NBA

Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado Out 6 Weeks With Hamstring Injury

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Pelicans Jose Alvarado Out 6 Weeks With Hamstring Injury

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado will miss the next six weeks due to a left hamstring strain, sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday. Alvarado, 26, suffered the injury in Monday’s 107-105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado recorded back-to-back games with at least 20 points and five assists this season

Through 11 games (seven starts) this season, Alvarado is averaging career highs of 10.7 points, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 25.6 minutes per contest while shooting 39.6% from the field, a career-best 40% from 3-point range, and 82.4% at the free throw line.

His true shooting percentage (54.4%) is a career best as well. Per Basketball-Reference, he ranks 13th in steals (17), 19th in steals per game, eighth in steal percentage (3.0), and 18th in steals per 100 possessions (3.0).

In New Orleans’ 131-122 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 6, he recorded a season-high 27 points on 10-of-14 (71.4%) shooting from the field and all seven made 3-pointers.

Last week, Alvarado posted back-to-back games with at least 20 points and five assists for the first time in his NBA career. The Brooklyn native signed a two-year, $9 million contract extension with New Orleans before the season.

New Orleans is still without CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Jordan Hawkins, and Zion Williamson

Earlier this year, Pelicans head coach Willie Green praised Alvarado for his hard work and dedication, stating that he “plays with his heart and soul” in every game.

Green also highlighted Alvarado’s defensive instincts, which earned him the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award with Georgia Tech.

“It starts with his heart,” Green said. “He plays with his heart and soul every game. It’s hard to bottle that up into a stat. Then you add his instincts. He has tremendous on-court defensive instincts.

“It’s why he was ACC Defensive Player of the Year. With all the talent in that conference, it was him. He only knows how to play one way. That’s the beautiful part about Jose. He brings it 110% every time he steps on the floor.”

In addition to losing Alvarado, the Pelicans are also without five other key rotation players: CJ McCollum (hip), Dejounte Murray (hand), Herb Jones (shoulder), Jordan Hawkins (back), and Zion Williamson (hamstring).

Trey Murphy III played for the first time this season on Monday night after straining his right hamstring in training camp. He scored 12 points but missed 10-of-14 (28.6%) shots overall and went 2-for-6 (33.3%) from deep.

The Pelicans visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.