'Pens Rafa?l Harvey-Pinard passes the puck during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins home opener on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Jason Ardan/The Citizens' Voice via Getty Images)
For the second week in a row a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins was named the AHL’s player of the week. Avery Hayes claimed the honors this week by producing four goals in two games. Oh, and in between he found the time for a little dalliance in the NHL as well.
Fresh off his two-goal game in the NHL on Thursday, Hayes scored a hat trick against Hershey in a 4-3 OT win that culminated in Hayes scoring that game-winner while breaking his stick.
All in all, not a bad week for Hayes with six goals in three games combining time in Pittsburgh and WBS.
The same could be said for the Pens having a good week, winners of their three games. From Nick Hart at WBSPenguins.com:
Wednesday, Feb. 4 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Hershey 1 Sergei Murashov stonewalled the Bears in the first two periods, leading to a 0-0 score. The Penguins then uncorked four goals in the third period, including Tanner Howe’s first as a pro.
Friday, Feb. 6 – PENGUINS 6 at Lehigh Valley 5 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton survived a high-scoring affair down the PA Turnpike thanks to a four-point, hat trick night from d-man Matt Dumba. Ville Koivunen also logged four points (1G-3A). Melvin Fernström made his AHL debut and recorded two assists.
Saturday, Feb. 7 – PENGUINS 4 at Hershey 3 (OT) Avery Hayes came back from a dream NHL debut to give the Bears nightmares before the All-Star Break. Hayes scored a hat trick, capped off with the overtime winner. The Penguins’ other goal came from 19-year-old Fernström, his first in the AHL.
New faces and fresh blood were key, former second round pick and 20-year old Tanner Howe is back from his ACL rehab to get a belated start to his first pro season. Swedish import Melvin Fernstrom has taken to the AHL for his first taste of North American pro hockey and generated three points over the two games he’s played.
No change in the standings, the Penguins remain in second place in the Atlantic Division. WBS is on a five-game winning streak, which is nice but hardly anything compared to first-place Providence’s current 10-game heater. Both first and second place are pulling away big time at this point from the rest of the pack. Charlotte has four games in hand but are 13 points back of WBS. Fourth place Hershey has the four games in hand but are a whopping 20 back of WBS. Good news for getting a bye as a top-two seed in the division.
As a result of the heavy early schedule, things lighten up for WBS. They only have seven games remaining in February and just 10 scheduled in March (compared to the 17 that will be played by NHL Pittsburgh, though the NHL regular season is 10 games longer).
The AHL is currently celebrating their All-Star festivites, the skills challenge event was last night. Tristan Broz and Sergei Murashov are the Penguin representatives.
The overall AHL All-Star challenge is tonight in Rockford Illinois. The WBS Pens will be back at it this weekend with Saturday and Sunday home contests against Syracuse and Cleveland, respectively.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic blocks out Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for a rebound during a game earlier this season. The two were the leading NBA All-Star vote-getters in each conference. (Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place Sunday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Each year there are new twists to the game and activities during the three-day celebration of the best basketball players in the world. This year is no exception.
Here's what you need to know:
All-Star Game
When: Sunday, 2 p.m. (NBC and Peacock)
Where: Intuit Dome
For the first time the All-Star Game will become a four-game tournament between three teams — two with eight players each from the U.S. and one with nine international players. The top five vote-getters (50% fan voting, 25% NBA player voting and 25% media voting) in each conference qualified for the game while reserves were selected by NBA coaches. Since there was an imbalance of foreign players, Kawhi Leonard was added to a U.S. team.
Each game will be 12 minutes. If all three teams go 1-1 in round-robin play, a tiebreaker based on point differential will be used to determine the two finalists.
Team USA Stars
Scottie Barnes (Raptors), Devin Booker (Suns), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Jalen Duren (Pistons), Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), Chet Holmgren (Thunder), Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (76ers)
Team USA Stripes
Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Stephen Curry* (Warriors), Kevin Durant (Rockets), Brandon Ingram (Raptors), LeBron James (Lakers), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Norman Powell (Heat)
Team World
Luka Doncic (Lakers), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander* (Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Pascal Siakam (Pacers), Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks), Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
*-injured
Showing their skills
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Intuit Dome
The skills challenge is out this year, replaced by the shooting stars competition, which features four teams of three players. The shooting stars was last featured during All-Star Weekend in 2015. It's a two-round format, with the top two teams advancing to the final. Teams have 70 seconds to score points while rotating through seven designated shooting locations, with all three players on a team shooting at each spot in a set order. Competing are: Team Knicks (Jalen Brunson, Allan Houston, Karl-Anthony Towns); Team Harper (Ron Harper Sr., Dylan Harper, Ron Harper Jr.); Team All-Star (Richard Hamilton, Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren); Team Cameron (Corey Maggette, Kon Knueppel, Jalen Johnson).
