The NBA announced on Monday that New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado has been suspended two games without pay for his role in an on-court altercation with Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams.
The incident occurred with 2:06 remaining in the third quarter of Phoenix’s 123-114 win over New Orleans on December 27 at Smoothie King Center. It began when Alvarado committed a defensive foul on Williams, who shoved him in response. The exchange escalated into punches, leading to technical fouls and ejections for both players.
Alvarado will serve his suspension on December 29 when the Pelicans host the New York Knicks and on December 31 during the road game against the Chicago Bulls. Williams received a one-game suspension, serving it on December 29 against the Washington Wizards.
The altercation followed a tightly contested game in which Phoenix built an early lead behind strong perimeter shooting and dominated the boards, finishing with a 36-20 rebounding advantage and a 24-9 edge in second-chance points. Devin Booker led the Suns with 20 points, including key jumpers late in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans mounted a comeback in the third, trimming the margin to two points with a 12-2 run, which triggered the chippy sequence. Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 24 points, while rookie center Derik Queen contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds. Zion Williamson added 22 points off the bench, shooting 8-of-11.
The Pelicans, now 8-25 on the season, have struggled despite strong individual performances, including 88% free-throw shooting in the Phoenix game. The team will look to regroup with Alvarado unavailable for the next two contests.
The Suns improved to 18-13, completing a two-game road sweep in New Orleans. Seven Suns players reached double figures in scoring, with Dillon Brooks adding 18 points, Collin Gillespie contributing 17, and Jordan Goodwin scoring 16 off the bench.
The Suns travel to Washington on Monday, while the Pelicans return home to host New York without Alvarado.
