Saturday in Miami, Trey Burke did what he does best - bring a spark off the bench, and create opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Burke finished with 11 points, three rebounds, and four assists, shooting 5-of-9 from the field in his 22 minutes.
“I thought he gave us a really big spark,” Brett Brown said.
Brown also turned to Burke to start the overtime period, playing 4:42 of that five-minute final period.
“They were small, they were sitting in a zone, I felt like Trey could come in and give us a spark - whether it was pushing the ball in early offense, or getting into the seams of the zone. He’s more than a capable shooter. I thought he really helped us. I thought he came in and provided those things,” Brown said postgame.
With the Sixers’ opponents playing an increased amount of zone defense, Burke has looked for ways to improve with each passing game.
“For me, it’s just penetrating, knocking down open shots when the shots come, and just taking what the defense gives me,” Burke said.
In the aftermath of the Sixers’ tough 117-116 loss in Miami, Burke sees room to learn.
“These last two losses sting. We’ll watch film, and grow from it,” he said.
Over his last seven games, Burke has shot 53.1% from the field and 60.0% from long range. He’s averaged 6.1 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
Known primarily for his abilities as a point guard, he has also played productive minutes alongside fellow point man Ben Simmons.
“My ability to playmake, and create for others, and myself, I think is a plus, with [Ben] out there,” Burke said. “I’ll be looking forward to more of that.”
“I think [Ben and I] play off each other pretty well. I think I could play the two out there, and give J-Rich a break, and still be in the game with Ben.”
Burke has been vocal all season about staying ready for every opportunity he gets. His next opportunity comes Tuesday in Indianapolis, as the Sixers look to snap its two-game skid.