Jose Alvarado Is Making the Most of His New York Homecoming

The New York Knicks have gotten a jolt off the bench from their trade deadline acquisiton

New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) before game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The talk of the town after the New York Knicks theatrical 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals has rightfully been about Jalen Brunson’s fourth-quarter heroics.

There was a time towards the end of the first quarter when it was uncertain if Brunson would even be available to put on his Superman cape. He was seen walking to the locker room and putting a brace on his knee after Harrison Barnes rolled into his leg.

The Knicks started the second quarter trailing 27-19. Brunson's status was uncertain, and Victor Wembanyama was on the floor. It’s not often that a ninth man makes an impact on the grandest stage, but that’s exactly what Jose Alvarado did.

The seldom used point-guard held down the fort in the non-Brunson minutes

New York’s trade deadline pickup prevented the game from getting away and he was arguably the unsung hero of the night. The pesky guard brought a reliable touch handling the ball and settled down the offense.

"He came in, and he stabilized us because we were floundering a little bit," head coach Mike Brown said via SNY Knicks. "He got us into our offense; he was really, really good defensively."

In 11 minutes, Alvarado scored seven points, brought high energy, and got Karl-Anthony Towns his touches. He made a three, took Wemby to the rack and used the rim to protect his shot, which drew a goaltend and had four first-half rebounds – two more than the 7-foot-4 Frenchman - despite being the smallest player on the court.

New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

After not being in the playoff rotation to start this run, the diminutive guard has found a way to impact games in limited minutes. Even if Alvarado is mostly riding the pine, he's making his presence felt all game long. He can be seen on his feet on the bench the entire game, and speaking life into every player up and down the lineup.

"Willing to work, had a chip on his shoulder," Josh Hart said after the game via SNY Knicks. "On the bench, he's up, he's talking. You have the ultimate confidence in someone like that."

The undrafted Georgia Tech product is a guy, similar to Hart, whose infectious effort radiates throughout the roster. He has a way of making everyone on the court play a little faster while raising his teammates’ energy level on both ends. 

Alvarado's relentless effort on both ends is contagious

The generously listed six-foot-tall guard has rightfully earned the nickname "Grand Theft Alvarado” and become a fan favorite in his hometown. The Williamsburg native grew up a Knicks fan and played his high school ball in Middle Village, Queens, at Christ the King, where he won two championships and had his jersey retired.

It was clear that New York desperately needed more physicality and pressure when it came to guarding at the point of attack, especially with Miles McBride sidelined due to injury ahead of February's trade deadline. Leon Rose traded two second-round picks to the Pelicans to bring New York's native son home.

Despite being in and out of the lineup, his particular skill set as a defense and pass-first point guard makes the 27-year-old an ideal complementary piece for this core. He has become a key cog in the second unit, averaging 4.4 points and 1.1 assists across 8.6 minutes per game in the playoffs.

For any kid growing up playing basketball in New York, the dream is to make it to the NBA and play in Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks. Alvarado is living that dream and making the most of his homecoming.