Detroit Pistons: Regular Season Grades – Power Forwards
By Ti Windisch
Welcome to the second portion of my six-part series, your Detroit Pistons Regular Season Grades. We’ll go through all five positions and also Stan Van Gundy’s performance as head coach and president of the Pistons (that one is kind of a two-for-one deal).
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For this series I’m going to grade the player’s season in general, based on their offensive and defensive performance over the course of the season. The grades will be on your typical A+ through F scale, with incomplete also being an option. I’ll only be judging a player’s performance in Detroit for their grade.
If they were traded partially into the season, their work with their former team doesn’t factor into my decision. We’re all about the Pistons here.
This time around we’re going to go through the Pistons’ collection of power forwards, starting with fan-favorite Greg Monroe, then thrice-removed Splash Cousin Anthony Tolliver and finally wrap things up with the young Quincy Miller.
Greg Monroe – A
Although the power forward also known in Detroit affectionately as Moose may soon be heading to New York after not reaching a contract deal with Stan Van Gundy last offseason, he managed to stay focused in his time with the Pistons and had a great season.
Let’s take a look at Monroe’s per 100 possessions statistics from his last two seasons to get a more complete look at how his game has evolved.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/2015.
Moose is clearly just beginning to enter into his prime, and his increases in almost every statistical category over the past two seasons prove it. The only spots where he noticeably declined were games played and started (and of course no player has control over injuries: they just happen) and turnovers per 100 possessions.
His 0.1 percent drop in field goal percentage and 0.1 less block per 100 possessions aren’t even really noteworthy; it’s not like anyone can watch a game and notice a player blocking 0.1 less shots per 100 possessions.
Meanwhile, Monroe’s points, personal fouls, steals, assists, both offensive and defensive rebounds, free throws per game, free throw percentage and his offensive and defensive ratings all improved this season. It’s pretty apparent he’s progressed as a player both offensively and defensively and should only consider to do so as his career goes on.
If Moose had managed to stay healthy and fit in better with Van Gundy’s shooter-friendly system he may have earned an A+, but unfortunately those factors are out of his control.
The only other real knock on his game is that he didn’t shoot threes, which isn’t really a knock considering the type of player Monroe is. He’s a big power forward who can also play center and bang down low with just about anybody, racking up points and rebounds along the way.
Wherever he ends up next season, Detroit or otherwise, look for Moose to continue to be a beast in the paint (and in our hearts).
Anthony Tolliver – C
Anthony Tolliver is what he is; a veteran role player who can make a few threes per game and contribute some solid minutes off of the bench.
Although he did perform fairly well starting games after Moose went down with an injury and could potentially be a decent-enough stopgap at the position next season if Detroit cannot find a well-priced free agent or rookie power forward, Tolliver is meant to be a seventh or eighth man on a good team.
Tolliver was decent this season and better later in the year, but he still showed troubling signs of regression from his last full season. Although he’s only 29 and hasn’t played an abundance of minutes in his career, Tolliver’s statistical slide is not a good sign. We’ll look at the per 100 possessions statistics again to account for differing minutes per games over his last two seasons.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/21/2015.
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At first it seems like a great line for Tolliver considering his points, blocks, steals, assists and rebounds per 100 and both his field goal and two-point percentages increased since last season. Unfortunately, those statistics do not tell the true story.
The vast majority of Tolliver’s shots (more than 70 percent in his time with the Pistons) come from long range, and Tolliver had a rough year from behind the arc in Detroit.
He made just 36 percent of his threes with the Pistons after making more than 41 percent of them in Charlotte, a rough five-plus point drop. Tolliver would’ve been better served to stick with the two-pointers, considering he connected on a career-high 58.2 percent of them in Detroit. His offensive rating also dropped, likely due to the plethora of missed threes.
That great percentage from in front of the arc in addition to his other statistical increases would’ve been enough for me to cave and give Tolliver a high C or low B despite his slump from three-point territory, but his defense dropped him significantly as well.
He posted a team-low (among qualifying players) 109 defensive rating and also failed to get many blocks or steals. That weak defense lowers him substantially in my ratings.
Quincy Miller – Incomplete
This one made my life easy. Quincy Miller appeared in just four games with Detroit after the team signed him to a series of 10-day contracts, and played just 58 minutes in total. He didn’t make many shots and his statistical impact is very slight at this point, but he hasn’t gotten a fair enough shot for me to criticize him for what he’s done.
Hopefully Van Gundy decides to give him more of a shot next season to show us all what he’s capable of.
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