Jose Alvarado doesn’t need a new strategy. He doesn’t need a pregame speech or a motivational video. What he needed in Game 4 of the NBA Finals was the same thing he’s always brought: pesky defense, fearless ball-handling, and a personality that drives opponents crazy while his own teammates feed off it.
With the Knicks now up 3-1 and heading back to San Antonio for Game 5, Alvarado’s role has never been more clear. He’s not Jalen Brunson. He’s not Karl-Anthony Towns. He’s Jose — and according to him, that’s more than enough.
“Just be Jose. I don’t have to be out here and trying to think I’m anything else. I’ve been doing that the whole time, and I’m going to continue to be who I am,” Alvarado told reporters after the Knicks’ dramatic Game 4 win, per SNY.
The Unsung Hero in the Backcourt
Head coach Mike Brown made a bold call down the stretch of Game 4, opting to keep Alvarado on the floor alongside Brunson instead of going with a bigger lineup. The move gave New York a second ball-handler when the Spurs cranked up their defensive pressure — and a guard who could bother San Antonio’s playmakers without fouling.
It worked. Alvarado logged critical minutes in the final quarter, poking away passes, forcing a key turnover, and hitting a timely corner three that swung momentum. In a series where every possession feels like a chess match, his energy became a wild card the Spurs couldn’t counter.
What Teammates See in Him
Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t hold back when asked about Alvarado’s impact. The Knicks’ star big man pointed to something that doesn’t show up in the box score.
“Man, when you talk about somebody who not only lives up to the moment but plays with his emotion, and utilizes that to his advantage, that’s a rare quality,” Towns said. “A lot of times, you play with a lot of people and they play with emotion but it gets the better of them. And for Jose, that emotion is what drives him and makes him take it to another level.”
That emotional edge is the same thing that made Alvarado a fan favorite in New Orleans before he landed with the Knicks. Opponents hate playing against him. Teammates love having him on their side. In a Finals series that has featured superstar performances and tactical adjustments, Alvarado’s unpolished, relentless approach has become a quiet difference-maker.
Game 5 in San Antonio: Can He Do It Again?
The Knicks took both games in San Antonio earlier in the series, but closing out a championship on the road is a different beast. The Spurs will have the crowd, the desperation, and the knowledge that one loss ends their season. New York will need everyone — not just Brunson and Towns — to bring their best.
Alvarado isn’t overthinking it. He knows who he is. And if Game 4 was any indication, that version of Jose Alvarado might be exactly what the Knicks need to bring a title back to New York.
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