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Miami • One has spent this season as a hot shooting point guard, an atypical attribute of his career to this point. One has arguably been the best player off the dribble for the Utah Jazz.
Both have come off the bench for coach Quin Snyder, which makes them unique.
If Trey Burke and Alec Burks continue on their current path, the Jazz could have one of the better bench units in the NBA. The surprise isn't that the two are making things happen. That the two are playing well in tandem nightly, however, is a good development.
"It's an interesting thing to talk about because there is so much attention surrounding both of them," Snyder said. "For our team, both of those guys, their value is enhancing our second unit and I think they understand that. It tells me a lot about their character, because they're both capable of starting on our team and other NBA teams."
Both began the preseason in the starting lineup, but Snyder decided to bring them off the bench because of fit. With the two in the starting lineup, the second unit struggled to score. Now, the team is balanced throughout.
Burke and Burks have both bought into the move. Burke scored 24 points last Saturday to lead the Jazz to a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. In a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, Burks scored a team-high 24 points and produced a big chunk of Utah's offense down the stretch.
For the season, Burks is averaging 15.6 points per game, second on the team. Burke is fourth at 13.4 points per game.
"It's a good thing for both of us because teams can't key on one of us," Burks said. "We play well off each other and we have good chemistry out there."
Lacking star power
Both the Jazz and the Heat played shorthanded. Utah was without center Rudy Gobert, who was held out with a sprained ankle sustained late Tuesday night in Cleveland. Miami shooting guard Dwyane Wade missed the game to be with his son, who was at the hospital.
"His son is OK," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He is fine. Dwyane will be with him tonight and he will have a statement when he is ready."
A debut
Happy with the way he's been practicing of late, Snyder gave rookie forward Trey Lyles his first career start on Thursday night. Lyles, Utah's first-round pick out of Kentucky this past spring, had been playing steady minutes as a reserve. Jeff Withey was activated in Gobert's absence.
Another debut
Former Jazz second-round pick Jarnell Stokes suited up for the Heat for the first time on Thursday. Stokes was part of the trade that sent Mario Chalmers to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Jazz drafted Stokes in 2014 and traded him that night to Memphis.
"I understand the NBA is a business," Stokes said. "I'm just looking for an opportunity in this world, when you haven't proven yourself."
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