By Josh Cohen July 7, 2016
ORLANDO – If we came up with an All-Defensive Team from the 2016 Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League, Devyn Marble would be assured a spot. In fact, he’d probably win Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Marble delivered an all-around terrific performance with 21 points and six assists in the Orlando Magic Blue’s 96-94 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. But, it was his five steals and relentlessness on the defensive end that was perhaps most impressive.
“I’m always going to come out and defend, that’s like second nature to me,” Marble said. “I just come out with the same energy and intensity and focus and then try to create plays through the defensive end that can help flow us into transition and get us some easy buckets.”
Marble showed in his first two years with the Magic – though he split time between the big league club and the team’s D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, that he is an outstanding defender with high level instincts and versatility. He guards multiple positions and is as pesky and disruptive as any defender in the league.
Expanding his overall offensive repertoire – particularly improving his 3-point shooting and making a more concerted effort to draw fouls – is the next big step for Marble’s development.
“Just trying to find ways to score the ball,” he said. “Just trying to get easy buckets and hopefully that will open up my 3-point shooting.”
Nick Johnson also had a solid game for the Magic Blue squad. He finished with 19 points and nine assists and he buried a critical 3-pointer with 45.3 seconds remaining to put Orlando ahead by five.
The Magic moved the ball well – accentuated by their 24 team assists – and they pummeled the Mavs in the paint.
Down two, Dallas came up with a steal on Orlando’s final possession in the closing seconds. However, time expired before it can get a shot up.
Vander Blue led the Mavs with 17 points, while Marquis Teague and Andre Dawkins each scored 14 and Jaleel Cousins, brother of DeMarcus Cousins, had 12 points. Tyler Honeycutt grabbed 13 rebounds.
