Devyn Marble gets his playing time in Erie
Devyn Marble‘s injury at the beginning of the season hampered his development. The rookie got that time in a short stint in Erie and returned ready.
Devyn Marble had not really played much since he became a member of the Magic. It is tough for any second rounder to crack the rotation, even with one with so many young players.
Things only got tougher for Marble after receiving spot minutes here and there throughout the course of the early season. He suffered a rotator cuff injury in a November game against Minnesota and was forced to sit out practice.
For a rookie that was still very much trying to make his way into the NBA, this time on the shelf was very difficult. He was losing game experience and practice experience. He had to sit and learn, waiting his turn. That can be tough for anyone.
The Magic obviously liked Marble enough to direct the Nuggets to select him with the 56th overall pick. The Magic have mined the second round for solid players in the past — Kyle O’Quinn and Romero Osby, who was on the verge of making the NBA last year after playing for the Celtics’ D-League squad in Maine.
The time finally came to send Marble to the D-League and get him the experience and game time he needed.
“I thought Devyn had been playing really well before he got injured,” Jacque Vaughn said before Friday’s game. “Us sending him to Erie was to just get him playing time. I think he would admit he didn’t play great. I think he would admit it was good to be back on the floor. He did some good things in passing the basketball. I thought he had a good feel when he was on the floor. I think he would say, when I asked him, he has a lot to work on. That’s a good sign as well.”
This would be the Magic’s first foray into using their D-League affiliate in Erie, Pa. Marble got two games in Erie, a sort of get-your-feet-wet appearance. Marble indeed had his ups and downs in his two-game stint in Erie.
He scored 40 points in two games with Erie, shooting 37.8 percent and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc. He added 4.5 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists per game, showing off the versatility that made him an enticing prospect.
Obviously he did plenty of shooting and scoring. Defensively it is harder to gauge where Marble was. He obviously filled his box score too. That is ultimately what Marble can potentially be too.
The most important goal was accomplished. Marble got into the game and got to play.
“I was able to play and go out there and get some of my wind back and get in game shape,” Marble said. “No matter what you do on a treadmill or a bike, it’s nothing like playing in a game. That was good for me.”
Marble was supposed to play a third game in Erie but got sick. He returned to Orlando on New Years’ Eve and was officially called back up to the team before Friday’s game.
There was going to have to be another feeling out period. But Magic coach Jacque Vaughn sped that process up some. After playing in only five minutes in five previous appearances, Marble played more than 20 minutes in Friday’s loss to the Nets, including the majority of the fourth quarter as the Magic made a frenzied comeback.
Vaughn had Marble guarding seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson down the stretch. And Marble came up big defensively, which is where he is expected to earn his stripes.
“That is the important thing. He wasn’t just strictly concerned about his offense also,” Vaughn said. “So he gave us some life on the defensive end of the floor. He stepped up to the challenge of guarding an All-Star [Joe Johnson], and life must be good. You come back from Erie and come back and play 21 minutes flat. Life’s good. ”
Life certainly is good. Or it was.
NBA rotations are notoriously fickle. So how does Marble stay in the league and stay in the Magic’s rotation?
Defense will be a calling card for this young player. He was always a do-it-all player at Iowa in college. And defense is certainly a big part of that.
“I just wanted to come out there and play defense,” Marble said. “That is something coach told me. He doesn’t care what I do offensively just as long as I am playing defense, I am good to go.”
Marble did that in his first stint. He struggled a bit more against the Hornets on Saturday. He was on the floor as the Magic went on their offensive struggle of a nine-point second quarter.
He said his stint in the D-League was beneficial for him. He would not have been as successful Friday if he had not gotten that experience. Really he needed that time to get his game rhythm back after missing so much time with his rotator cuff injury.
Marble still has to get accustomed to playing with his Magic teammates. That will come as he practices more and plays more. Right now both Vaughn and his teammates have faith in him.
“I think my my teammates believe in me,” Marble said. “They give me a lot of support when I do play. I just try to come out and do the best I can.”
Marble just has to perform now.