So many things had to happen for the Knicks to comeback from a 29-point haftime deficit in Wednesday night's pivotal Game 4. The Spurs had a hand in it by playing ugly basketball. Karl-Anthony Towns worked around his early game foul troubles. Jalen Brunson came up big once again. OG Anunoby co-carried the team.But maybe one of the biggest keys that allowed so many of those things to happen, was a simple but impactful change that Mike Brown made.How Jose Alvarado changed Game 4 for KnicksHeading into the game, I outlined how one of the tactical changes the Knicks needed to make was shifting Brunson off the ball more by playing Jose Alvarado next to him. In a sloppy and disappointing first half, we didn't see it come to fruition. Instead, Brown was left searching for even a modicum of production from his struggling bench. He looked to Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Mitchell Robinson, and even was desperate enough to call on benchwarmers Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan. Down big in the second half, and the balance of the series seemingly ready to take a 180-degree turn, Brown threw a Hail Mary. Rather than continuing to rely on his top reserves and expecting different results, he pivoted, pairing Brunson up with Jose Alvarado, the only bench player that had given him consistently good minutes this series. — Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) June 11, 2026Now, as many had outlined, this seems counterintuitive. Relying on two small guards against the combo of the athletic Spurs backcourt and Victor Wembanyama sounds like a gamble. Brown runs the risk of having two players that pose no threat to the Spurs' best player. But as Alvarado proved over and over Wednesday night, the reward was very much worth the risk. In the nine minutes and 40 seconds he played in last night's fourth quarter, Alvarado hit two big three-pointers and had a layup that came off of the kind of a smooth spin move that New York-raised players work on for countless hours at the park. He also erased any questions about how his defense would hold up by consistently battling and hounding the Spurs perimeter players. Why Jose Alvarado now looks like the key to Knicks title winBut what Alvarado provided wasn't just a few points, assists, and good defensive minutes. He impacted the games of others, and made the lives of everyone else much easier. Instead of asking Brunson to hit tough shots and also expend precious energy bringing the ball up against a tough defense, the Knicks asked Alvarado to handle the latter. And he obliged happily. The New York-native brought up the ball effectively, leaving plenty of time on the shot clock for the Knicks still run an effective offense. When he crossed half court, and Wembanyama picked him up, he moved—and he did not stop moving. Whether it was his numerous paint touches with the ball in his hands, an on-ball screen for Brunson, an off-ball screen for someone else, or a cut, he kept Wembanyama occupied. That kept the Spurs big man from sitting in the paint. And it kept the Knicks offense from getting stagnant. All of that culminated in much higher quality looks for Brunson and Anunoby. It also kept them fresh for when the offense required them to create something out of nothing. In a pivotal and potentially championship-deciding fourth quarter, Alvarado did it all. He was unrelenting in his attack, calm in his demeanor, and decisive in making connective plays. In short, he was the exact kind of player the Knicks so badly missed in their previous games. But hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy requires the Knicks to win one more game. And to do so, Brown may need to look as the Brunson-Alvarado pairing as more than just a one-off emergency strategy. The Spurs will likely try and find ways to better hide Wembanyama in the paint, and they may be instructed to attack Alvarado even more defensively. However, until the Spurs can prove that they can score enough against the double-small backcourt, and more importantly, defend them effectively, Brown needs to not just utilize said lineup, but spam it. Go to it early. And go to it often. Even if Alvarado's shot is off, which tends to happen a bit more often on the road for role players, it shouldn't matter. Alvarado's undeniably positive impact on this team goes beyond just his own points. The ease with which he forces the Spurs defense to move—something other Knicks lineup continues to struggle with—allows for their best players to flourish. Brunson can get off better looks, and attack lanes that can lead to kick outs. Anunoby, who has become an unstoppable force when he drives, has even more room to do so. And Towns, if he can stay out of foul trouble, has always played well with the reserve point guard. It could mean asking McBride, Shamet, and even Josh Hart or Mikal Bridges to play a bit less. Yet it shouldn't matter. The ultimate goal of winning a championship is within reach, and Alvarado may just be the key to achieving it. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow