The New York Knicks' backup point guard rotation saw a shift Wednesday night, with Tyler Kolek earning more playing time than Jose Alvarado in the team's 135-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Kolek, who was the first point guard off the bench to replace Jalen Brunson in the second quarter, played six minutes as the Knicks extended their lead.
Kolek returned to the court in the third quarter as well, while Alvarado did not enter the game until garbage time in the fourth. This change comes after Kolek filled in effectively for four games when Alvarado was sidelined with a sprained ankle. Despite coach Mike Brown's previous statement that Alvarado would retain his backup role upon returning, the performance on Wednesday has shifted the team's pecking order.
"I said this before, every position coming off the bench is a competition, all the time," Brown said. "Nobody’s minutes are set in stone. … Jose had the first opportunity in our last game. And then I gave Tyler an opportunity in the second half [against the Nets] and Tyler played well. So I’m gonna go with Tyler. And if I think I need to make a change because Tyler’s not getting it done in my eyes, then I’ll go back to Jose."
Although Kolek did not score in Wednesday's game, he recorded five assists with no turnovers in 11 minutes. Alvarado, in contrast, missed all four of his shot attempts and committed two turnovers.
Brown acknowledged the contributions of both players. "Both those guys helped us win at a high level [last year]," he said. "Tyler helped us win the NBA Cup against San Antonio in Vegas. And Jose helped us win the Finals. So either one of those guys, we feel, can help us in a lot of good ways at any time so they just have to both stay ready."
In other team news, Dalton Knecht made his Knicks debut in the game, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds in 16 minutes. This appearance came as Josh Hart missed the game with right ankle soreness. Brown stated he is "not concerned" about Hart's injury outlook. Knecht had been playing with the Westchester Knicks on a two-way deal after signing last month.