Kevin Durant named Western Conference Player of the Month

So much for that so-called slow start. Kevin Durant has been named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December, the NBA announced Monday.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade shared the honor in the East.

Durant averaged a league-high 29.4 points as the Thunder went 11-5, tops in the Northwest Division. Durant shot .517 from the field, .411 from beyond the arc and .850 from the free throw line. On Christmas Day, Durant netted a season-high 44 points to go along with seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals as the Thunder defeated Denver 114-106.

Durant has won the player of the month award in the West one other time, taking it home in April 2010 last season.

Other nominees for Western Conference Players of the Month were Dallas Dirk Nowitzki, Golden State’s Monta Ellis, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Utah’s Deron Williams.

Last December was when Durant started his scoring reign of terror where he scored 25 points or more in 29 straight games. In Dec. 2009, KD averaged 29.7 ppg on 49.3 percent shooting and 38.6 percent from 3. So it looks like Durant is almost exactly on the same pace he was last season. And if his team keeps up the winning pace and Durant plays the winter months of 2011 like he did in 2010, he may be getting a bigger award at the end of the year.