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Cavaliers’ LeBron James, Rockets’ James Harden 

named Kia NBA Players of the Month

NEW YORK – The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden 

today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month, 

respectively, for games played in April.

James, who captured his third consecutive monthly honor, led the Eastern Conference in scoring (28.8 ppg) 

while shooting 65.6 percent from the field (second in the East), including a conference-best 56.3 percent 

(9-for-16) from three-point range.  He added 8.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists (third in the East) in a 

conference-high 36.9 minutes.  James scored at least 30 points in three of his five games, 

including a 34-point performance against the Hawks on April 11, when the Cavs clinched the 

top seed in the East playoffs with a 109-94 victory.  He also grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds in 

a 110-108 overtime win over the Hawks on April 1.

Harden led the NBA in scoring (34.8 ppg) as the Rockets closed the season 4-2 to secure the final 

playoff spot in the West.  He shot 49.3 percent from the field and ranked fifth in the West in 

three-point shooting at 51.7 percent (30-for-58).  Harden also ranked fifth in the conference in 

assists (7.2 apg) and second in minutes (38.9 mpg).  He scored at least 30 points in five of six games 

and hit the 40-point mark twice.  On April 13, he scored 38 points as the Rockets clinched a playoff berth

 by defeating the Sacramento Kings 116-81.

Here is a closer look at April for James and Harden:

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers 

April 1 @ Atlanta: Finished with 29 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists in a 110-108 overtime win

 over the Hawks.

April 3 vs. Charlotte: Scored 31 points and added 12 assists and eight rebounds in a 112-103 win 

over the Hornets.

April 11 vs. Atlanta: Tallied 34 points on 13-for-16 shooting to go with six rebounds and six assists in 

a 109-94 win over the Hawks.

James Harden, Houston Rockets

April 3 vs. Oklahoma City: Finished with 41 points, nine assists and four rebounds in a 118-110 

win over the Thunder.

April 10 vs. L.A. Lakers: Scored 40 points and added 13 assists, four rebounds and four steals in 

a 130-110 win over the Lakers.

April 11 @ Minnesota: Recorded 34 points and six assists in a 129-105 victory over the Timberwolves.

Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month 

Boston’s Isaiah Thomas, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Indiana’s Paul George, 

the Los Angeles Clippers’ Jamal Crawford, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, Phoenix’s Mirza Teletovic,

 Portland’s Damian Lillard, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan and Washington’s John Wall.

Pacers’ Frank Vogel, Clippers’ Doc Rivers 

named NBA Coaches of the Month

NEW YORK – The Indiana Pacers’ Frank Vogel and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers 

today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, 

for games played in April.

Vogel led the Pacers to the best record in the Eastern Conference at 6-1.  The Pacers won their final 

three games and held off the Detroit Pistons for the seventh seed in the East playoffs. 

 Indiana averaged 108 points per game and shot a conference-best 49.3 percent from the field in April.  

Four of the Pacers’ six wins came by double digits, and their +8.6 scoring differential led the conference.

Rivers guided the Clippers, the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, to a 6-1 record, 

tops in the West.  The Clippers surrendered 100 or more points just twice in seven games and held 

opponents to an average of 94.1 points on a league-low 40.6 percent shooting from the field.  

L.A. posted back-to-back home wins over two West playoff teams, the Dallas Mavericks and 

Memphis Grizzlies, on April 10 and 12, rounding out a 4-0 month at Staples Center.

Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Boston’s Brad Stevens, Charlotte’s Steve Clifford, 

Dallas’ Rick Carlisle, Golden State’s Steve Kerr, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Portland’s Terry Stotts and 

Toronto’s Dwane Casey.

Raptors’ Norman Powell, 

Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns 

named Kia NBA Rookies of the Month

NEW YORK – The Toronto Raptors’ Norman Powell and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 

Karl-Anthony Towns today were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference 

Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in April.

