Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic 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 January.
The Kia NBA Players of the Month for January! #KiaPOTM
West: Nikola Jokic (@nuggets)
East: Joel Embiid (@sixers) pic.twitter.com/MZ3VJvibcm— NBA (@NBA) February 2, 2023
Check out their highlights from the past month.
Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets
Check out the best January moments from Nikola Jokic.
Jokic wins the monthly award for the first time this season and the fifth time in his career. The back-to-back Kia MVP averaged a triple-double during January with 24.0 points, 11.6 rebounds and 11.3 assists. He recorded eight triple-doubles, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only centers in NBA history to record eight or more triple-doubles in a single month. His current triple-double count for the season sits at a league-leading 16. Jokic powered the Nuggets to a 10-2 record in the 12 games he played in January as Denver sits atop the Western Conference with a 35-16 record.
*Pretends to be shocked*
Joker takes home Western Conference Player of the Month honors 🃏 pic.twitter.com/eneqzShvtN
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 2, 2023
> Season stats | Video box scores
Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers
Check out the best January moments from Joel Embiid.
For the second straight month, Embiid takes home the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, the sixth of his career. Embiid scored a league-best 34.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.6 blocks in 10 games during the month. The MVP hopeful had the hot hand as he scored 30 points or more in nine of his 10 games, including a streak of seven straight from Jan. 2-19. Embiid led the Sixers to an 11-3 record in January, the best record in the NBA.
nOt aN aLL-sTar stArtEr.#KiaPOTM pic.twitter.com/fnyq5d5l8V
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 2, 2023
> Season stats | Video box scores
Other nominees:
West: Anthony Edwards (MIN), De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis (SAC), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC), LeBron James (LAL), Kawhi Leonard (LAC), Damian Lillard (POR) and Lauri Markkanen (UTA)
East: Bam Adebayo (MIA), Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL), Jalen Brunson (NYK), Darius Garland (CLE), Kyrie Irving (BKN) and Jayson Tatum (BOS)
