James, Bryant earn monthly honors

Mar 3, 2008 - 10:27 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Cleveland Cavaliers swingman LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant were named the NBA's Players of the Month for February on Monday.

James takes the Eastern Conference honor for the second consecutive month after leading the league in scoring during February. He averaged 30.2 points and added 8.9 rebounds with a conference-best 8.5 assists, helping the Cavaliers post an 8-6 mark during the month.

James became the first player in 20 years to post triple-doubles in consecutive days twice in the same season. He accomplished the feat - last done by Magic Johnson in 1988 - on November 24-25 and February 19-20.

The 23-year-old James also became the youngest player to reach 10,000 career points in a loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

Bryant earned the Western Conference honor by leading the Lakers to a 13-2 record in February, averaging a team-best 27.2 points, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals.

Bryant, who started March with a 52-point performance Sunday, scored at least 30 points on eight occasions and netted more than 40 points twice during February.