Doc Rivers/AP photo by Mark J. Terrill

Doc Rivers this week was named Western Conference Coach of the Month by the NBA. Not only did the Clippers go 11-3 in January, they of course did it without the services of leading scorer Blake Griffin.

Rivers is not one to jump for joy over such an accolade, and he gave credit to everyone but himself.

“It doesn’t mean much,” Rivers said. “It means that our team is playing well. I was surprised I got it. I mean, I figured someone else had a better record or did something better. But it’s nice, obviously, whenever you get an award. It usually means that your players are really, really playing well, you’re staff’s doing well.”

Rivers said he found out about the award, which was announced Monday, when his phone started making noise that morning.

“It’s funny, I get all these texts and I’m like, ‘Who in the heck’s texting me?’ ” he said. “And then I actually had to read them. And that even made it worse. But it’s nice when you ever get anything.”