Grand Theft Alvarado shows up big in Pelicans win

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Jose Alvarado continues to challenge teams on both ends of the court with his tricky play. Consistent full-court steals and deep threes have led Alvarado to become a notable three-and-D guard in the NBA.

Prior to his first minutes in the NBA, Alvarado was not highly regarded in any scouting reports due to concerns about his size. However, after going undrafted in the 2021 draft, the Pelicans signed the Puerto Rican hooper, and the rest is history.

Alvarado quickly became a fan favorite in New Orleans with his pesky defense and high-energy play on both ends of the court. Recently Alvarado has set a new scoring career-high dropping 38 points in a game versus the Nuggets on Sunday.

The spark plug off the bench checked in and ignited an 11-1 Pelicans run that closed the gap between the teams. At halftime, Alvarado had 19 points and kept up his pace into the third and fourth quarters.

In 27 minutes off the bench, Alvarado finished the game with 38 points on 12-of-19 shooting, including 8-of-11 from three. He picked up three rebounds, two assists, and a steal along with the scoring outbreak.

Although Alvarado’s season average of 8.7 points and 3.4 assists is not eye-popping, his impact on the Pelicans is enormous. Coach Willie Green knows he can rely on Alvarado to play smart defense and protect the ball in clutch situations and that 6-foot guard will not back down from a challenge.

The chip from draft night remains on Alvarado’s shoulder as he targets a Defensive Player of the Year award this season. Alvarado might also be a sleeper pick for the Most Improved Player award this year. The Pelicans are currently 15-8 and the top-ranked team in the Southwest Division.