NEW YORK — The Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas today was named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in January, and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were selected as co-winners of the Western Conference honor.
Thomas led the NBA in scoring (32.9 ppg) and tied for fifth in the East in assists (6.9 apg) for the month as the Celtics went 10-4 to take over first place in the Atlantic Division. The 5-9 Thomas, who was named an All-Star for the second straight season, shot 49.7 percent from the field, 43.2 percent from three-point range and 94.1 percent from the free throw line. He recorded eight games with at least 30 points, including two with 40 points or more. Thomas has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 33 games, the NBA’s longest streak this season. His current scoring average (29.7 ppg) is just shy of Boston’s single-season record, which Larry Bird set with 29.9 points per game in 1987-88.
Curry ranked fourth in the West in scoring (27.8 ppg) and Durant was fifth (27.4 ppg) as the Warriors posted an NBA-best 12-2 record in January. Named an All-Star starter for the fourth consecutive season, Curry led all NBA players with 62 three-pointers, averaged 6.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds and shot 47.9 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from three-point range. Durant, an All-Star selection for the eighth year in a row, was second in the conference in blocks (2.07 bpg) and eighth in field goal percentage (56.5), and he added 7.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Here is a closer look at January for Thomas and Curry and Durant:
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Jan. 3 vs. Utah: Scored 29 points and dished out a career-high 15 assists in a 115-104 win over the Jazz.
Jan. 11 vs. Washington: Finished with 38 points, five rebounds and five assists in a 117-108 victory against the Wizards.
Jan. 30 vs. Detroit: Shot 15-of-15 from the free throw line on his way to 41 points and added eight assists in a 113-109 win over the Pistons.
Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant, Warriors
Jan. 4 vs. Portland: Curry posted 35 points and seven rebounds and Durant added 30 points in a 125-117 win over the Trail Blazers.
Jan. 18 vs. Oklahoma City: Durant scored 40 points on 13-for-16 shooting and Curry added 24 points in a 121-100 win over the Thunder.
Jan. 25 @ Charlotte: Durant scored 33 points and Curry hit six three-pointers on his way to 28 points in a 113-103 win over the Hornets.
Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Houston’s James Harden, Indiana’s Paul George, Miami’s Goran Dragic, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker, Portland’s CJ McCollum, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard and Toronto’s Kyle Lowry.