Powell helped the Raptors to a 6-2 record behind averages of 15.3 points (tops in the Eastern Conference), 

4.4 rebounds (seventh), 2.5 assists (tied-fifth) and 1.4 steals (third).  He scored in double figures in 

six of eight games and shot 54.8 percent from the field.  In Toronto’s regular-season finale, 

Powell scored a career-high 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting (including 5-of-6 from three-point range) 

and added nine rebounds and five assists during the Raptors’ 103-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Towns becomes the first player to sweep a season of Kia NBA Rookie of the Month awards since the 

Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard in 2012-13.  In April, Towns helped the Timberwolves to a 4-3 mark 

as he led all rookies in scoring (18.9 ppg), rebounding ( 11.7 rpg), blocks (1.7 bpg) and minutes (35.6 mpg).  

Towns capped his first NBA season with his 51st double-double (third most in the NBA) when he 

tallied 28 points and 14 rebounds during Minnesota’s 144-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on April 13.

Here is a closer look at March for Powell and Towns:

Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors

April 1 @ Memphis: Scored 14 points and added five assists and four rebounds during a 99-95 

win over the Grizzlies.

April 8 vs. Indiana: Posted 27 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 111-98 win over the Pacers.
April 13 @ Brooklyn: Recorded a career-high 30 points and added nine rebounds and five assists in a 

103-96 win over the Nets.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

April 5 @ Golden State: Scored 20 points and added 12 rebounds and four assists in a 124-117 

overtime win against the Warriors.

April 9 @ Portland: Posted 27 points, nine rebounds and two blocks during a 106-105 win over the 

Trail Blazers.

April 13 vs. New Orleans: Scored 28 points and added 14 rebounds and three assists during a 144-109 

win against the Pelicans.

Other nominees for the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Denver’s 

Emmanuel Mudiay, New York’s Jerian Grant, Phoenix’s Devin Booker and Utah’s Trey Lyles.

Sioux Falls’ Jarnell Stokes names 2015-16 

NBA D-League MVP

NEW YORK – Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Jarnell Stokes has been named the 2015-16 

NBA Development League Most Valuable Player in a vote by the league’s 19 head coaches.

Stokes (6-7, 250, Tennessee) played in 28 games (all starts) for the Skyforce this season, 

averaging team highs of 20.6 points and 9.3 rebounds.  He began the season with the Miami Heat, 

playing 16 games on assignment in Sioux Falls, before being traded to New Orleans on Feb. 18 and 

waived by the Pelicans one day later.  He joined the Skyforce’s roster permanently on Feb. 27.

A 2016 NBA D-League All-Star, Stokes shot an NBA D-League-best 66 percent from the field, 

scored in double figures 27 times and recorded 13 double-doubles.  He led the team in scoring 14 times a

nd rebounding 13 times.  He was named the NBA D-League Player of the Week on Jan. 4 and 

earned Player of the Month honors for March and April.

Stokes’ Skyforce won an NBA D-League-record 40 games this season, securing the first seed in the 

Eastern Conference playoffs.  Sioux Falls swept the Westchester Knicks in the 

Eastern Conference Semifinals and currently leads Canton 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Selected in the second round (35th overall) of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, Stokes was 

immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, with whom he played 19 games as a rookie during the 2014-15 season.  Stokes was traded to Miami in November 2015 and appeared in five games for the Heat this season.  I

n 26 career NBA games with Miami and Memphis, he has averaged 2.5 points, 

1.5 rebounds and 5.5 minutes.

Stokes will be presented with the NBA D-League MVP Trophy prior to the team’s 

Eastern Conference Finals game against the Charge on Sunday, April 17 in Sioux Falls. 

 Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

All-Time NBA D-League Most Valuable Player award winners:

2014:15: Tim Frazier (Maine Red Claws)

2013-14: Ron Howard (Fort Wayne Mad Ants) & Othyus Jeffers (Iowa Energy)

2012-13: Andrew Goudelock (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)

2011-12: Justin Dentmon (Austin Toros)

2010-11: Curtis Stinson (Iowa Energy)

2009-10: Mike Harris (Rio Grande Valley)

2008-09: Courtney Sims (Iowa Energy)

2007-08: Kasib Powell (Sioux Falls Skyforce)

2006-07: Randy Livingston (Idaho Stampede)

2005-06: Marcus Fizer (Austin Toros)

2004-05: Matt Carroll (Roanoke Dazzle)

2003-04: Tierre Brown (Charleston Lowgators)

2002-03: Devin Brown (Fayetteville Patriots)

2001-02: Ansu Sesay (Greenville Groove)

NBA Board of Governors approves sale 

of jersey sponsorships

NEW YORK – The NBA Board of Governors approved the sale of jersey sponsorships, 

beginning with the 2017-18 season, as part of a three-year pilot program.  

The sponsorship patch will appear on the front left of the game jerseys opposite the Nike logo.  

Patches will measure approximately 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches and be adjusted to fit the dimensions of 

each sponsor’s logo.

The NBA’s 30 teams will be responsible for selling their own jersey sponsorships.

“Jersey sponsorships provide deeper engagement with partners looking to build a unique association 

with our teams and the additional investment will help grow the game in exciting new ways,” 

said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  “We’re always thinking about innovative ways the NBA can 

remain competitive in a global marketplace, and we are excited to see the results of this three-year trial.”

The sponsor patch will not appear on the retail versions of the player jerseys but teams will have the 

option to sell the jerseys with sponsor patches in their own retail outlets.

NBA breaks all-time attendance record for 

second consecutive season

NEW YORK – The NBA broke its all-time regular-season attendance record for the second 

consecutive season with 21,972,129 fans attending games during the 2015-16 regular season, 

eclipsing last year’s record of 21,926,548.  The league also set records for viewership, 

social media, digital engagement and retail.

Additionally, the NBA this season established regular-season attendance records 

for average attendance (17,864), sellouts (723) and average arena capacity (94 percent), 

surpassing the previous highs set last year.  This year marks the 12th straight season that the l

eague has been at 90 percent or more capacity.               

Highlights from the regular season include:

• NBA TV: NBA TV presented its two most-viewed games in history this season
•  (Warriors vs. Spurs on April 10: 2,561,000 viewers; 
• Warriors vs. Spurs on Jan. 25: 1,442,000 viewers), propelling the network to
•  its most-viewed live game coverage ever, averaging 345,000 viewers – up 
• 19 percent over last season.

• SOCIAL MEDIA: The NBA set records across social media (Facebook, Instagram, 
• Snapchat, Twitter, Vine, YouTube) this season for impressions (30.1 billion, +25%) 
• and video views (4.2 billion, +86%).  In February, the NBA became the first professional 
• sports league to surpass one billion social media likes 
• and followers globally across all league, team and player platforms.

• NBA LEAGUE PASS: The league’s package of live out-of-market games generated a 
• record 26.7 million game views and more than 1.2 billion minutes viewed to date.  
• Setting a new high mark for digital subscriptions sold in a season, 
• NBA LEAGUE PASS finished up 10 percent year over year.

• COM AND NBA APP: Spurred by record-breaking NBA App consumption, NBA Digital – 
• which includes NBA.com and the NBA App – set all-time highs with 9.1 billion video 
• views and 3.3 billion visits, up 160 percent and 27 percent respectively.  
• Mobile now accounts for 43 percent of all video views, 
• a sharp increase from last season when mobile accounted for 10 percent of all video views.

• MERCHANDISE: Sales of Stephen Curry merchandise rose more than 250 percent 
• over the past year, setting the NBAStore.com record for the best-selling player in a 
• single season.  
• Overall, NBAStore.com merchandise sales were up 16 percent versus last year.

The 2016 NBA Playoffs tip off Saturday, April 18, with 16 teams competing for a trip to T

he Finals and the chance to win The Larry O’Brien Trophy.

