The Trey Burke Thread

[MHSL82]

If you think I value a high offensive system over a high assisting point guard, you don't know me. cheers a speaking, I do value a good balance of system. Often, not always, maybe not even the majority of the time, a high assisting point guard is in a high offensive system. That's what I want. But the high assisting point guard is my priority. Draft or sign for the rest. Change the system if you have to. I do want a good assist big man, too.

 

[nuraman00]

BTW, in an Indiana game early this year, Hibbert got the game's first two assist, when he was within 1 foot of the basket, then made an overhead pass to a weakside cutter for a layup. That kind of ball movement causes the opposing defense fear and panic for the rest of the game.

It also helps the PGs, and Paul George, for the rest of the game, because that threat of Hibbert, even an overhead pass, will be there.

 

[nuraman00]

If you think I value a high offensive system over a high assisting point guard, you don't know me. cheers a speaking, I do value a good balance of system. Often, not always, maybe not even the majority of the time, a high assisting point guard is in a high offensive system. That's what I want. But the high assisting point guard is my priority. Draft or sign for the rest. Change the system if you have to. I do want a good assist big man, too.

One shouldn't be over the other, they should be both complimenting.

Often, not always, maybe not even the majority of the time, a high assisting point guard is in a high offensive system.

I'm also thinking of Chris Paul, to go along with Rondo, Rubio, and Holiday, as another high assisting PG on a bad offensive team, when Paul was on the Hornets.

But the high assisting point guard is my priority.

If Burke doesn't make more progress at some point, how about having Hayward be the PG? He would be higher assisting than Burke.

I do want a good assist big man, too.

Unless Favors or Kanter suddenly show something, I don't see the Jazz getting one anytime soon.

I do think Kanter passing outside in and Favors passing inside out, could really help the team, if they could do it.

I also like big to big passing. Popovich would always have this one play for Duncan to lob to Robinson out of timeouts.

Griffin also passes to Jordan.

Would be nice to see one of the Jazz bigs pass to the other for a dunk.

But if they can't get the easy assists, I don't think they can get the hard ones (big to big dunk).

Bigs ability to pass seems to be prevalent in every good offensive team. It doesn't have the be the primary source, but it should be an option.

 

[MHSL82]

What he needs to match his best span of:

1 game - 16
2 games - 15
3 - 12
4 - 13
5 - 8
6 - 5
7 - 6
7 - 8
8 - 10
9 - 5
10 - 8
11 - 8
12 - 8
13 - 8
14 - 8
15 - 9
16 - 12
17 - 17
18 - 14
19 - 17
20 - 17

I'm hoping for 9 at least. Would be happily surprised with 14. Not at all expecting 17. Needs at least 5.

 

[nuraman00]

What is Hayward's best 9 game span for assists, and what were those minutes?

I have a spreadsheet for that. When I get home I'll enter those numbers in. I have a template that all you have to do is in enter in the numbers, as in copy and paste from basketball reference. Then I'll get the best two games, best three games, best four games, etc. until 41. I could do 82 for players who have played more than a couple years. The only two players I've tracked so far is Trey Burke and LeBron James. It is really simple to add others. If you would like, I can send you the spreadsheet. It could probably be done better, but it is just what I wanted for my purposes. It is for points, rebounds, assists, shooting (overall, 3PT, FT), steals, efficiency, +/-, minutes, rebounds (off, def, total), etc.

Can you please post this, at least by the day the regular season ends? I don't think an extra game or two will change much.

 

[MHSL82]

Can you please post this, at least by the day the regular season ends? I don't think an extra game or two will change much.

It's an Excel spreadsheet. I can send it to your email, but I'm not sure about here. I want to make it more user-friendly (as in change some cells). Will do so Wednesday night. I don't have a chart to post.

 

[MHSL82]

What he needs to match his best span of:

[Removed for Length]

I'm hoping for 9 at least. Would be happily surprised with 14. Not at all expecting 17. Needs at least 5.

