PHILADELPHIA — The little man stood up for the big man. And it had a big impact.
It’s not a common sight for the Knicks this year – someone getting in an opponent’s face to hold onto a teammate.
Mitchell Robinson, while going up for a dunk, was taken down hard by Trendon Watford late in the first quarter of the Knicks’ 138-89 victory over the 76ers on Wednesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Soon, with Robinson down, Alvarado tried to chase down Watford.
When Watford didn’t move, Alvarado exchanged a few words with him, and they had to be separated.
Alvarado and 76ers coach Nick Nurse were both given technical fouls.
“He made a tough mistake, but I think he made more of a staredown,” Alvarado said. “I’m not going to do it all for you. It was just at that time. That’s when I’m at my best, I think, starting to work. It worked for me.”
And it sparked a game-changing Knicks run that put them firmly in control.
After this incident, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by 15 points before Alvarado scored in the second quarter to increase their lead from nine points to 24.
Alvarado made nine of those 15 three-pointers.
“He lit us up,” coach Mike Brown said, “in a lot of different ways.”
It wasn’t a huge fracas, but it was a snarl that the Knicks lost this year, one of the reasons they acquired Alvarado just before the deadline.
It was a big difference in their lack of response when Draymond Green grabbed Karl-Anthony Towns’ leg and dragged him to the floor during the Jan. 15 loss to the Warriors.
Now, however, the Knicks have an enforcer. Even though he is listed at 6 feet.
Brown gives the defensive player of the game after that, and the receiver stands with Timberland boots, among other accessories, to represent the concept of a strong nose.
It was fitting that Alvarado, who received the honor Wednesday, was already wearing his.
“That’s what we need,” Josh Hart said. “That’s what we want from him. Obviously that toughness, the ability to help us get organized, the ability to knock down shots. And defensively bring energy, bring physicality, get into passing lanes, those types of things. That’s why he’s here.”
Alvarado’s defense and toughness are what he is known for. His offensive game is often a question mark.
But he wasn’t expected to be the leading scorer on Wednesday, finishing with 26 points, almost all three-pointers.
Garbage time became Alvarado’s time, as he started to play against the 76ers midway through the fourth quarter, using his patented attack to come up with steals while running 3s at the other end. He hit another 3 in that fourth quarter.
His 26 points and five steals were season highs. He was at his best with 35 in just 19 minutes. His eight 3s tied a career high.
“I had it,” Alvarado said. “I didn’t know I had eight [3s] – I had to do one to break my tie.”
In the fourth quarter, dozens of Knicks fans in attendance were chanting “Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose” and getting to their feet for every shot. A potential key motivator for the Knicks has arrived in earnest.
