The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t walk away with any hardware this time around, but two of their young standouts-Deni Avdija and rookie Caleb Love-earned well-deserved recognition from the league for their January performances. The NBA announced both players as nominees for Western Conference monthly awards, a nod to their growing impact on a rebuilding Blazers squad that’s showing flashes of competitive fire.
Let’s start with Avdija, who’s quietly putting together a breakout campaign in Portland. Despite missing five games in January, the versatile forward still earned a nomination for Western Conference Player of the Month.
And the numbers back it up: 26 points, 7.1 rebounds, and six assists per game. That’s not just solid production-that’s centerpiece-level output.
Even more impressive, the Blazers went 7-3 in the games he played. Avdija is doing a little bit of everything, and doing it efficiently, showing the kind of all-around game that Portland fans have been hoping to see.
Then there’s Caleb Love, the rookie guard who’s making the most of his minutes. Love played in all 15 games during January and averaged 14.5 points and 3.5 assists per contest.
He’s been particularly aggressive from deep, knocking down nearly three triples per game on 34.5% shooting from beyond the arc. That kind of volume and confidence from a first-year player?
It speaks volumes about his mindset-and the coaching staff’s trust in him to let it fly.
Ultimately, neither player took home the award. Luka Dončić claimed Western Conference Player of the Month honors after another monster stretch-34 points, 9.1 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game-while guiding the Lakers to a 9-7 record. That’s MVP-caliber stuff, and it’s hard to argue against it.
On the rookie side, the West’s top honor went to Cooper Flagg of the Mavericks. The league’s youngest player continues to look like the real deal, putting up 20.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in January. He’s not just adjusting to the NBA-he’s thriving in it.
Avdija and Love weren’t alone on the nominee list. The Western Conference Player of the Month pool also included big names like Kevin Durant (Rockets), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), and even Flagg himself-who’s already crossing over into the All-Star conversation.
As for the other rookie nominees out West, the list featured Ace Bailey (Jazz), Derik Queen (Pelicans), and Cedric Coward (Grizzlies)-all part of a deep and talented rookie class that’s already making its mark.
Over in the East, Jaylen Brown of the Celtics took home Player of the Month honors, beating out a stacked group that included Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell (Heat), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Joel Embiid (76ers), Brandon Miller (Hornets), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), and Pascal Siakam (Pacers).
Kon Knueppel of the Hornets earned Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, with Egor Dëmin (Nets), VJ Edgecombe (76ers), Tre Johnson (Wizards), and Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors) also getting nods.
While the accolades went elsewhere this time, the recognition for Avdija and Love is a sign that Portland’s youth movement is gaining traction. For a team focused on development and long-term growth, these nominations are more than just a pat on the back-they’re proof that the foundation is starting to take shape.