The three-point contest has eight competitors and features five racks of five balls, four of them containing one “money ball” worth two points instead of one, and one rack of five money balls positioned at the player’s choice. There are also two “Starry ball” pedestals behind the third rack, to the left and right, worth three points. The top three shooters advance to the final round. Competing are: Devin Booker (Suns), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), DAmian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Bobby Portis Jr. (Bucks), Norman Powell (Heat).
The slam dunk contest, with a two-round format featuring four contestants, will cap Saturday’s festivities. Each of the four competitors are given 90 seconds to complete two dunks — with three attempts per dunk — for a judging panel. At the end of their time, they’ll be given one last attempt. The top two scorers advance to the final under the same format. Fans can score each dunk via the NBA ID app. In case of a tie, fan voting will be the tiebreaker. Competing are: Carter Bryant (Spurs), Jaxson Hayes (Lakers), Keshad Johnson (Heat), Jase Richardson (Magic).
Rising Stars tournament
When: Friday, 6 p.m.
Where: Intuit Dome
A trio of Hall of Famers — Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady — will join not-long-retired Austin Rivers as honorary coaches in the four-team tournament. Three teams have been drafted from rookies and second-year players while a fourth team will be comprised of G League players. The semifinals will be decided by the first team to reach 40 points, while the championship game will be played to 25.
Kon Knueppel (Raptors), Kel’el Ware (Heat), Tre Johnson (Wizards), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Ajay Mitchell# (Thunder), Jaylon Tyson (Cavaliers), Cam Spencer (Grizzlies)
Sean East II (Salt Lake City), Ron Harper Jr. (Maine), David Jones Garcia (Austin), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley ), Yang Hansen (Rip City)
#-injured
G League Next Up
When: Sunday, 12:30 p.m.
Where: Convention Center
The G League Next Up game will feature four teams of seven players. It's a three-game tournament, similar to the Rising Stars and All-Star contests. The first team to 30 points will be the winner in each game. The top 10 players in fan voting received automatic invitations to the game, while the G League selected the next 18. They were then drafted onto four teams.
Full schedule
(at Intuit Dome unless noted)
Friday
10 a.m.: Rising Stars practice (NBA app)
4 p.m.: Celebrity Game at Kia Forum (ESPN)
6 p.m.: Rising Stars Game (Peacock)
8 p.m.: HBCU Classic, Hampton vs. North Carolina A&T, at Kia Forum (Peacock)
Saturday
10:30 a.m.: NBA All-Star media session (NBA TV)
1 p.m.: Commissioner Adam Silver news conference (NBA TV)
MILAN (AP) — The Canadian Olympic Committee said it is “heartbroken” by a school shooting in British Columbia that left at least seven people dead and many others wounded.
Team Canada issued a statement at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Wednesday, the morning after the deadly shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
“We are heartbroken by the news of the horrific school shooting that occurred in British Columbia. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, those who are injured, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community. Team Canada stands with everyone affected as they navigate difficult days ahead," the statement said.
Canadian authorities said Tuesday that there were 10 deaths in total. The school shooting left seven dead, authorities said, while two more people were found dead at a nearby home. A woman who police believe to be the shooter also was killed.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people were injured, including two who were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, has 175 students from Grades 7 to 12, according to the provincial government's website.
The town is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta.
For the first time since 2014, the NHL allowed players from the top hockey league in the world to compete at the Olympics. The NHL is currently on break, with regular season games halted from Feb. 6 to Feb. 24.
That means NHL stars like Team USA captain Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) and brothers Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) and Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), will be in action. Canada, the gold medal favorite, is also stacked with some of the top talent in the world, such as Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, one of the greats of the past century.
Team USA's "Miracle on Ice" gold medal win in 1980 was with amateurs, as the NHL had yet to clear its players for the Olympics. That was also the last year Team USA won a gold medal in men's hockey at the Games.
Here's what to know about men's hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, including why NHL players were briefly unable to play in the Olympics for a few cycles:
When's the last time NHL players were in the Winter Olympics?
