The New Orleans Pelicans gave the Phoenix Suns some intense competition in the first round of the playoffs.
Just months ago people said the Pels wouldn’t even reach the playoffs and were one of the worst teams in the league.
But they scratched and clawed their way into the playoffs via the play-in tournament and surged into their matchup against the Suns.
In the end, they didn’t have what it took and fell 4-2 on Thursday night.
Despite that outcome, their stars should still be proud – including newcomer Jose Alvarado.
"He's going to be in the Hall of Fame, but he knows my name now, too," said Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado about Chris Paul.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 29, 2022
Speaking about his performance during the playoffs, Alvarado was focused on the positive.
He was especially proud of his one-on-one moments against Suns superstar Chris Paul.
“He’s going to be in the Hall of Fame, but he knows my name now, too,” Alvarado said of Paul.
That’s for sure but Paul isn’t the only one who now knows Alvarado’s name.
Hello, Jose
No one would blame you if you weren’t aware of Alvarado before the playoffs.
During the regular season, he was putting up 6.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists a game, playing an average of just 15.4 minutes per game.
However, in the playoffs, Alvarado stepped up to 8 points a game.
It’s true that he only played about three more games on average but he made those minutes count.
He was a part of some of the biggest plays of the series, mostly because of his defense.
Perhaps the best moment came in Game 4, when he was smothering Paul so much that the Suns’ point guard made an eight-second violation in the backcourt.
It was a huge moment for Alvarado and just another example of him being an all-around excellent player on both ends of the floor.
Moving forward, Pelicans fans should be ready to see a lot more of this rookie guard.
Alvarado has definitely arrived.
NEXT: Stephen A. Smith Has A Strong Message For The Pelicans