Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena. Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and Sixers head coach Doc Rivers have been honored as the NBA’s coaches of the month for January in their respective conferences, the league has announced (Twitter link).

The NBA’s PR department tweets that Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and Timberwolves coach Chris Finch were the other two finalists for the award in the Western Conference, while Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla, and longtime Heat coach Erik Spoelstra were runners-up in the East.

Malone, who will serve as the coach for Team LeBron at this year’s All-Star Game in Utah, coached Denver to a 12-4 record in January en route to its current cumulative 35-16 status,  good for the No. 1 seed in the West as of this writing.

Rivers led Philadelphia to an 11-3 run last month, which helped the Sixers reach the third seed in the East with a 33-17 record on the year to date. Rivers, the 2000 Coach of the Year, is in his third season with Philadelphia.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Orioles manager explains Craig Kimbrel's new role
Rays activate key bullpen arm from injured list
Former NBA big man sentenced to 40 months in prison
Nuggets coach got heated with Timberwolves fans
Nuggets make incredible NBA history with Game 3 win
Broncos release former Super Bowl champion WR
Steelers first-round pick has already 'apologized' to new locker mate
Giants place Gold Glove shortstop on IL
Suns to hire ex-NBA champion as new head coach
MVP Jokic, Nuggets blow out Timberwolves on road in Game 3
Panthers dominate Bruins again to take 2-1 series lead
ESPN has big plans for Caitlin Clark's WNBA debut
Angels superstar explains why he chose not to play through knee injury
Bears make big, but not surprising Caleb Williams announcement
Cardinals to sign WR who commanded extensive interest
Jayson Tatum refutes narrative that Celtics are a 'superteam'
Watch: Kyle Busch crashes in Truck Series race at Darlington
Oilers work overtime to tie Canucks at 1-1
Peyton Manning reveals Bill Belichick's role on 'ManningCast' for this season
NBA Hall of Famer questions Knicks longevity in face of high playoff workloads

Want more NBA news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.