No Jalen Brunson, no problem. Even without their main man, the New York Knicks cruised to an easy win over the Indiana Pacers, 136-110, at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
Brunson sat out the game due to an ankle injury and a neck strain. He had not missed a contest since January.
A big factor in the Knicks' win was Jose Alvarado, who replaced Brunson in the starting lineup. He tallied 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including four three-pointers, two rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals.
Before tip-off, Alvarado was introduced as being from Christ the King High School. Players are usually introduced with their alma mater in college. When asked about it by SNY, he said the little change felt appropriate.
“I just wanted to show love to the school I went to in the city. Shoutout to my college, I'm grateful for my college, for sure. But it made sense for the first start in The Garden to represent the city where I was raised,” explained Alvarado, who was born and raised in Brooklyn.
Jose Alvarado was asked about being introduced from Christ The King High School during lineup introductions:
"I just wanted to show love to the school I went to in the city. It made sense for the first start in The Garden to represent the city where I was raised at" pic.twitter.com/PI1iaD996y
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 18, 2026
The 27-year-old guard played four years at Georgia Tech, getting two nods to the All-ACC Team and winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.
Alvarado has been a solid midseason pick-up for the Knicks, providing instant energy, defensive intensity, and outside shooting off the bench. In 18 games, he has averaged 6.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.1 steals in 17.0 minutes.
He is a perfect fit for the Knicks' culture, and it won't be a surprise if he earns a bigger role in the playoffs.
