Chris Paul and Jose Alvarado do not like one another, and the two guards got into it once again late in Friday night’s game between the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans. We now know a bit more about what led to the latest spat.
The Suns and Pelicans played back-to-back games in New Orleans on Friday and Sunday. Alvarado played through a rib injury and had 20 points in 25 minutes in the first game. He said afterword that he was not going to sit out as long as “that person was playing,” refusing to refer to Paul by name. The Pelicans won that game 128-117.
During Sunday night’s game, which New Orleans won in overtime, some clips were shown that appeared to give context to why Alvarado was so heated with CP3 on Friday. First, Paul hit Alavardo near his ribs as Alvarado was driving to the basket.
https://twitter.com/MichaelLKelly/status/1601603404626743297
Bally Sports also showed a new angle of what looked to be Paul elbowing Alvarado in the jaw.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1602043814654275584
The bad blood between Paul and Alvarado dates back to last season’s playoffs, when the Pelicans were eliminated by the Suns in six games. CP3 and Alvarado developed a rivalry during that series, and Paul came under fire for kicking Alvarado in the groin.
Paul has a reputation for being a dirty player, and his latest antics will do nothing to change that.
