NBA awards given out during the season include player of the week (one from each conference), player of the month, coach of the month, rookie of the month. NBA awards announced at season's end (usually early on during the playoffs, though only regular season play is taken into consideration) include the league MVP, the Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, coach of the year, and executive of the year.

NBA Players of the Month: Dec. 4, 2009

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played during October and November.

James paced the Eastern Conference in scoring (29.2 ppg), was second in assist (8.0 apg) and added 6.7 rebounds per game, leading the Cavaliers to a 12-5 start. James is one of only two players to record a triple-double this season (Rafer Alston) after recording 23 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists on Oct. 28 at Toronto. With 38 points on Oct. 27, James set a franchise record for points in a season opener and with his seventh point became the youngest player to score 13,000 (24 years, 301 days old). James was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 23 after averaging a league-high 34.3 points for the week and leading Cleveland to a 3-1 record.

Anthony led the Nuggets to a 12-5 start, averaging a league-high 31.0 points to go with 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals. Anthony scored 20 or more points in each of the Nuggets’ 17 games, setting the franchise record for consecutive 20-point performances to start a season (Alex English, 14). On Nov. 27, Anthony scored a career-high 50 points, becoming the seventh Nugget to score 50 or more points and the first since Allen Iverson had 51 on Dec. 5, 2007. Anthony was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 2, after leading Denver to a 3-0 start and joined Alex English as the only Nuggets to score 30 or more points in each of the first three games of a season.

Other nominees for Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Atlanta’s Josh Smith, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, Golden State’s Monta Ellis, Miami’s Dwyane Wade, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Orlando’s Dwight Howard and Phoenix’s Steve Nash.

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Coach of the Month: Dec. 1, 2009

The Orlando Magic’s Stan Van Gundy and the Phoenix Suns’ Alvin Gentry today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in October and November.

Van Gundy guided the Magic to a 14-4 (.778) record, tops in the Eastern Conference. The Magic recorded key road wins over fellow Eastern Conference powers Boston and Atlanta, amassing an 8-2 record away from Amway Arena. Orlando has won six straight road games, one shy of equaling the franchise record. The Magic rank in the top five defensively in opponents offensive rebounds allowed per game (1st), opponents assists per game (1st), points allowed (4th) and opponents field-goal percentage (5th).

Gentry led the Suns to an NBA-best 14-3 (.824) mark. The Suns are the NBA’s lone remaining team with an undefeated record at home (6-0). Phoenix’s typical high-octane offense is in effect, with the Suns passing the century mark in all 17 games this season, allowing them to climb 11 games over .500 for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign.

Other nominees for the Coach of the Month were Atlanta’s Mike Woodson, Boston’s Doc Rivers, Cleveland’s Mike Brown, Denver’s George Karl, Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks, Portland’s Nate McMillan and Sacramento’s Paul Westphal.

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Rookie of the Month: Dec. 1, 2009

The Milwaukee Bucks’ Brandon Jennings and the Sacramento Kings’ Tyreke Evans today were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 27) through November.

Jennings leads all rookies in scoring (21.8 ppg), assists (5.7 apg) and three-point field goal percentage (.500). On Nov. 14, Jennings scored 55 points against the Golden State Warriors, the most points by a rookie since Earl Monroe netted 56 on Feb. 13, 1968. His 55-point effort broke the Bucks rookie scoring record, previously held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Accomplished in his seventh game, Jennings became the fastest NBA player to score 50 points, as well as the youngest (20 years and 52 days).

Evans ranks second among rookies in scoring (18.8 ppg) and leads first-year players in minutes (36.1 mpg). He also ranks second in steals (1.33 spg), fourth in assists (4.7 apg) and fifth in rebounds (5.0 rpg) among rookies. Evans recorded 20 or more points in seven consecutive games, tying the Sacramento-era rookie record set by Lionel Simmons (1990-91). Also, he leads rookies with nine 20-point games.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month were Denver’s Ty Lawson, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn, New Jersey’s Terrence Williams, New Orleans’ Marcus Thornton, and Oklahoma City’s James Harden.

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- InsideHoops NBA Rookie of the Year Watch
- InsideHoops NBA MVP Watch
- Official NBA Players of Week

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