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Detroit Pistons: Regular Season Grades – Centers

By Ti Windisch

Andre Drummond embodying the Pistons' regular season and powering through obstacles. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Andre Drummond embodying the Pistons' regular season and powering through obstacles. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Pistons center Joel Anthony (50) goes for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers forward Jerami Grant (39) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Pistons center Joel Anthony (50) goes for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers forward Jerami Grant (39) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Joel Anthony – C

I came really close to giving Anthony an incomplete instead of a C based on him only playing 389 minutes for Detroit this season but he did end up in 48 games for the Pistons and I decided that was enough, based on my arbitrary and completely subject to change parameters for incomplete grades. Based on what he did in those 48 games, I believe Anthony deserves his grade.

Detroit is lucky Andre Drummond is such a rock at the center position. He hasn’t missed a single game and has played more than 30 minutes per game, meaning between having Drummond and being able to slide power forward Greg Monroe up to the center position, Van Gundy hasn’t had to play Anthony much.

This is good, because he isn’t a player who should see more than a few minutes per contest.

Joel Anthony is 6’9″. That’s not even a tall small forward these days, much less big enough to be an imposing center. This is my biggest knock on Anthony. Any center worth their salt will punish the Pistons by attacking the paint relentlessly if Anthony sees major minutes at that position.

If you’re thinking “but wait Ti, what if Anthony is a small-ball center who can help Detroit space the floor” you’re unfortunately mistaken.  He’s literally never attempted a three-point shot in his seven-season career. If he is a good three-point shooter, he’s even better at hiding it.

That being said, Anthony did shoot a career-high 58.3 percent from the field this season, which is pretty good. Considering the limited minutes he saw, Anthony did OK. His per game stats are very underwhelming, but his per 36 numbers are solid.

Season Tm Pos G MP FGA FG% FTA FT% TRB STL BLK TOV PF PTS
2014-15 DET C 48 389 5.6 .583 2.0 .682 8.1 1.0 4.4 0.9 4.9 7.9

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/15/2015.

If Anthony put up that statline in 36 minutes, I think Pistons fans would be thrilled. Of course he hasn’t been in a situation like that this year, but it’s important to put statistics in context. For a center who only needs to play a couple of minutes if he’s needed at all, those numbers are good enough.

And that’s really why Anthony gets his C grade. He didn’t perform poorly enough to where I would say he needs to be replaced, and he didn’t perform well enough to deserve a promotion either. Anthony was solid in his role; no more, no less.

Next: Drummond Continues To Impress

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