The New York Knicks responded nicely off of getting blown out in Detroit earlier this week. On Super Bowl Sunday, the Knicks started off the day with an afternoon slaughtering of the Boston Celtics on the road 111-89, and they have now reclaimed the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jose Alvarado provided a great spark off the bench for the Knicks
This game marked the team debut of Jose Alvarado, who was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday. Alvarado made his mark everywhere in his debut, and made a huge difference for them right away.
Alvarado scored 12 points and recorded two steals and a block in 25 minutes of action. He was a +13 in his minutes off the bench, making a big impact on both ends of the floor and leaving Knicks fans excited about what is to come in his Knicks tenure.
More importantly, Alvarado kept the offense flowing while Jalen Brunson rested on the bench. New York has been searching for a secondary ball handler all season long, and they may have finally found one with Alvarado.
With Miles McBride out for a while, they will rely on Alvarado to play essentially the same role McBride did. In his debut, he played the part well.
Jalen Brunson torched the Celtics
Brunson badly needed a bounce back game after having a stinker against the Pistons, and he dominated Boston from start to finish.
Brunson scored 15 points in the first quarter en route to a 31-point showing. He shot 12-for-21 from the field and 4-for-8 from three, and showed off his playmaking with eight assists as well.
The Celtics had no answer for Brunson, who got busy right away and propelled his team to a huge victory. Needless to say, the bad game in Detroit is behind him, and he is back to being the MVP-level player he has been this season.
Mohamed Diawara was impressive defensively
Mohamed Diawara has slowly seen his playing time increase lately, and he made a huge impact once again in his minutes. With OG Anunoby sidelined in this game with a toe injury, Diawara made up for his absence perfectly.
Diawara played 27 minutes and was perfect offensively, going 4-for-4 from the floor and 2-for-2 from three. He recorded a steal as well and was a +22 on the afternoon, showcasing his development on the big stage.
Diawara did a nice job containing Jaylen Brown. Brown finished with 26 points but shot just 11-for-25 from the field and 0-for-4 from three. Diawara’s rotations and switching ability helped keep Brown quiet, and the Knicks were able to run away with the win.
Diawara’s efforts on the defensive side landed him the team’s Defensive Player of the Game award. The 20-year-old continues to show brilliant flashes on the court, and he may be establishing himself as a key rotation piece moving forward.
Overview
The Knicks have been playing impressive ball lately, having won nine of the last 10 games. They’ll look for another key win on Tuesday when they head back home to face the Indiana Pacers.
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