According to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, despite being a backup, Jose Alvarado, the point guard for the Pelicans, has a significant impact on defense despite his small size. Head coach Willie Green praised Alvarado’s commitment, stating that he plays with great heart and soul in every game.
Green also highlighted Alvarado’s defensive instincts, which earned him the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award.
“It starts with his heart,” Green said. “He plays with his heart and soul every game. It’s hard to bottle that up into a stat. Then you add his instincts. He has tremendous on-court defensive instincts.
“It’s why he was ACC Defensive Player of the Year. With all the talent in that conference, it was him. He only knows how to play one way. That’s the beautiful part about Jose. He brings it 110% every time he steps on the floor.”
Alvarado’s relentless style of play consistently benefits the team, reflected in New Orleans’ defensive rating of 104.9 when he’s on the court, which is 3.5 points per 100 possessions better than Minnesota’s league-leading mark.
Southwest Notes: Exum, Alvarado, Grizzlies, Rockets https://t.co/WNODg8URYi pic.twitter.com/4jxk2dfDXp
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 21, 2024
