76ers: Brett Brown, Al Horford Praise Alec Burks After win vs. Magic

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown and veteran big man Al Horford had nothing but good things to say about Alec Burks after win over the Magic on Friday night.

Friday night's win over the Orlando Magic wasn't a night to remember for the Philadelphia 76ers' duo of starting guards. In a combined 59 minutes of action between Shake Milton and Josh Richardson, they collectively contributed to draining just four of 17 shots from the field for a total of eleven points. 

With the way the matchup was going from the jump, it was clear it had to be a big man's game. Therefore, Joel Embiid, Al Horford, and Tobias Harris recognized the situation and stepped up in a significant way on the offensive side of the ball.

But just because the starting guards were struggling to create an impact on offense, doesn't mean somebody couldn't come off the bench and take charge. 76ers' trade deadline acquisition Alec Burks has not-so-quietly been one of the most consistent players down in the bubble for Philly.

And on Friday night against Orlando, Burks exploded for 22 points off the bench, making it hard for Brett Brown to sit him towards the end of the game when he typically would. "It got to a stage where he was playing that well, that I continued giving him minutes and didn't bring Shake Milton back in a normal rotation pattern," Brett Brown said following the game on Friday night in regards to Burks. 

"I think with Alec, his ability to dance out of a pick and roll, the notion that defensive players probably go over on him rather than under, it lets rolling opportunities happen more frequently. So you just felt confident with something as simple as a space pick and roll. Put Al or Joel in it, roll Joel and let Alec dance and space some shooters -- I mean, it was a clean and simple environment, and I thought he really was excellent."

Guys like Horford, Embiid, and Harris were confident in themselves to carry the weight of the team on Friday, but Horford did mention that they need that type of play from Burks on a game-by-game basis as it was a massive boost against Orlando.

"Alec, he just has the ability to score in bunches, and we need that," Horford stated after the game. "We need to continue to keep him involved and put him into positions where he can help us." After checking in for 27 minutes off the bench on Friday night, Burks knocked down eight of his 15 attempted shots from the field. Three of which, being from deep. The spark he created for the Sixers all throughout the night earned Burks a chance to ring the bell in the locker room following the win. And by the sounds of it, his game might've earned him some more opportunities moving forward as well. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_