The Toronto Raptors' Kyle Lowry and the Houston Rockets' James Harden on Monday were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.
Lowry ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference in scoring (22.3 ppg) and second assists (8.9 apg), as the Raptors went 11-4 to remain comfortably atop the Atlantic Division. He posted six point-assist double-doubles, the third most in the NBA in December. He scored at least 30 points in three contests, and averaged 25.8 points in nine road games.
Harden led the NBA in scoring (30.6 ppg) for the month, as the Rockets went 9-5, while dealing with injuries to key players and some roster changes. He led the NBA with eight 30-point games and three 40-point games.
Other nominees for Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Brooklyn's Joe Johnson, Charlotte's Kemba Walker, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Memphis' Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, Phoenix's Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul, New Orleans' Anthony Davis, Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, San Antonio's Tim Duncan, and Washington's John Wall.