NHL players last competed at the Winter Olympics in 2014, when the Games were held in Sochi, Russia. NHL players are returning in 2026 for the first time since, as they missed the 2018 and 2022 Olympics.
The NHL didn't allow participation in 2018 due to a multitude of disagreements by the NHL, the International Olympic Committee and the NHL Players Association, which wanted the chance for players to represent their countries. NHL owners also opposed briefly shutting down the season and didn't view South Korea, where the 2018 Games were held, as a site for growth for the league.
The NHL Players Association later got a clause into the newly negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2020 to allow players to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Olympics. However, the NHL and NHLPA agreed to withdraw from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics due to the 2021-22 NHL season being impacted by COVID-19, with over 50 games rescheduled.
When did NHL players start playing in the Winter Olympics?
NHL players have only competed in a handful of Olympics, starting with the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. NHL players also participated in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
The NHL, International Ice Hockey Federation, International Olympic Committee and the NHL Players' Association reached an agreement on allowing Olympic competition in 1995.
Olympic hockey, just the NHL, doesn't allow for ties.
A game will go to overtime if it is tied after 60 minutes and there also is the possibility of a shootout if the game remains tied once an overtime period ends.
But there are differences between NHL rules and Olympic rules on how overtimes and shootouts are conducted. The maximum length of a sudden death overtime depends on the round in which the game is being played. And the shootout format is totally different from the one used by the NHL.
Here's an explainer on how overtimes and shootouts work in Olympic hockey:
Olympic overtime rules
If the teams are tied after 60 minutes in the preliminary round, a five-minute sudden-death overtime will be played at 3-on-3. Unlike the NHL, teams don't change ends for overtime.
Overtime in a playoff game, along with the bronze medal game, lasts a maximum of 10 minutes. It's also 3-on-3, as opposed to 5-on-5 in NHL playoff games.
In the gold medal game, teams play 20-minute 3-on-3 overtime periods, separated by 15-minute intermissions, until someone scores. Teams don't change sides for the first overtime but do for subsequent overtimes.
Olympic shootout rules
If overtime doesn't settle a game outside of the gold medal game, there will be a shootout. The winner of a coin toss gets to choose whether their team shoots first or second.
The format differs from the NHL, with five shooters per team instead of three. If nothing is settled after five rounds, then each round is sudden death as in the NHL. But there's another difference. Olympic teams can use the same shooters multiple times during the sudden death rounds (think back to TJ Oshie in the 2014 Olympics). They also can change goaltenders.
In the sudden death round, the team that shot second in the first five rounds will shoot first. The rounds continue until one team finishes with one more goal than the other. That team is declared the winner.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 10: Kerry Carpenter #30 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by Javier Báez #28 after hitting a two run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning in game five of the American League Division Series at T-Mobile Park on October 10, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I touched on this in Monday’s question, but let’s get more direct. I want to know where you truly think the Twins stand among the worst division in baseball. I’ll once again reference you to FanGraphs’ playoffs odds page, which is updated after games and transactions.
Here’s my ranking:
Tigers
Royals
Twins
Guardians
White Sox
If we’re using groups or tiers, I would say that the Tigers are clearly a group on their own, especially after signing Framber Valdez. The Royals probably have a good gap between themselves and the Twins as long as their starters can be healthier than they were in 2025. Then the Twins and Guardians are in a “if they get 1 or 2 players to breakout” group. I put Minnesota above Cleveland simply because the Twins’ main weakness is the bullpen, which is much easier to fix or find new, reliable players, whereas the Guardians need to find 3-4 bats that can be above-average behind Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan. Also similar to the Twins, they have a few former top prospects that have yet to establish themselves (George Valera, Chase DeLauter, CJ Kayfus), so it’s definitely possible they somehow win the division yet again.
I also, briefly, want to give a shoutout to the White Sox who have gone from historically terrible to a dark horse division contender within two years. GM Chris Getz has nailed several big trades over the past two years, bringing in current or future mid-lineup bats like Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel, and Braden Montgomery. They have some work to do on the pitching side, but they have a solid base and a clear path toward the future, which is much more than what they could say when Getz took over baseball ops.
So, what’s your AL Central ranking? Is this the Tigers’ division to lose, or are you higher on the Royals than I am?
