New Orleans second-unit catalyst Jose Alvarado was sporting a facemask at Wednesday’s practice to protect himself from any potential contact, after teammate and close friend Naji Marshall accidentally struck Alvarado during Tuesday’s 119-112 loss vs. Oklahoma City. Alvarado explained that he doesn’t anticipate wearing the gear Thursday vs. Milwaukee, only putting it on as a precautionary measure. Alvarado joked that he hoped the mask would generate a sympathetic or apologetic response from Marshall, but that approach clearly did not work.
Jose Alvarado gives an injury update | Pelicans Post-Practice Interview 3/27/24
“Nothing really major happened to my face,” Alvarado said of a Thunder game in which the point guard seemed to constantly be on the wrong end of physicality. “I just wanted Naji to feel sorry for me, but he didn’t say anything to me. He actually said, ‘The mask looks pretty cool.’ ”
Alvarado also had a bandage on his right thumb that was pointed out by a local media member, but the 25-year-old said it’s protection for something he’s been dealing with this season. The 16:07 he logged against Oklahoma City was his least playing time since a March 15 victory over the LA Clippers. At one point he went to the locker room due to what he described Wednesday as numbness in his right leg.
“It was three possessions in a row that I got banged up,” Alvarado said. “But I guess that’s basketball, and that’s what I do. I feel pretty good right now. I should be fine, though.”
Willie Green reflects on loss to Thunder | Pelicans Post-Practice Interview 3/27/24
Other notes from practice:
Asked about the importance of NOLA’s six-game homestand, Alvarado said, “We knew this stretch was going to be tough. Playoff games start for us now. We’ve got a good one tomorrow, so we have to not let this (OKC) game beat us twice. Learn from it, keep improving and try to beat these tough teams down the stretch.” …
Alvarado on the Pelicans making sure Zion Williamson gets more touches in clutch time and fourth quarters: “We’ve got to get the ball to Z a little bit (more). Put the ball in our best player’s hands and let him decide (the outcome). Win or lose, we’re OK with that.” …
Third-year head coach Willie Green on one area to improve upon from Tuesday’s game: “Our defensive physicality picked up in the second half, midway through the third quarter. We’ve got to have that for closer to a 48-minute game. Maybe it was 32 last night. Against good teams, that’s not good enough.”