Recorded the first 20-point game of his career with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes at Indiana on Dec.30.

Against New Jersey on Jan. 27, scored 21 of his season-high 32 points in the fourth quarter, including 17 in the last 2:58 becoming the first rookie to score at least 21 points in the fourth quarter of a game since Marcus Williams of New Jersey (November 24, 2006) and first player to score 17 or more points in the final three minutes of a game since Vince Carter, who did it with the Nets (April 11, 2006).

At Boston on Jan 29, scored the game-winning layup with 2.6 seconds remaining. He finished with game highs in points (23) and assists (6).

Notched a game-high tying 23 points, including shooting 5-5 from the foul line, in 39 minutes against Sacramento on Feb. 19. Trailing by one with 2.9 seconds remaining, Irving knocked down two free throws to win the game.

Dished out eight assists, to go along with 25 points on 8-15 (.533) shooting in 39 minutes of work against the Pistons on Feb. 21. In the fourth quarter, he scored 17 points on 6-9 (.667) shooting, including 3-3 from three-point range.

Scored or assisted on the Cavs’ final 12 points in the last 2:36 of the game, including making the game-winning layup with 4.0 seconds remaining, in a 100-99 win at Denver on Mar 7.

Had a career-high 12 assists, to go along with nine points in 31 minutes against the Thunder on Mar. 9, including scoring the go-ahead basket in the fourth quarter to help the Cavs to a 96-90 road victory, snapping Oklahoma City’s 14-game home winning streak.

Scored 28 points on 11-16 (.688) shooting and added three rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes at Milwaukee on Mar. 14.

Recorded his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 assists in 37 minutes against Atlanta on Mar. 18.

Finished with 29 points, a career-high nine rebounds and nine assists in a career-high 42 minutes at Atlanta on Mar. 21, becoming the only rookie this season to reach totals of at least 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a game.

Went 6-6 from three-point range and finished with a game-high 29 points on 11-20 (.550) shooting, to go along with a team-high five assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes against Milwaukee on Mar. 30. By shooting a perfect 6-6 from three-point range, he became the first rookie in the NBA to make at least six three’s in a game without a miss since Stephen Curry for Golden State on Jan. 5, 2010. Irving also set the Cavalier rookie record for the most three-pointers made in a game and most three-pointers made in a game without a miss.

Scored a game-high 25 points on 10-16 (.625) shooting in only 29 minutes at Memphis on April 23. He also added four assists and three steals.

Irving received a total of 592 points, including 117 first-place votes out of a possible 120, from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

The 6-foot-3 point guard averaged 18.5 points on .469 shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He also shot .399 from three-point range and .872 from the free throw line. Among all rookies, he ranked first in points per game (by a margin of 5.7 points) and free throw percentage, second in three-point percentage, assists per game and player efficiency rating (21.5) and fifth in field goal percentage. Irving swept the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award each month this season (Dec./Jan., Feb. and March) with the exception of April, in which he only played in six of a possible 16 games due to injury. He was also named MVP of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend after posting game highs of 34 points and nine assists and shooting a perfect 8-8 from three-point range.

In receiving the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award this season, he becomes just the second player in franchise history to receive the award (LeBron James) and the third No. 1 overall pick in the past four seasons to win the award, joining Chicago’s Derrick Rose (2008-09) and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (2010-11). He also joins Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson and James as the only No. 1 overall draft picks to average at least 18.0 points and 5.0 assists and is one of just six rookies in league history to post averages of at least 18.0 points, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steal and .450 shooting along with Alvan Adams, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Grant Hill and Tyreke Evans. He and Larry Bird are the only rookies in NBA history to average over 18.0 points and shoot at least .399 from three-point range.

In the fourth quarter this season, the 20-year-old led all rookies in scoring (6.4) while ranking fifth overall (behind only NBA All-Stars Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose and Kevin Love). He also led all rookies in scoring in the final three minutes of games (3.2) and trailed only Chris Paul for the league lead. On three occasions, Irving scored the game-winning basket or made the go-ahead free throws to lead the Cavaliers to victory: at Boston on Jan. 29, against Sacramento on Feb. 19 and at Denver on March 7. His game-winning layup at Boston made him the third-youngest player (19 years, 312 days) to make a game-winning shot (field goal or free throw) since 2002-03, behind only Kevin Durant (19 years, 48 days) and Shaun Livingston (19 years, 206 days).

James capped off the season averaging 27.1 points, a career-high tying 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.85 steals and 37.5 minutes while shooting career highs in both field goal percentage (.531) and three-point range (.362). He led the HEAT in points (1,683), rebounds (492), assists (387), steals (115), field goals made (621), free throws made (387) and minutes (2,326). He posted 23 double-doubles on the season while leading the team in points 43 times, assists on 42 occasions and rebounds 23 times. He led Miami in scoring in 12 consecutive games from April 1 thru April 19, tying for the fourth-longest streak in HEAT franchise history.