EDMONTON, CANADA - JANUARY 22: Parker Wotherspoon #28 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on January 22, 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Leila Devlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Are you watching the Olympic hockey tournaments? Here’s a reminder that the rules at the Olympics will be a bit different than those seen during a normal NHL game. [PensBurgh]
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas made several shrewd off-season transactions, including the signing of defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who has seemingly flown under the radar alongside Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, but remains a vital part of the top-six. [Trib Live]
Goaltender Stuart Skinner has revitalized his game since being traded from the Edmonton Oilers to Pittsburgh, and his teammates, including fellow goalie Arturs Silovs, have certainly taken notice. [Trib Live]
Updates from around the NHL…
The Canadian Hockey League has unveiled its top 50 players to commemorate its 50th anniversary. [Sportsnet]
Neck guards are now considered mandatory at all International Ice Hockey Federation games, including these Olympic Games, and veteran NHLers who came into the league not wearing such protection are still getting used to the new rule. [Sportsnet]
Italy’s men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams at the Milan-Cortina Games include a mix of homegrown players and foreign-born athletes with Italian heritage, since the country chose not to recruit current NHL stars. The blend of backgrounds reflects both a “melting pot” pride in representing Italy and the nation’s effort to build its hockey program for the future. [Associated Press]
PORTLAND, OR - JANUARY 13: (L-R) Zach Randolph #50, Ruben Patterson #21 and head coach Nate McMillan of the Portland Trail Blazers look on against the Orlando Magic on January 13, 2006 at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers won 113-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Manditory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Like most Tar Heels, Rasheed Wallace was not popular with Duke fans, but in the NBA, he emerged as an interesting and provocative figure.
Over a 16-year career, Wallace played for the Washington Bullets, Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks.
In this video, Wallace explains “The Slam Heard Round The World,” which was what people started to call the locker-room fight between Ruben Patterson and Zach Randolph, both of whom were his Portland teammates during the Jailblazer era.
Patterson, by all accounts, was a bully and an unusually strong player and Wallace and Bonzi Wells sort of encouraged a fight between him and Randolph, who is also quite large. In the end, Patterson slammed Randolph to the floor and injured his back.
That wasn’t the end of the story.
We’ll let Wallace finish telling it because as it turns out, he’s a pretty good story teller. Just listen for the part where he compares Patterson to the Incredible Hulk. It’s a great story. It is, however, a bit salty and NSFW.
The world of soccer throws up no shortage of questions. In today’s column, we endeavor to answer three of them
Last season’s 17th place finish was meant to be rock bottom for Tottenham Hotspur; a nadir for the club in the Premier League era that was awkwardly offset by glory in the Europa League. There is, however, no glory in what Spurs are going through this season and no guarantee that rock bottom isn’t still around the corner.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates after a play against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on December 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, it’s Wednesday, February 11th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 32-21 and host the Washington Wizards tonight. It will be James Harden’s home debut, and Rocket Arena is giving away a limited number of beard masks.
This is Cleveland’s third game of the season against the Wizards. They’ve gone 2-0 so far, despite a close 130-126 effort in December that required 48 points from Donovan Mitchell to get the job done. We’ll take it.
Today’s Game of the Day
Detroit Pistons at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM, NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network
The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference takes on the Raptors, who are only one game behind the Cavaliers for fourth in the conference. Detroit is coming off the heels of an insane brawl that led to four players across both teams being ejected.
The Rest of the NBA Slate
Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets – 7 PM
Milwaukee Bucks at Orlando Magic – 7 PM
New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers – 7:30 PM
Indiana Pacers at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM
Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics – 7:30 PM
LA Clippers at Houston Rockets – 8 PM
Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8 PM
Miami Heat at New Orleans Pelicans – 8 PM
Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns – 9 PM
Memphis Grizzlies at Denver Nuggets – 9 PM
Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz – 9 PM
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors – 10 PM
We have a loaded schedule today. 14 games means that all but two teams are playing tonight. I don’t care to figure out who those teams are, but I’m sure someone else can figure it out.
South Africa won, then lost, then lost again before ultimately winning of the most ridiculous T20 World Cup matches ever in a second super over against Afghanistan in Ahmedabad.
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander will miss much of the upcoming season with a shoulder injury, manager John Schneider announced Tuesday at spring training.
Schneider said Santander will have labrum surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined for five to six months.
It’s another disappointing turn for Santander, who had 44 homers and 102 RBIs with Baltimore in 2024. He signed a $92.5 million, five-year contract in free agency to join the Blue Jays last offseason, but struggled badly at the plate and played in just 54 games during an injury-plagued Toronto debut.
“Kind of had a setback when he started ramping up with his hitting earlier in January and came over to the complex, got checked out, and we kind of did everything we could to avoid this,” Schneider said.