Boo. He got 7. I wanted 8 or 9, because then he'd have the highest 14 game span of his short career. He can still do it tomorrow.

Here's what he needs tomorrow:

1 game - 16
2 game - 16
3 - 16
4 - 13
5 - 16
6 - 8
7 - 3
8 - 4
9 - 9
10 - 10
11 - 3
12 - 5
13 - 7
14 - 6
15 - 6
16 - 6
17 - 11
18 - 14
19 - 15
20 - 14
21 - 13
22 - 17
23 - 18
24 - 16
25 - 19
40 - 17
41 - 19

I'm hoping for 11, would be happily surprised for 14, and he needs at least 6 so he can have his best 16 game span to end the season. Getting the unrealistic 17 would give him his best 40 game span.

 

[MHSL82]

Good website for news and quotes. It has many different athletes, but this one is for Trey Burke: HoopsHype - Trey Burke Rumors

 

[MHSL82]

Q AND A: TREY BURKE

When you've won a state championship in high school as a junior, been named Mr. Basketball in Ohio as a senior, and led the University of Michigan to the national championship game as a sophomore, losing 40+ games as an NBA rookie can be a shock to the system.

Yet Utah's Trey Burke is getting better, not worse, as the Jazz's long season nears its end. His first season in the pros has not been a smooth one -- he missed most of the first month of the season recovering from a broken finger, and he's struggled to find a consistent shot. But he's displaying some of the same leadership skills running the team that were on display at Northland High in Columbus -- where Burke played for Coach Satch Sullinger, the father of his best friend and then-teammate, Celtics forward Jared Sullinger -- and at Michigan, where Burke played alongside Tim Hardaway, Jr., now with the Knicks, and where he became an all-America as a sophomore, winning the Wooden Award and being named AP College Basketball Player of the year. But those accolades, and $4.50, will get Burke a mocha frappachino and little else in the pros.

At an alleged 6 feet, Burke is still figuring out how to get his shot off in traffic, and how to guard the NBA's elite point guards. It's a nightly education in learning how to defend the pick and roll, "and the high frequency that he's playing the pick and roll in this league, compared to where he was last year, and the difference in his position and where to play it, and the consistency that he has to fight his way through it," Jazz Coach Tyrone Corbin says. "And can he generate the pace that we're looking for, while he has to put the effort in at the defensive end? He's learning a lot this year."

Me: It's been about a year since you went on that run at Michigan to the national championship game. You think about the final game at all? (Michigan lost to Louisville, 82-76, despite Burke going 7 of 11 en route to a game-high 24 points.)

TB: Yeah, from time to time. And it's not even like I think about just that game, because obviously we wanted to win. I think just about that whole week, that whole experience, that whole Final Four experience, our whole fan base coming to Atlanta, all of our families coming there. It was just a great time. We all had a great time.

Me: I'm sure you spoke with Jared [Sullinger] before the season began about what the adjustment would be from the college to the pro game. Has it been anything near what you thought?

TB: Pretty much. He told me a lot, coming into the NBA, the main thing was the strenuous schedule, and the travel. He told me it was similar to college, but it's another level, times two. I didn't know how to prepare for that, because you really can't prepare your body and your mind, more importantly, for that. Right now I'm just trying to get as much rest as I can, especially at this point of the season. We're having some back to backs coming up, and this is a long road. It's important for us to make sure we're getting rest.

Me: What is the toughest thing you've found so far about running a team?

TB: The toughest thing about running a team, right now, would be playing through mistakes. At Michigan, I was so accustomed to being adjusted already to the system. Coming into this new system, and asking to find out how I can be effective in this system as well is the biggest thing right now. And I'm getting better at it. My balance is coming along, to where I need to attack, and when I need to get somebody else the ball. I think it's all a read and a learning process.

Me: Do you find there's extra pressure on any point guard who plays in Utah because of the standard John Stockton set there?

