00:00The Knicks and Leon Rose didn't give up their soul to try and get Giannis at the trade deadline,
00:04but, you know, a couple moves were made here and there.
00:07So, my guy Alex Jotaros and Knicks Fan TV is on to talk about Jose Alvarado's role with the team
00:13now that Deuce McBride is going to be out.
00:15And, of course, we're going to look ahead to the Pistons and Celtics games this weekend.
00:19Go, Alex! Go, New York! Go!
00:21What's happening, my guy?
00:24I'm good, Brandon. How are you doing today?
00:26Decaf from here on out. Decaf from here on out.
00:30All right, man, let's go straight into this, man.
00:31BK's very own Jose Alvarado.
00:36He was added to the roster, but the team's got to subtract Deuce McBride from the lineup
00:40because he's going to miss significant time because he's having surgery for a sports hernia on Friday.
00:46That's today for those who are watching.
00:48Do you think Alvarado can step in day one and hold it down for Deuce while he's out?
00:54And I guess what's the expectation on him due to the Deuce news?
00:59I think Jose can enter the rotation and hold it down day one for the New York Knicks.
01:06Look, he brings that same defensive intensity that Deuce McBride brings.
01:10You know, he's not going to be the same perimeter defender,
01:12but you have somebody at the point of attack that can slow guys down.
01:15Like, you think about anything like Derek White, someone of that nature.
01:18You know, he's not going to necessarily be the lockdown guy that you want,
01:23but he will be a disruptor.
01:24He will guard 9 to 4 feet just like Deuce McBride.
01:27It's a blow to not have Deuce McBride, man.
01:28I mean, we're talking about a guy who's having a career year.
01:31I mean, on eight attempts, he was shooting over 40% this season.
01:34I think it was about 42%.
01:35So you're not going to get that same type of volume and production from Jose Alvarado from behind the arc,
01:40but definitely defensively he should be there.
01:42As a playmaker, you know, he's averaging about three assists per game right now,
01:47but he's still somebody that, for this team, needs another guy who can be a ball handler,
01:51so that way Jalen Brunson can work off ball, get guys like Carl Anthony Towns,
01:55McHale Bridges, and OG Ananobi set up.
01:57So I think it's a good addition, and look, I'm looking forward to see what he provides day one.
02:02All of a sudden, the Knicks went eight straight.
02:04Y'all forget how many wins in a row they've had.
02:08You know, the pinkies out again.
02:10Like, how was it, seven, eight, nine, I don't even know again.
02:13Come on, man, pick you up.
02:13Just last month, they were ready to fire everybody and trade everybody.
02:19All right, things can switch up here in the New York Minute.
02:21No Giannis trade, no Cat trade.
02:24The Knicks have no choice, but they got to go after the chip with Cat now.
02:27So now that this man doesn't have to worry about his name being linked to any reports
02:32or any of the rumors, do you think we are now going to see the best version
02:36or the more consistent version of Cat post-deadline?
02:40I think what we should see is a reinvigorated Carl Anthony Towns.
02:45I mean, now you know that you're going to be here with the New York Knicks
02:48for the remainder of the season.
02:49This is a chance for you to prove that you can buy into Mike Brown's system
02:53and that you can really execute.
02:54And I think it's also on Mike Brown to really work and continue to utilize Towns' strengths
03:00so that way he can play at his best as well.
03:03You know, I don't think it should be one way or the other.
03:05But for Towns right now, I mean, he's been rebounding on a whole other level.
03:09He's been averaging over 13 boards per game over the eight-game winning streak.
03:14And look, the numbers are starting to slowly creep back up.
03:18I mean, he's shooting 46% from the field, 35% from downtown on about four tenths per game.
03:25Gaining about 15 points.
03:26You want to see that get up even higher, but we've seen some good moments from Towns.
03:29I mean, even the night, we could go back and look at last night against the Denver Nuggets.
03:34You know, he had, what, 18 points, I believe it was that game.
03:39And he grounded it out, man.
03:41Got a gash over his eyelid, got stitches, came right back out.
03:44And even though it was the Brunson show going on from damn near the entire game,
03:49but really from the third quarter into double OT, Towns, prior to him fouling out,
03:54was giving you some critical minutes.
03:56He was getting boards, giving you second-chance opportunities.
03:59And just providing what this team needed and still being that playmaker, too,
04:03working from, you know, top of the key, working from the high post.
04:07So Towns is buying in.
04:09You see the energy there.
04:10You see the hustle.
04:11I think it just takes a little bit more time for him to adjust.
04:14But it looks like he's on that right trajectory to be that guy that we expect him to be.
04:18Let's look ahead now because these next two are huge, man.
04:21You got the Pistons tonight.
04:23Then you got Boston on Sunday.
04:25I know they won.
04:26They're on that eight-game win streak.
04:27But for the sake of vibes around the city, do you think the Knicks need to win these two games this weekend
04:35to make a statement and to validate the win streak?
04:40Definitely got to win against Detroit.
04:42Definitely got to win against Detroit.
04:43You got punked, all right?
04:44The Knicks got punked the last game.
04:47And you just can't be looking like that when you're trying to compete for a championship this year
04:51and where you're favored to make the NBA Finals, right?
04:54You're one of the top teams to be favored to make the NBA Finals.
04:57So you should go out there and go play like you look like a championship-caliber team.
05:01And I'm expecting them to bounce back against Detroit tonight.
05:05And they should.
05:06They should come out with that energy, with that aggression,
05:08knowing that they have to make a statement to Detroit saying,
05:12you're just not the only ones at the top that can compete for this thing.
05:14So I would like to see them get a win tonight.
05:17They should go out there and get a win tonight just to make a statement.
05:19And then against Boston, obviously you want to see them beat the Celtics
05:23who have been on a hot streak right now.
05:24They got Vucevic.
05:26Jalen Brown's playing at a high level this season.
05:28They're competing without Tatum.
05:30You know they're trying to make some noise as well.
05:32They're kind of in a win-win situation.
05:35Whether or not they go far in the playoffs or not,
05:39you get to see what Jalen Brown is doing for them.
05:41But still, you want to go out there and go beat them too.
05:43I'll be in the building, so I'm expecting them to go compete.
05:46I need to see them get a win too right now.
05:47I need to see them go get a win since we're going to be in the building on Sunday.
05:51Super Bowl Sunday, that is.
05:52But, look, I think definitely tonight is the must-win game against Detroit.
05:57I mean, that game on Sunday, you think about the pressure.
06:00I mean, the Knicks, they play in front of all the celebrities on Celebrity Road.
06:04But Alex Chitaros is going to be in the building on Sunday.
06:08That is a lot of pressure you just put on these dudes to perform at a high level, man.
06:12Like, dang.
06:14Dang, bro.
06:15I didn't know I was a celebrity now, Brent.
06:17I appreciate the high price, but I don't think of myself as a celebrity.
06:20I just think of myself as a guy who loves the Knicks and likes to break it down.
06:23There we go.
06:23There we go.
06:24Appreciate you hopping on with me this morning, man.
06:27Appreciate you as always, my man.
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