There was more bad news for the Blue Jays on Tuesday: Right-hander Shane Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner, has forearm fatigue and won’t be ready for opening day.
Schneider said the team is being extra cautious with Bieber and expects him to be a major contributor this season.
Bieber was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery when he was acquired from Cleveland at the July 31 trade deadline last year. He made his season debut Aug. 22 and pitched 40 1/3 innings for Toronto during the regular season, going 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA in seven starts. But he threw 18 2/3 innings in the postseason with a 3.86 ERA and helped the Blue Jays come within one win of a World Series championship.
“In talking to him and talking with our medical team, just decided that the best possible outcome would be this,” Schneider said. “Slow play it a little after going through what he went through in the postseason and the World Series.”
Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis will miss the entire season after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery Wednesday.
A crucial hand by Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Ellis’ man of the match display kicked off Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign with a crushing 67-run victory against Ireland in Colombo.
Australian T20 captain Mitch Marsh is facing a major World Cup injury concern with Steve Smith being rushed across the Indian Ocean to join the squad as cover.
Jose Alvarado grew up playing the game in Brooklyn and starred at Christ the King HS in Queens.
So when he heard the ovation from the Madison Square Garden crowd when he checked in late in the first quarter in his home debut as a Knick, it hit him.
“It’s different,’’ Alvarado said. “Playing for the Knicks is a huge thing, but I’m literally a kid from the same streets the fans are, and to be part of everything here, it’s a blessing. It’s something I had to get used to and to get it out of the way, let’s get the ball rolling.”
Jose Alvarado celebrates after scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 137-134 OT win over the Pacers on Feb. 10, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
As for the reaction itself, Alvarado said: “It was amazing. Being a kid from the city, for the city to show me love back, it’s one for the books. I really can’t explain it.”
Of course, the result was far from ideal, as the Knicks suffered their worst loss of the season, a 137-134 overtime dud against the awful Pacers. And Alvarado finished with just four points in 18:13, although he did have five assists.
“It’s not the outcome we wanted, but I’ll tell you this, it was a blessing to be out there,’’ Alvarado said. “I can’t wait to continue growing and getting better.”
He had a large section of fans on hand. When asked the number of people in his group, Alvarado said, “A lot.”
“I was nervous today, for sure,” the point guard said. “There was a lot going on. I was glad I got it out the way. I can’t wait to come back and get better and win some games here.”
And while the former Christ the King star had some good moments, he was far from his best, as the Knicks couldn’t pull away.
Jose Alvarado gets off the floor during the first quarter of the Knicks’ overtime loss to the Pacers at the Garden. Robert Sabo for New York Post
After sparking the Knicks to a convincing win in Boston on Sunday, Alvarado didn’t check in until there was 2:05 remaining in the first quarter.
Coming out of a Knicks timeout, Alvarado entered to a loud ovation with the team trailing by one point.
It didn’t take long for Alvarado to make an impact, first saving Jalen Brunson from a turnover and then assisting on Brunson’s 3-pointer later in the possession. He also dove into the stands to save another possession.
But there were ultimately too many mistakes by Alvarado and his teammates.
Still, there will undoubtedly be better moments in his hometown for Alvarado.
“It was always great for him to come home,’’ Joe Arbitello, Alvarado’s high school coach at Christ the King said before the game of his former player’s days with the New Orleans Pelicans. “For it to happen as a Knick brings it to another level.”
Arbitello was among those in the crowd supporting Alvarado and it’s an atmosphere the coach believes Alvarado will thrive in, even if that wasn’t the case Tuesday.
“I think he’ll be great here, just like he always is,’’ Arbitello said.
But unlike some other players who might play with added intensity in front of their home crowd, Arbitello said it might be different for the New York native.
“He’s going to be the same player he’s always been,’’ Arbitello said. “He’s going to play with the same toughness we saw from him every day in every game and every practice.”
So the spotlight of the Garden won’t change his former star?
“It doesn’t matter where he is,’’ Arbitello said. “He could be at the Garden or at a rec game. He’s going to be the same guy and play as hard as he possibly can.”
Which is why Arbitello is among the people who believe he’ll excel as a Knick and draw praise from the Garden faithful.
“If he plays like he did in New Orleans or anywhere else he’s been before now and he does it here, I think he’s gonna be a fan favorite,’’ Arbitello said. “He brings what New York fans love: toughness, hard-nosed, winning basketball. We’ve seen it for years and for it to come here, it’s gonna be electric.”
