The Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving and the Kings’ Isaiah Thomas were today named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in February. The award is the second for Irving this season and the first for Thomas.
Irving led all rookies in scoring (19.3 ppg), free throw percentage (.953) and minutes (35.3 mpg), while leading Eastern Conference rookies in assists (5.6 apg), three-point field goal percentage (.444) and fourth-quarter scoring (6.8 ppg). He scored 20 or more points in six games in February, shooting .500 or better four times and notching a season-high 11 assists on Feb. 22, against the New Orleans Hornets.
Thomas led Western Conference rookies in February in scoring (12.2 ppg) and was second in assists (4.4 apg). He recorded his first five career starts last month, scoring 96 total points, enough to match Otis Birdsong’s franchise record for most points scored in a player’s first five starts, set during the 1970-71 season.
Way to go IT!
