The New York Knicks trailed the Houston Rockets by 18 points entering the fourth quarter Friday night.
Then Jose Alvarado took over.
The Brooklyn native sparked a 33-15 fourth-quarter run that erased the deficit and gave the Knicks a 108-106 win at Madison Square Garden. Alvarado finished with eight points, five steals, and a plus-18 rating in 20 minutes off the bench. More importantly, he gave the Knicks the defensive intensity and energy they had been missing for three quarters.
The MSG crowd rewarded him with “Jose, Jose, Jose” chants that echoed through the arena.
What Alvarado Did in the Fourth Quarter
GettyJose Alvarado #5 of the New York Knicks.
Alvarado entered the game with the Knicks down 16 points to start the fourth.
Head coach Mike Brown made the substitution on the suggestion of assistant coach Rick Brunson. The move changed the game. Alvarado immediately impacted both ends of the floor. He hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit. He stripped Kevin Durant and finished a layup to bring the Knicks within two.
But the stats do not capture what Alvarado brought to the floor. His defensive pressure disrupted Houston’s rhythm. His energy lifted the entire team. The Rockets had been comfortable all night. Alvarado made them uncomfortable.
“[Assistant coach] Rick Brunson was the one that suggested throwing Jose in the game at the time, which was the right call,” Brown said, according to the New York Post’s Peter Botte. “We threw Jose in, and he gave us a spark on both ends of the floor.”
Alvarado’s impact went beyond individual plays. When he checked in, the Knicks started playing faster. They moved the ball better. They competed harder on defense. The supporting cast followed his lead. Landry Shamet hit a three. Karl-Anthony Towns attacked the basket. Mikal Bridges threw down a putback slam.
The Knicks outscored the Rockets 33-15 in the fourth quarter. Houston shot just 27.8 percent from the field in the final period. That collapse started when Alvarado entered the game and applied ball pressure the Rockets had not seen all night.
(via @nyknicks)
Why This Game Mattered for Alvarado
Alvarado came to the Knicks at the trade deadline from the New Orleans Pelicans.
His first four games with New York showed a strange pattern. He played well on the road and struggled at home. Alvarado scored 26 points in 19 minutes in a win at Philadelphia. He added 12 points in his debut at Boston. But in two home games at MSG, he managed just 10 total points on 4-of-13 shooting, including 0-for-8 from three-point range.
Friday’s game broke that trend. Alvarado gave the Garden crowd what they had been waiting to see. The grit. The hustle. Relentless defensive pressure. The effort plays that make crowds appreciate role players.
“It’s always gonna [feel] amazing. It’s kind of like a pride thing I got,” Alvarado said after the game. “Like when I play for my national team [Puerto Rico] or my country, I’m playing for my hometown, and I’m always gonna have to represent on another level, and just compete.”
The “Grand Theft Alvarado” nickname followed him from New Orleans. He earned it with his ability to create steals and disrupt opposing offenses. Friday night showed why that reputation is deserved. He had five steals. But more than that, he made Houston uncomfortable every time he was on the floor.
13.3 PPG 4.3 APG 3.7 SPG 2.7 RPG 46.7% FG 43.5% 3P 19.7 MPG
Thriving with the Knicks. 🔥
What This Means for the Knicks
GettyJalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks.
Alvarado provides a dimension the Knicks were missing before the trade deadline.When Jalen Brunson needs a breather, Alvarado can step in and keep the defensive intensity high. He is not a primary scorer. But he does not need to be. The Knicks have Towns, Brunson, and OG Anunoby for that.
What Alvarado provides is energy, effort, and defensive pressure. Those qualities do not show up on the stat sheet the way points and rebounds do. But they matter in close games. Friday night proved that.
Brunson finished with 20 points and six assists. He hit the game-tying basket with 1:27 remaining. Towns led the Knicks with 25 points and seven rebounds. Anunoby added 20 points. But none of that happens without Alvarado changing the momentum in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks have 25 games remaining in the regular season. They need Alvarado to keep providing the same energy and defensive pressure he showed Friday night. If he does, the Knicks become a much tougher matchup in the playoffs.
Final Word for the Knicks
Jose Alvarado sparked the Knicks’ comeback from 18 points down Friday night.
He finished with eight points, five steals, and a plus-18 rating in 20 minutes. The MSG crowd chanted his name. He earned it.
Alvarado is a Brooklyn native playing for his hometown team. That matters. The pride he plays with showed in the fourth quarter. He disrupted Houston’s offense. He energized his teammates. And he gave the Knicks a win they desperately needed.
The Knicks erased an 18-point deficit because Alvarado changed the game. That is what role players are supposed to do. Show up in big moments and make winning plays.
Alvarado did that Friday night. The Garden crowd will not forget it.
Knicks Get Unlikely Hero in Stunning Comeback vs Rockets