Jose Alvarado fearless in big NBA Finals moment for Knicks bench

SAN ANTONIO — Jose Alvarado’s first thought when Jalen Brunson hobbled off the court and went to the locker room echoed what every Knicks fan was thinking. “He better come back,” Alvardo recalled of the development early in Wednesday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Then his instincts took over. “My second thought is, this is what I do.I wasn’t scared of the moment,” the backup Knicks point guard said Thursday.

“This is something I live for, and I just want to take advantage of it and do what the team needs.”Alvarado was part of another strong effort from the Knicks bench, their reserves piling up 28 points on 11-of-25 shooting in a 105-95, come-from-behind win over the Spurs.There were major contributions from Mitchell Robinson (six rebounds), Landry Shamet (13 points) and Miles McBride (six points, four assists, plus-11 rating). Alvarado was critical, tallying seven points and four rebounds in the first half while Brunson was getting his knee checked out.He was the first Knick to really challenge Victor Wembanyama, and he drew a goaltending call on the 7-foot-4 superstar. “I don’t fear nobody,” Alvarado said.

“He’s a great player, he’s going to block shots regardless of what you do.That one went my way.”  Own this piece of history with our cover celebrating the Knicks sweep over the Cavs.

Show the boys some love as they face off against the Spurs to take the championship.After 27 years, we’re back in the finals.

Immortalize this moment.No matter what happens from here, we made it, and nobody can take that away.

Bonkers feels like the only appropriate word to describe this season.The quality of the second unit is the biggest difference between this year’s Knicks and the edition that lost in the Eastern Conference finals a year ago.

It has been evident throughout the postseason, but particularly in the conference semifinals against the 76ers, when OG Anunoby suffered a mild ham...