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Jose Alvarado of the New York Knicks reacts to shooting a three-point basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks didn’t just tweak a rotation Saturday night — they flipped the game.
And the catalyst came from an unexpected voice on the bench.
Rick Brunson’s Suggestion Flips the Script
Facing an 18-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter, Knicks head coach Mike Brown gambled on a risky lineup that sparked a stunning 108–106 comeback win over the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden.
Brown rode reserve guard Jose Alvarado for nearly the entire fourth quarter, while effectively benching starter Josh Hart.
The idea didn’t originate with Brown.
It came from assistant coach Rick Brunson, the father of Knicks star Jalen Brunson — and notably, Hart’s closest friend on the roster.
“Rick Brunson was the one who suggested throwing Jose in the game at the time, which was the right call,” Brown said via The New York Post. “We threw Jose in, and he gave us a spark on both ends of the floor.”
Alvarado Injects Energy — and Chaos
Down big and flat after three quarters, the Knicks desperately needed pace, pressure and urgency. Alvarado delivered all three.
For nearly 11 minutes of fourth-quarter action, Alvarado produced five points, three assists and three steals, completely altering the rhythm of the game with relentless ball pressure and instinctive playmaking.
His three-pointer at the 8:03 mark was part of a 14–2 Knicks run that sliced the Rockets’ lead to 99–97, instantly reigniting the Garden and shifting momentum.
Moments later, Alvarado struck again.
Back-to-back steals led directly to a transition basket by Alvarado and a reverse layup from Brunson, tying the game at 103–103 with 1:26 remaining.
That’s when New York’s closer took over.
Brunson Delivers — Again
With the Knicks surging, Brunson — the reigning NBA Clutch Player of the Year — delivered the decisive blow.
He knocked down an off-balance jumper in the final 30 seconds to put New York ahead for good, punctuating a comeback that seemed unlikely just minutes earlier.
Alvarado’s shooting line — 3-of-9 from the field — didn’t tell the story. His impact did. He finished with eight points, five steals and four assists, doing the little things that swung the game.
“Sometimes it’s not gonna be shots falling and you gotta do the little things — get steals,” Alvarado said via New York Post. “But it’s always gonna be a different type of motor when I put that jersey on. I’m from here, and I gotta represent the best way I can.”
Hart Benched as Numbers Tell the Story
The decision to ride Alvarado came with a clear sacrifice.
Hart played just six seconds in the fourth quarter, finishing the night with two points on 1-of-7 shooting in 27 minutes. He posted a minus-14, a stark contrast to Alvarado’s plus-19, which underscored why Brown stayed with the hotter hand as the game slipped away — and then swung back.
‘Grand Theft Alvarado’ Thrives at the Garden
The performance marked the third five-steal game of Alvarado’s career — and notably, two of those have come in the last 10 days, both with the Knicks.
Nicknamed “Grand Theft Alvarado,” the Brooklyn native with Puerto Rican heritage said Madison Square Garden brings out a different edge.
“It’s kind of like a pride thing,” Alvarado said. “When I play here, it’s like playing for my hometown or my national team. I always feel like I gotta represent on another level.”
That energy hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Rick Brunson saw it. Brown trusted it. And the Knicks fed off it.
Rotation Fallout: Kolek Squeezed Out
Alvarado’s emergence, however, has come with ripple effects — most notably for second-year guard Tyler Kolek, a fan favorite whose role has quietly vanished since the trade deadline.
With Alvarado firmly entrenched as Brown’s fourth-quarter spark plug, Kolek has been buried on the bench. He collected his third CD–DNP in the Knicks’ last five games since Alvarado arrived, a sharp contrast to the developmental role he held earlier in the season.
The message from the coaching staff is clear: urgency has replaced experimentation.
A Win That Meant More Than One Night
The comeback carried weight beyond the final score.
Just 48 hours earlier, the Knicks had been embarrassed by the Detroit Pistons, completing a lopsided season sweep with a 126–111 loss. Saturday’s rally prevented what could have become a damaging spiral.
“I think that’s just the winning coach that we’ve got here,” Alvarado said. “It shows that we’re not going to back down.”
The victory kept New York tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for third place in the Eastern Conference at 36–21, just one game behind the Boston Celtics with 25 games remaining.
More than anything, it reinforced a defining truth about this Knicks team:
Sometimes the difference between a collapse and a comeback isn’t a superstar shot — it’s the right suggestion, at the right time, from the right seat on the bench.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo