Bulls guard/forward DeMar DeRozan and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic have been named the Players of the Month for the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively, per a league announcement (Twitter link).
DeRozan led the Bulls to an 8-5 record in February, averaging 34.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists on .553/.400/.877 shooting in 13 games (38.5 minutes per contest). As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago relays, in February DeRozan became the first player in NBA history to post eight straight games of 35 or more points while shooting 50% or better in each, eclipsing a 60-year-old mark held by Wilt Chamberlain.
DeRozan is in the midst of the best season of his career at age 32, putting up a career-high 28.2 points while leading the Bulls to a 39-23 record despite injuries to several key players. They currently hold the No. 2 seed in the East.
Doncic, meanwhile, led Dallas to a 7-3 record in February, averaging a ridiculous 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists on .457/.417/.750 shooting in 10 games (37.1 minutes). He put up 45-plus points in three of the Mavericks’ final four games leading up to the All-Star break, with a career-high 51 points against the Clippers, followed by another 45 points against the Clips and 49 against the Pelicans.
For the season, Doncic is averaging 27.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.8 assists on .447/.331/.738 shooting. The Mavs are currently the No. 5 seed in the West with a 37-25 record.
The other finalists in the East were Heat center Bam Adebayo, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Magic forward/center Wendell Carter Jr., Sixers center Joel Embiid and Raptors forward Pascal Siakam. For the West, the other nominees were Suns guard Devin Booker, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
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