Jose Alvarado woke up Madison Square Garden

He could shoot himself, but Jose Alvarado preferred to make another pass to Landry Shamet, just as open as he was in the corner. This shot in transition came 11 minutes from the end of a a meeting then dominated by the Rockets (75-93).

Seconds later, the same Alvarado, after finding Karl-Anthony Towns on a baseline layup for a big dunk, needed to fixate on the Texas racket to get a better exit toward Shamet. After three consecutive assists, Alvarado took responsibility for the punishment, with a game-winning basket in the corner, almost from the same spot as the one who rebounded.

The Nix machine was restarted. The trade could give way to Jalen Brunson for “time on the money.” But Mike Brown still preferred to restart him a little later, instead of Michal Bridges. A strategy that paid off when the coach saw his pocket leader steal the leather from Kevin Durant in the racket, before finishing the counterattack hard.

« It was (assistant coach) Rick Branson who then suggested putting Jose on the field and it was the right decision. We started Jose, and he brought us a spark on both ends of the court », notes the local coach at the end of the meeting, which then changed thanks to Jalen Brunson’s address.

A matter of pride

The former Pelicans player scored 8 points (3/9 on shots including 2/5 from distance), 5 interceptions and 4 assists in 20 minutes. With +19 to the result when he was on the floor. Enough to earn a few “Jose, Jose, Jose” chants from his new audience, already won over by his energy.

« It’s always an amazing feeling. It is a matter of pride for me. It’s like when I play for my national team (Puerto Rico) or for my country: I play for my hometown. I have to always represent her at a higher level and fight on the field “, describes the resident of Brooklyn.

Not always skilled since his arrival in New York (11 points on 42.6%), the 27-year-old reminds that his contribution is not always visible in the points column. ” Sometimes the shots don’t go, so you have to do the little things, intercept the balls. But it’s always a different engine that starts when I put this jersey on. I have to represent (my city) in the best possible way », term-t-il.

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.