New York, NY (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Gordon and New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez were selected as the NBA's top rookies for the month of January.
Gordon captured the Western Conference award after leading all rookies in scoring for the month, averaging 21.9 points per game. He also posted 4.1 assists and played in 41.1 minutes per game. He additionally had a career-high 41 points in a January 23 win over Oklahoma City -- the most points ever scored by a Clippers rookie.
Lopez earned the Eastern Conference honor with averages of 14.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks. He led all East rookies in both rebounds and blocks. Lopez started all 16 games for the Nets in January, and had three double- doubles, while twice notching career highs -- scoring a career-best 31 points on January 12 against Oklahoma City and collecting 17 rebounds this past Saturday against Philadelphia.
Others considered for the awards included Chicago's Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers of Miami, Memphis' O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol, Minnesota's Kevin Love, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, Portland's Greg Oden and Sacramento's Jason Thompson.
