Jose Alvarado provided the New York Knicks with exactly what they needed during his team debut on Sunday in a 111-89 win over the Celtics in Boston.
Acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans just three days earlier, the Brooklyn native and Christ the King alumnus shot 5-of-12 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers, for 12 points with two steals, two assists, and a block in 25 minutes of play off the bench behind Jalen Brunson.
“He was great,” Brunson said. “The impact he had on the game right away was amazing. It’s what we needed and just happy to see him wearing the blue and orange.”
New York’s depth had fallen into question, and their ranks were on the verge of getting that much thinner with Miles McBride facing an extended absence after undergoing sports hernia surgery. Couple that with defensive concerns, and it made the pursuit of Alvarado a no-brainer.
The 27-year-old was a plus-13 when he was on the floor, and he did most of his damage in the fourth quarter. He played 9:11 of a possible 12 minutes, recording seven of his points, a helper, and a steal during that span. Only Brunson scored more (10) in the final frame.
That sort of mettle will be invaluable down the stretch and into the playoffs.
“He brings a level of toughness to this team,” head coach Mike Brown said. “His energy is unmatched. What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the frontcourt with the ball, especially on the pick-and-rolls, is at a pretty high level. He shoots better than people think, too. We want to play fast, and we believe he’s a guy who will come in and push the pace, get into our offense.”