NBA statement regarding 2017

 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte

NEW YORK – The following statement has been issued by Mike Bass, Executive Vice President, 

Communications:

“During a media availability earlier today following the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting, 

Commissioner Adam Silver clarified that the NBA remains deeply concerned about its ability to

 successfully host the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina, in light of recent legislation

 that discriminates against the LGBT community.  At no time did Adam affirm that the league would 

not move the All-Star Game; rather he stressed repeatedly that the legislation is problematic, 

that we feel it is best to engage with the community to work towards a solution, that change is 

needed and we are hopeful that it will occur.”

NBA Replay Center reduces review time to 31.9 seconds

NEW YORK – NBA referees spent significantly less time reviewing calls this season as the 

NBA Replay Center stepped up its efforts to improve efficiency and maintain the flow of the game.  

The average review time was reduced by nearly 25 percent, dropping from 42.1 seconds 

during the 2014-15 season to 31.9 seconds.

Overall, the average review time has been trimmed by more than one minute since the state-of-the-art 

NBA Replay Center was unveiled last season to enhance the performance of NBA referees. 

 A review officially starts when the headset is put on by an oncourt referee and ends upon removal.

This season, in addition to the three referees working each game, current NBA referees were staffed 

in the NBA Replay Center for all games to make decisions on certain replay situations and facilitate 

the on-the-court review of others.  With the NBA Replay Center ruling on more than half of all replays, 

oncourt referees were able to resume play faster.

Final statistics for the NBA Replay Center during the 2015-16 regular season included:

• The NBA Replay Center conducted 2,296 reviews, averaging 31.9 seconds.

• The 1,228 games monitored averaged 1.87 reviews.

• The top two triggers reviewed were the two-point/three-point made field goal (764 instances) 
• and end-of-period made field goal (527 instances).

The NBA Replay Center provides NBA referees with multiple camera angles on one screen 

at the same time, ensuring they have the best angles to make a ruling when a play is reviewable.  

Located in Secaucus, N.J., the facility is outfitted with 19 replay stations and more than 

100 television monitors and is directly connected to all 29 NBA arenas, streamlining the process 

of instant replay video review.

NBA Replay Center 2015-16 Regular Season Breakdown Trigger and Average Chart

Trigger	Frequency	Overall Representation	Avg. Review Time (seconds)
End of Period Made FG	527	23%	13.0
Last Second Foul	44	2%	36.5
Foul-Flagrant Criteria	230	10%	65.2
Player Altercation	65	3%	88.6
Clock Malfunction	14	1%	40.5
2pt/3pt	764	33%	18.8
Out of Bounds	209	9%	52.2
Shot Clock Violation	132	6%	24.4
Foul-Clear Path Criteria	172	7%	50.7
Correct FT Shooter	21	1%	24.0
Shot Clock Reset	12	1%	53.8
Restricted Area	8	0%	79.8
Goaltending/Basket Interference	31	1%	48.0
Off-Ball Foul Timing	66	3%	43.1
Number of Players on the Court	1	0%	88.0
Total	2296

Ties broken for NBA Draft 2016 order of selection

NEW YORK – Ties among teams that finished the 2015-16 NBA regular season with identical 

records were broken today through random drawings to help determine the order of selection for 

NBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm, which will be held on Thursday, June 23.

The drawings were conducted earlier today in New York City by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President,

 Basketball Operations.  The tiebreak process was overseen by Denise Pelli, a representative from 

the accounting firm of Ernst & Young.

The results of the drawings:

• Sacramento (33-49) won a tiebreaker with Denver and Milwaukee; 
• Denver then won a tiebreaker with Milwaukee.
• Dallas (42-40) won a tiebreaker with Memphis.
• Detroit (44-38) won a tiebreaker with Portland.
• Atlanta (48-34) won a tiebreaker with Boston, Charlotte and Miami; 
• Charlotte then won a tiebreaker with Boston and Miami; 
• Boston then won a tiebreaker with Miami.

