Stat Chat: MP3 to MVP?

It was the moment I was waiting for. With 10:26 left in the first half, Marshall Plumlee stealthily worked his way behind the defender and blocked Talib Zanna. I jumped off my couch and decided it's time; it's time to write about Zoubek 2.0 one more time for the loyal Stat Chat readers.

MP3 has played very well the past few games while playing fairly minimal minutes. Before we get too ahead of ourselves with comparisons, let's take a look at the youngest Plumlee's numbers the past two games compared to his season totals:

VS FSU - 12 min, 2-for-5 FG (3-for-4 FT), seven points, seven rebounds (seven offensive)
VS Pitt - 12 min, 0-for-1 FG (0-0 FT), 0 points, four rebounds (one offensive)
2013/14 - 7.4 mpg, 7-for-13 FG (3-for-11 FT), 1.0 ppg, 29 rebounds (17 offensive)

Marshall's game has really come together nicely the past few contests. Focusing on the Florida State game, Marshall's seven offensive rebounds set the tone. MP3's work on the glass led to a 3-pointer and and a dunk. He even managed to make not one, not two, but three free-throws in a row, the first free throws made in his career. Throw in an additional five minutes of playing time per game and Marshall has actually started to play at a relatively high level.

For weeks, many have demanded Marshall play more. After all, his height is an immediate boost to a team that desperately needs help rebounding the basketball. The Blue Devils rank 175th in the country in rebounding overall. Offensively, Duke relies so heavily on 3-point baskets that the team requires offensive rebounding in order to keep plays alive. Marshall has shown that he can help the team in limited minutes, and with the additional playing time, who knows how much he could help this team.

A few years ago, I wrote about why Miles Plumlee, despite some great performances during the regular season, was never going to have the impact Brian Zoubek did in 2010. Miles had just scored 13 points and snagged 22 rebounds in the best game of the oldest Plumlee's career; however, Miles, despite setting a record for most rebounds by a player in the Mike Krzyzewski era, was never going to secure a spot in the starting lineup; nor would he maintain that kind of offensive production for the remainder of the season (to be fair, he did score in double digits two more times, but you get my point).

With MP3, I see much more more potential to become that X factor player. I know, Miles was a better college player and actually has been playing well for the Phoenix Suns, but Marshall has a much better chance of cracking into the starting lineup. Am I saying I believe he'll have a Zoubek-esque impact? No; I'm not ready to go that far. However, given additional minutes in bigger ACC contest, such as Saturday against Syracuse, MP3 may turn out to be Duke's MVP.