Knicks get unexpected Jordan Clarkson contribution as bench thrives in NBA Finals

The Knicks bench keeps on producing, and this time, one of the contributors was unlikely.

Jose Alvarado was expected. Jordan Clarkson was not.

Their production, however, wasn’t enough to extend the franchise-record 13-game playoff winning streak, as the Knicks started slow and faltered late in a 115-11 setback Monday to the Spurs in Game 3 of the Finals.

Both players, though, provided key moments as the reserves continued to perform well.

Alvarado gave the Knicks a spark after they quickly dug themselves a double-digit deficit and Clarkson provided significant shotmaking in reaching double figures for the first time this postseason.

Clarkson, in fact, had fallen out of the rotation. He didn’t appear in Game 1 and hadn’t logged more than nine minutes since Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers. But on Monday he scored 10 points and hit both of his 3-point attempts in 13 minutes. Clarkson also had three rebounds and a plus-eight rating.

Alvarado had four points and three rebounds in 12 minutes, and a plus-five rating. The guard from Brooklyn, who came over in a trade in early February from the Pelicans, has made his mark in this series in limited action. In Game 1, when Jalen Brunson injured his knee, Alvarado made an impact at both ends of the floor.

“He was huge,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “We talked about it during our film session. When Jalen went out of the game, he came in and he kind of stabilized us because we were floundering a little bit. He got us into our offense.”

The Knicks bench has been a major factor in their postseason run back to the Finals for the first time since 1999. A year ago, they ran out of gas, and lost in six games to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.

But when the starters have struggled in these playoffs, Brown has been able to bring guys off the bench who make a difference.