Lakers forward-center Anthony Davis and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid have been named the Kia NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in March and April.

The Kia NBA Players of the Month for March and April! #KiaPOTM

West: Anthony Davis (@Lakers)
East: Joel Embiid (@sixers) pic.twitter.com/Y0Im96de9V

— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2023

Check out their highlights from the past month.

Anthony Davis | Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Davis scores 40 points in Los Angeles' win vs. Houston on April 2.

Davis wins the monthly award for the first time this season and the third time in his career. Davis helped the Lakers finish with a league-best 14-6 record in March and April with averages of 26.2 points and 12.5 rebounds. He scored in double figures in 17 of his 18 appearances, including 11 games with 20+ points, eight games with 30+ points and one 40-point performance. The eight-time All-Star tallied 11 double-doubles in that span, including two games with 20+ rebounds.

Eleven double-doubles, a league-leading 12.5 boards a game, & a forty-piece for your Player of the Month 〰 pic.twitter.com/0hFmyXOebJ

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 11, 2023

> Season stats | Video box scores

Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid strengthens his Kia MVP bid with 52 points on just 25 shots to lead Philadelphia's comeback over Boston.

Embiid wins the monthly award for the third time this season and the seventh time in his career. He is the first player since 2019-20 and the first 76er ever to earn the award three times in a single season. Embiid, who recently earned his second straight NBA scoring title, averaged 33.3 points and 1.9 blocks in 18 games played between March and April. His 599 points scored in those months led all players. The Kia MVP candidate notched his third 50-point game of the 2022-23 season, recording 52 points in a 103-101 victory over the Boston Celtics. Embiid is just the third player in Sixers’ history to log three 50-point games in a single season.