Photo by Michael Hickey/US Presswire
Written by
Associated Press
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving is the NBA's Eastern Conference rookie of the month.
Irving averaged 18.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in December and January games.
The No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, he ranked first among rookies in scoring, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free-throw percentage and assists.
The 19-year-old Irving scored a career-high 32 points -- 21 in the fourth quarter -- in a Jan. 27 game against New Jersey.
Irving became the first rookie to score at least 21 in a quarter since 2006. He scored 17 in the final three minutes, the first player to do that since Vince Carter in 2006.
Irving's best moment came when he dropped in a game-winning layup with 2.6 seconds left as the Cavs beat Boston on Jan. 29.
The Associated Press