This spring, former Michigan basketball star and 2013 college basketball national player of the year Trey Burke was at home without a job. Burke was waived by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he played sparingly this season, at the February trade deadline.
Now, he's one of the most integral pieces to the Dallas Mavericks' success in the Orlando NBA bubble. In four postseason games so far, Burke is averaging 13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per contest.
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His latest stellar performance came on Sunday night, when he got the call to start due to Kristaps Porziņģis being held out with an injury. In 37 minutes, Burke posted 25 points on 10-of-14 from the field and 3-of-5 from downtown with five rebounds, two steals and one assist, as the Mavs knocked off the Los Angeles Clippers in game four behind a game-winning three from second-year guard Luka Dončić.
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Also a key piece on the Mavs, former Wolverine Tim Hardaway Jr. is continuing his best NBA season of his career to date. He's raised his game in the playoffs, as well, averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per outing, including 21 points, five rebounds and one assist in the game four triumph.
The first-round series between the Mavs and Clippers is all knotted up at 2-2. Game five from Orlando will take place on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.
Caris LeVert and his Brooklyn Nets have been eliminated, after being swept in four games by the Toronto Raptors, but the former Michigan star showed out in the series. LeVert averaged 20.3 points, 9.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds during the short postseason for his club.
LeVert did everything he could to keep the Nets' season alive on Sunday night, scoring 35 points on 6-of-9 from deep and adding six rebounds and six assists, but it wasn't enough, with the Nets falling 150-22.
Former Wolverine and 20-year NBA veteran Jamal Crawford did not play for the Nets in the postseason due to a left hamstring strain he suffered on Aug. 4.
Duncan Robinson has continued his historic season into the playoffs. His Miami Heat are up 3-0 on the Indiana Pacers, and he's been a big part of the team's hot start to the postseason.
After scoring just six points in game one, Robinson went off for 24 points on 7-of-8 from three-point range in game two, becoming the one of two NBA players to make seven or more threes in a playoff game without attempting a two-pointer.
In game three on Saturday, he poured in 15 points and shot 2-for-4 from long range. Game four is set for Monday night at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
