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Sacramento Kings Report Card: Anthony Tolliver

By Tyler Watts

Jan 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Anthony Tolliver (43) after a three point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Anthony Tolliver (43) after a three point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Adreian Payne (33) attempts a slam dunk as Sacramento Kings forward Anthony Tolliver (43) defends. Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) look on during the second half at Target Center. The Kings won 123-117. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Adreian Payne (33) attempts a slam dunk as Sacramento Kings forward Anthony Tolliver (43) defends. Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) look on during the second half at Target Center. The Kings won 123-117. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

DEFENSE: Grade- B-

Anthony Tolliver’s traditional defensive stats are not eye-popping either.  He averaged 3.7 rebounds, 0.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 1.7 personal fouls a game this season.  Even if we extrapolate those to per-36 numbers, they are not unusual traditional numbers.

The traditional statistics were not high, but let us look at the advanced metrics to see if they tell a different story.  Tolliver earned positive 0.8 defensive win shares this season.  That number alone drove me into the B’s with his grade.  The Kings were a bad defensive team this season so for Tolliver to earn a positive defensive win shares number was impressive.

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Tolliver for his career has been a good on-ball defender and can guard his man without producing significant statistical outputs.  That often leaves his defense underrated to the average NBA fan, but I believe he earned a B- for his defensive play this season.

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