Alvarado has career-best night in Pelicans win over Nuggets

Sun, Dec 4, 2022
NBA News (AP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Jose Alvarado highlighted a crowd-stirring, career-high 38-point performance with a career-best eight 3-pointers, and the New Orleans Pelicans won their fourth straight game by beating the Denver Nuggets 121-106 on Sunday.

Alvarado, a high-energy fan favorite whose production has far exceeded expectations since he went undrafted out of Georgia Tech in 2021, came off the bench with the Pelicans trailing by 14 in the first quarter and immediately scored eight points during an 11-1 New Orleans run.

And that was just the opening of a performance that had fans serenading him with soccer-crowd-style chants replacing "Ole," with "Jose."

Zion Williamson scored 25 points for the Pelicans. Jonas Valanciunas added 13 points despite being limited to less than 14 minutes by foul trouble. Willy Hernangomez, who played nearly 20 minutes in place of Valanciunas, responded with 12 points and eight rebounds.

Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 16 rebounds for the Nuggets, who've lost two straight on the heels of four straight victories.

SUNS 133, SPURS 95

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Phoenix overwhelmed San Antonio, handing the Spurs their 11th straight loss.

San Antonio fell behind by 30 points in the second quarter and is now two losses shy of the franchise's worst skid set in 1989.

Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges each had 20 points as Phoenix won for the seventh time in eight games.

Keldon Johnson has 27 points for the Spurs, who have not won since Nov. 11.

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