Now that the calendar has turned to March, let’s look back at the top performances from the month of February. There was a 60-point game, a historic stat lines from a rookie, and the most efficient scoring game this year. So, as teams hunker down for the playoff push, here are some “awards” for the most deserving players in February.
This is the second edition of Heavy’s monthly awards, the first can be found here.
To determine the winners of these awards, data was pulled and analyzed from every month of February between the 1996-97 season and the 2023-24 season. The data used for the analysis can be found on the NBA’s stat website.
Best Game, Scoring Champ, +/- King
Best individual performance: Victor Wembanyama
There are many ways to look at this, and many deserving players regardless of how you look at it.
Bradley Beal had one of the most efficient scoring performances ever, scoring 43 points on 76.2% shooting from the field, 80% shooting from three, and 100% shooting from the free throw line in a win over the Washington Wizards on February 4. Only 15 players have ever scored 40 or more points while shooting at least 75% from the field, 80% from three, and being perfect from the charity stripe in NBA history.
There were several other scoring masterclasses as well, with 16 different players scoring 40 points or more in a game. However, no singular game was more impressive than the one Victor Wembanyama put together in a win against the Toronto Raptors on February 12.
The rookie sensation finished the game with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks in just 29 minutes, becoming the first player in NBA history to to achieve that stat in less than 30 minutes played.
Scoring Champ: Steph Curry
Steph Curry led all players with 388 points scored in February, 21 more than Doncic who finished the month with 367. Curry scored 40 points or more three times in the month, including a game in which he scored 60 points in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on February 8.
Best +/-: Jayson Tatum
The Celtics finished February with a .900 win percentage, the best in the league. The play of Jayson Tatum was a huge reason why. Tatum finished the month with a combined +/- of +135, the best in the league. This isn’t new territory for Tatum, who has been the best player on the best team all season. For the year, Tatum is second in the league with a total +/- of +529, trailing only his teammate Derrick White.
Best Rebounder, Best Rookie
Best Rebounder: Domantas Sabonis
Sabonis leads the league in total rebounds this year, and February was no different. The King’s big man pulled in 165 rebounds in February, 19 more than Anthony Davis who had the second most.
In Sabonis’ 12 games in February, he had 10 or more rebounds in every single game. His stellar play on the glass was a large piece of why he also lead the league with 12 double doubles in month.
Best Rookie: Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama lead all rookies in points per game, with 21.3, and rebounds per game, with 10.7, in February.
Even more impressive, he lead the entire league with 3.9 blocks per game. His 3.9 blocks per game were the most by any player in a month this season. For the month, he had 47 total blocks, which was more than the team totals for the Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings, Las Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Wembanyama also had his best month shooting from three of his young career. On 5.3 attempts from three per game, Wemby shot 41.3% on the month, way above his average for the year of 33.3%.
Comments
Steph’s 60-Point Game, Wemby’s Historic Stat Line: NBA February in Review