New Orleans Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado still has his beef against Phoenix Suns’ superstar Chris Paul, and by the looks of it, it’s not going away anytime soon.
There’s history and it goes back to the first round of the playoffs last year when the Pelicans squared off against Paul and the Suns. The latter drew ample flak for kicking Alvarado in the groin during Game 5, and there has been some rivalry going on ever since.
It spilled over to the contest on Friday when the Pelicans had their revenge by notching up a 128-117 win against the side, and also saw some furor after Zion Williamson upset the Suns with a vicious dunk.
On his part, Alvarado played despite a rib issue and had 20 points in 25 minutes, and the motivation behind the move was Paul suiting up at the other end.
Jose Alvarado Refuses To Acknowledge Chris Paul By His Name Post the Win
The Pelicans may have won, but Jose Alvarado was in no mood to relent. According to journalist Andrew Lopez, he refused to refer to Paul by his name in the aftermath of the win.
When asked if playing against the Suns meant more than focusing on recovery from the rib contusion, he had a simple reply.
Jose Alvarado won’t refer to Chris Paul by name.
Asked him if it meant more to fight through the rib contusion this game.
“If that person was playing, I’m playing.”
Said he wasn’t going to miss this game.
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) December 10, 2022
Jose Alvarado won’t refer to Chris Paul by name. Asked him if it meant more to fight through the rib contusion this game. “If that person was playing, I’m playing.”
Said he wasn’t going to miss this game.
Speaking to reporters postgame, the guard also shed light on the melee that ensued after Williamson’s dunk. He and Paul were involved in a heated exchange that also saw players and coaches from both camps join in. According to ESPN:
“I don’t really remember what happened. I’m just glad we got the win.”
Alvarado has always been known for his relentless nature on the hardwood. Earlier this season, he was ejected in the Pelicans’ win over the Houston Rockets, the aftermath of which teammate Zion Williamson jokingly offered to pay his teammates’ fines because of the energy they bring to the game.
Only time will tell if Alvarado and Paul will bury the hatchet at some point. For now, both sides will gear up to face each other again on Sunday, and the Pelicans will look to make it two wins in a row, while the Suns seek payback.
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