TB: I think so, to a certain extent. The fans do a great job, I think, of embracing anybody who comes to Utah, including myself. They've already embraced me and shown me a lot of support. I think there is some pressure with the standard Stockton set, and him being the all-time assist and steals leader in the NBA. When you've got a guy that's the all-time assist leader and steals leader, you've definitely got to come in and try to, not fill his shoes, but you've got to come in and produce. That's what they're expecting. They've seen one of the greatest point guards come through this franchise. To me, I'm going to continue to still work hard to get the most out of my game.

Me: Harder to run the pick and roll, or defend it?

TB: Defending it, by far. It's easier running it because I think if you're slow in the mind and really understand the pick and roll, and know how to make those reads, and for most guards, they do. That's why they're in this league. For any guard, it's even harder to guard it. You've got a guy like [Washington's] John Wall running, coming downhill, full speed. For me, if he's coming downhill at me, I've got to go under [the screen] and try to meet him, and my big's gotta help me contest him at the rim. It's tough, because you have to be able to stop that guy from getting in the paint, and the more the guard's in the paint the more it's going to open up for everybody else.

Me: Who has really worn you out on it this season?

TB: Chris Paul and Tony Parker, I would say, in the pick and roll specifically. I've played against, pretty much, all the guards, and there are some real tough guards in this league. But I think those two, in the pick and roll. Because, for one, they get the ball so low. Like, once they come off the screen, it's a 5- , 6-foot jumper for them. And if the big comes up, it's a lob to Blake [Griffin] or whoever it may be.

Me: How do you keep from getting discouraged if you really get handled out there?

TB: Just keep playing. There has been some nights like that, where guys were just having their way in the pick and roll, and we were losing and things like that. Coming from college and not being used to losing as much, I had to learn to just play through mistakes, watching a lot of film off the court as well. Just learning to learn and raise my (basketball) IQ.

Me: Your best shooting percentages on the floor all are on the left side of the floor. Are teams looking to get you to your right hand?

TB: Yeah, I think so. I think some teams force me left, not knowing that's really the side I like going to. [But] even if they force me right, that's my strong hand. So that's good either way. For me, it's just making the read. Coming off that screen, if the shot is there, taking it. And if the guy comes up, making that pocket pass, that skip pass. It's all about really just making the right play.

Me: Almost all of your perimeter scoring is on mid-range shots. You know this league is pushing everyone to shoot 3-pointers, especially corner threes. Is that something you'll be working on, or will you stick with what you're doing now?

TB: I think it's just, I don't necessarily think that that's a shot I get a lot in the game, the corner three. Unless Gordon [Hayward] is coming off the screen and I'm in the corner, that's pretty much the only time I'm going to get that shot. Certain times when I'm working out or I'm at practice, I'm working on those mid-range shots, coming off the screen, in transition, floaters and things like that. I think that's going to be big for me, being able to knock down that mid-range shot, finishing in the paint.

Me: You got the in-between game going yet? That's really what makes guys like Paul and Parker impossible to guard.

TB: I think so. I think, for me, it's shot selection. I've got the in-between game, but sometimes, I may take a shot that may not be there, necessarily. And I think that's why my percentages are as low as they are right now. For me, I've got to continue to make the right play, take the shot when the defense gives me the shot, basically make the right reads out there.

Me: I read where you spoke with Ray Allen before the Heat game, and he told you how important it was to get a pregame routine and stick with it. Has that helped?

TB: It's helped a lot, tremendously. Ever since then, I've been getting here early, working out, and then working out at the regular time afterwards, before the games. I think it's allowing me to get on a consistent routine. I think it's going to take me a long way, hopefully. It's pretty hard [to parcel time]. It's getting more comfortable for me now, 'cause I'm getting used to the road, what it's like on the road. A lot of times, we get into these cities, and we've already practiced, so pretty much our whole day is to ourselves. So, for me, I try to take a nap. I bring my video games on the road. Just try to kill time so I'm not tired the next day doing too much.

