Blazers G Damian Lillard Named Western Conference Rookie Of The Month For November

The NBA announced Wednesday that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November 2012.

Lillard, 22, led all rookies in scoring (18.4 ppg), assists (5.9 apg) and steals (1.38 spg) in 16 games played in October and November. His scoring average tied for 16th in the NBA, and his 39 3-pointers ranked sixth among league leaders.

He joins Arvydas Sabonis (April 1996) and Brandon Roy (January, February and March 2007) as Trail Blazers who have garnered the honor.

Lillard became the first NBA player to record at least 295 points and 94 assists in his first 16 NBA games since Allen Iverson in 1996.

With 20 points and nine assists at Houston on Nov. 3, Lillard joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with at least 20 points and seven assists in each of their first three career games.

The Trail Blazers selected Lillard with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Weber State product is posting averages of 19.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.33 steals in 18 games (all starts).

Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist earned Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors.

Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports Lillard's reaction on Twitter.

"I'm happy that I can get it but I think all that it says is that I played good for one month."

"My mind has been focused on being consistent for the whole season, so ... I'll be happy about it and then it'll be gone."

The Blazers put together the following video to honor Lillard's accomplishment.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter