Jose Alvarado’s Knicks experience is only two months old and the most important phase is still upcoming, but it’s already been a roller coaster.
The Brooklyn native arrived in early February with the hype surrounding his pace with the ball, his local roots, his opportunistic defense and fighting attitude — all elements the Knicks desired when they negotiated the trade with the Pelicans.
Alvarado debuted spectacularly against the Celtics — coincidentally the same division rival the Knicks faced Thursday — while pushing along a New York victory with frenetic energy.
Three days later, Alvarado scored 26 points with five steals in a win over the Sixers, tying a career high with eight 3-pointers. It looked like Leon Rose was a big winner of the NBA trade deadline.