Me: How much did the win over Miami help you, and can that carry over during a long, losing season?

TB: Absolutely. It's a confidence booster, I think, for anybody. They're the defending champions, two-peated, with LeBron, obviously. Coming into Utah, pretty much everybody expected us to lose, and I think that's why we ended up winning. We played hard for 48 minutes, and we did what we needed to do at the defensive end. It affected our offense.

 

[MHSL82]

Me: What is coach Corbin in your ear about every day?

TB: Pace. Coach Corbin is on me a lot about my pace, and changing speeds, things like that. That's something that I'm going to work on a lot this summer, getting faster, getting stronger, running the team. When the team is breaking down, being that vocal leader, even though I am a rookie. Bring the guys together, get them going. It's all going to come along, and my teammates let me lead.

Me: Have their been any moments like that when, whether it was Richard [Jefferson] or one of the other vets, you had to say 'I know what you see, but I have to make this decision?'

TB: There hasn't been a moment where I just called them out or anything like that. The vets, they do a great job listening. That's the good thing about this team. We don't have any veterans that are just like, not going to listen to a younger guy, because they have all the answers. They're going to let you talk. They're going to let you learn through your mistakes, and they're going to encourage you more than anything. That's a confidence booster.

 

[MHSL82]

I'm not going to copy and paste the whole interview here because it was from so long ago (a year). But I do think it had some good things in it.

Scout.com: Slip Surprised Burke, but Happy with Outcome

 

[MHSL82]

This site is even better more articles on Trey Burke; Look at the headlines and see if the interest you: Trey Burke Archive - Salt City Hoops

 

[MHSL82]

Silly Stuff: Trey Burke, realizing he has a tongue. - Imgur

 

[MHSL82]

Any of these comparisons ring true?:

Utah Jazz: Trey Burke hopes to emulate A.I. — except for the hair | Deseret News

Trey Burke Similarity Scores | Hickory-High

 

[MHSL82]

I love having this guy as our point guard: Trey Burke on the Rookie Challenge.

Sorry for how old this is, but I wanted to post it.

One of the similar vein: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/heatzone/2013/12/16/24-seconds-with-utah-pg-trey-burke/

 

[MHSL82]

I will later post stats on how he hit the rookie wall, but for now here's a quote from him: As for the rest of his season, Burke said, "I think it's going up and down, but for the most part pretty well. It's a learning process for me right now. I'm playing pretty good on certain nights and pretty mediocre to average on other nights. So I think I'm looking for consistency. The biggest challenge for me is the strenuous schedule, the amount of games that you play and the amount of travel, going from college to the NBA.''

Think he's kidding? Friday's game against the Cavs will be the first of six in nine days for the Jazz, covering 4,895 miles round trip.

Utah rookie Trey Burke returns home to Ohio to face the Cleveland Cavaliers | cleveland.com

 

[MHSL82]

I'm not a fan of tattoos, but this was a good description if his tattoos: Get to Know?Trey Burke?s Ink | jazzfanatical

 

[MHSL82]

While it is true that the Jazz did not pick MCW and that Burke was picked two pick ahead, I don't think it really is a slight to MCW that Trey was picked earlier when the team that picked him wasn't picking a point guard. Minnesota just wanted to trade the pick. If we had wanted Carter-Williams, Minnesota would've picked him. If Burke was available at our pick, we wouldn't have traded for him. So MCW can be mad at Utah, but as an overall draft pick, I think it isn't as big of slight that Burke came first.

In loss, MCW won rookie PG battle vs. Trey Burke | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia

 

[MHSL82]

Sort of on topic with the draft: SportsMonday Column: The Pistons needed to draft Trey Burke - The Michigan Daily

 

[MHSL82]

One more in the same vein: Yashinsky: Trey Burke is Thriving in Utah While Pistons' Caldwell-Pope Is Not  ?  Deadline Detroit