James earned Player of the Month honors twice this season, first in January and then in February, and was named Player of the Week six times, having now won the award 37 times during his career, the most by any player in NBA history. He finished the season having scored in double-figures in a career-best 419 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league and as of now the seventh-longest streak in NBA history. After eclipsing the 19,000-point career mark this season, he became just the 14th player in NBA history to score at least 19,000 points, grab at least 4,500 rebounds and dish out at least 4,500 assists.

In his first game of the season, James scored 37 points at Dallas on December 25, marking the highest point total ever by a HEAT player on opening day. He shot a single-game career-best 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the field at New Jersey on March 6. His 24 first quarter points at Milwaukee on February 1 set a new HEAT franchise record for points in a first quarter and his final 17 points in Miami’s win at New Jersey on April 16 tied the HEAT franchise record for the most consecutive points to end a game in a HEAT victory. He posted back-to-back 30-10-5 games without committing a single turnover after tallying 38 points, 11 rebounds and six assists without a turnover on March 1 at Portland and then the next night on March 2 at Utah, James totaled 35 points, 10 rebounds and six assists without a turnover, becoming the only player in the last 35 years (since the NBA started to keep turnovers as a stat during the 1977-78 season), to post back-to-back 30-10-5 games without turning the ball over. Additionally, his game at Portland on March 1 marked the only HEAT player in franchise history to post at least 38 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block during a single game. He recorded at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in 25-straight games from April 8, 2011 thru February 3, 2012, becoming only the second player in NBA history to post those minimums in that many games, joining Oscar Robertson as the only players to achieve that feat. James shot at least 55 percent from the field in eight consecutive games from December 25, 2011 thru January 7, 2012, tying the fourth-longest streak (with at least 10 field goal attempts) in HEAT history and becoming the only non-center to do so that many consecutive times in franchise history. Among league leaders this season, he finished second in total points, third in scoring average, third in steals, sixth in minutes, 12th in field goal percentage, 13th in assists and tied for 25th in rebounds.

Davis will apparently undergo surgery later this week and will be out of action for approximately 12 months.

Carmelo led the Knicks with 41 points. Amar’e Stoudemire returned from his hand injury after punching a fire extinguisher and scored 20 points and 10 rebounds. Baron Davis was stretchered off court after slipping with 5:15 left in the third quater after injuring his right knee. The Knicks have announced that Davis has dislocated right patella. Tests will be done Monday.

LeBron James scored 27 points for Miami and Dwyane Wade had 22 points with Chris Bosh adding 17. The Heat lead the series 3-1 and Game 5 will be played back in Miami on Wednesday night.

Chandler received 311 points, including 45 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka finished second with 294 points and Orlando’s Dwight Howard, who had won the award each of the previous three seasons, finished third with 186 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

With Chandler anchoring the middle, New York’s defense improved markedly from the previous season in multiple categories. The Knicks ranked among the top half of the league in several key defensive categories, including opponent turnovers per game (17.0, 2nd), opponent field goal percentage (.442, 10th), and opponent scoring (94.7 ppg, 11th). Opposing teams averaged 22.5 more points and shot .520 from the field when Chandler was not in the lineup. Opponents shot .438 with Chandler in the lineup. In addition, Chandler grabbed 22.1 percent of his team’s defensive rebounds when he was on the floor.

Let us know what you think of the new Nets logo.

Richardson’s fifth 3-pointer gave him 17 points and delivered the decisive lead to the Magic, who finished the game on an 11-0 run.

Magic fans are saying ‘Dwight who?’  In a total team win, Glen Davis threw in a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jammer Nelson tossed 17 points and nine assists into the pot.

The contest could end up being the best of opening day. The Bulls and the Heat both won in blowouts that pushed their opponents collective noses in the dirt.

The Pacers are still favorites  to win the series. But, a loss like this on their home court only serves to spark the Magic going forward.

David West scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Pacers, who didn’t score in the final 4 minutes and missed nine straight shots down the stretch.

Danny Granger added 17 points and eight boards, but was whistled for traveling in the game’s waning seconds.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Players View.

If every team has an off night, the Knicks picked a heck of a time to go limp.

Carmelo Anthony was ice cold throughout the affair and Amare Stoudemire came out playing physical but got into foul trouble early. Tyson Chandler was far from the defensive titan than he normally is.

The victory was so overwhelming that the Heat often found themselves close to 40 point lead.

LeBron James had an eventful day with  32 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Players View.

That withstanding, it was almost the imposing fashion in which the 76ers were handled by the Bulls. So much so that after having a 20 pt lead the Bulls were not satisfied with walking away with the win, they demanded to leave with a dominant victory.This is why Rose was even on the court when the Bulls were cruising to a win.

After the game Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau defended the decision to sit his star to once the game was sealed.

“I don’t work backward like you guys do,” Thibodeau said. “The score was going the other way.”

The series and/or an Eastern Conference title could go the other way if the upcoming MRI on Rose’s knee is as bad as expected.

On the 76ers side, Elton Brand finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. His performance was the lone bright spot for his team.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Players View.