Jefferson Averages 24.7 Points and 10.6 Rebounds, Leading Bobcats to 9-7 Record in March
The NBA announced today that Bobcats center Al Jefferson has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in March. Jefferson, who led the Bobcats to a 9-7 record, earns his first Player of the Month award and becomes the first Bobcats player to receive the honor.
Jefferson saw action in all 16 games in the month, averaging 24.7 points on .555 shooting (178-321), 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 37.2 minutes played. He ranked third in the Eastern Conference in scoring, fourth in rebounding and sixth in minutes played. He tallied a conference-best six games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, helping him break the franchise single-season record, while his nine double-doubles were tied for third in the conference. Jefferson scored in double figures in all 16 games, including 12 games with 20 points or more and three 30-point contests.
Jefferson began the month by posting four straight games scoring 25 points or more while shooting over .600 from the floor, becoming the first player in Charlotte NBA history – the Bobcats or Hornets – to produce at least three consecutive games of that nature, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He tallied 38 points on 18-24 shooting and 19 rebounds on March 3 at Miami, followed by 34 points on 16-25 shooting two days later in a 109-87 win over Indiana, to become only the second player in the NBA this season to make at least 15 field goals and shoot .640 or better from the field in two consecutive games. He was the team’s outright leading scorer in nine consecutive games from Feb. 28-March 14, recording the longest streak in team history
Jefferson posted a pair of games with at least 35 points and 15 rebounds in March, accounting for two of the three such games league-wide. Along with his 38 points and 19 rebounds on March 3 at Miami, he also recorded 35 points and 15 rebounds on March 26 against Brooklyn.
Jefferson was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played March 10-16 after scoring 20 points or more in each of his four games and leading the Bobcats to the only 4-0 record in the Eastern Conference for the week. The only player in the NBA to post three games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in the week, Jefferson averaged 24.3 points on .547 shooting (47-86), 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 37.5 minutes.
The Bobcats’ 9-7 record in March followed a 6-4 mark in February to give the team consecutive winning months for just the second time in franchise history. During the month, the team broke the franchise single-season record for road victories with its 14th road win and surpassed its total of 28 wins from the previous two seasons combined, becoming the 13th team in NBA history to do so.