• 2016 FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE ORDER

  Attached is the order of selection for the 2016 NBA Draft presented by State Farm, 

  as well as the number of chances for teams in the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery, 

  to be held on Tuesday, May 17.

  The teams entered in the lottery are as follows (note: the first three picks in the Draft 
  will be determined by the lottery and the remainder of the “lottery teams” will select in 
  positions 4 through 14 in inverse order of their consolidated standings at the end of the regular season):

  Philadelphia[1]	10-72	0.122	250
  LA Lakers[2]	17-65	0.207	199
  Brooklyn (To Boston)	21-61	0.256	156
  Phoenix	23-59	0.280	119
  Minnesota	29-53	0.354	88
  New Orleans	30-52	0.366	63
  New York (To Denver or Toronto)	32-50	0.390	43
  Sacramento[3]	33-49	0.402	19
  Denver[4]	33-49	0.402	19
  Milwaukee	33-49	0.402	18
  Orlando	35-47	0.427	8
  Utah	40-42	0.488	7
  Washington[5]	41-41	0.500	6
  Chicago	42-40	0.512	5

  
  
  The order for the remainder of the first round picks is as follows:
  
  

  15.	Houston (To Denver)	41-41	0.500
  16.	Dallas (To Boston)	42-40	0.512
  17.	Memphis	42-40	0.512
  18.	Detroit	44-38	0.537
  19.	Portland (To Denver)	44-38	0.537
  20.	Indiana	45-37	0.549
  21.	Atlanta	48-34	0.585
  22.	Charlotte	48-34	0.585
  23.	Boston	48-34	0.585
  24.	Miami (To Philadelphia via Cleveland)	48-34	0.585
  25.	LA Clippers	53-29	0.646
  26.	Oklahoma City (To Philadelphia via Denver and Cleveland)	55-27	0.671
  27.	Toronto	56-26	0.683
  28.	Cleveland (To Phoenix via Boston)	57-25	0.695
  29.	San Antonio	67-15	0.817
  30.	Golden State	73-9	0.890

  2016 SECOND ROUND DRAFT CHOICE ORDER

  31.	Philadelphia (To Boston via Miami)
  32.	LA Lakers
  33.	Brooklyn  (To LA Clippers)
  34.	Phoenix
  35.	Minnesota (To Boston via Phoenix)
  36.	New Orleans (To Milwaukee via Sacramento)
  37.	New York (To Houston via Sacramento and Portland)
  38/39/40.	Milwaukee
  38/39/40.	Denver (To New Orleans via Philadelphia)
  38/39/40.	Sacramento (To New Orleans)
  41.	Orlando
  42.	Utah
  43.	Houston
  44.	Washington (To Atlanta)
  45.	Memphis  (To Boston)
  46.	Dallas
  47.	Chicago (To Orlando)
  48.	Portland (To Chicago via Cleveland)
  49.	Detroit
  50.	Indiana
  51.	Miami (To Boston)
  52.	Boston (To Utah via Memphis)
  53.	Charlotte (To Denver via Oklahoma City)
  54.	Atlanta
  55.	LA Clippers (To Brooklyn)
  56.	Oklahoma City (To Denver)
  57.	Toronto (To Memphis)
  58.	Cleveland (To Boston)
  59.	San Antonio (To Sacramento)
  60.	Golden State (To Utah)

  
  
  *Please note that teams that finished the regular season with identical records will select in the second round in inverse order of the order in which they select in the first round.  With respect to the tie between the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings (33 and 49; 0.402 pct.):  since the order of selection in the first round for this set of teams may change based on the results of the Draft Lottery, the order of selection in the second round cannot be determined until after the Draft Lottery is conducted (on May 17, 2016).

[1] This pick may be conveyed to Sacramento.

[2] This pick may be conveyed to Philadelphia via Phoenix.

[3] This pick may be conveyed to (i) Chicago via Cleveland, or (ii) Philadelphia.

[4] This pick may be conveyed to Toronto via New York.

[5] This pick may be conveyed to Phoenix.