The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets have launched a full-blown trash talking war as they prepare to square off in Game 3 of their playoff series Thursday night, and Ben Simmons has fired the latest shot.
Nets forward Jared Dudley made headlines earlier in the week when he called Simmons a “great player in transition” but said he is “average” in half-court sets, and reporters asked Simmons on Thursday for his thoughts on that assessment. The Sixers star fluffed it off and essentially urged people to consider the source.
#Sixers PG @BenSimmons25 responds to Jared Dudley’s comment about the #NBAAllStar being “average” in half court. pic.twitter.com/0BQTtHOnUL
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) April 18, 2019
“It’s coming from Jared Dudley,” Simmons said. “Come on.”
Dudley is a role player who has averaged 7.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during his NBA career, so he is about as “average” as they come. While he’s not the first person to question Simmons’ jump-shooting ability, you can understand why Simmons feels the criticism is ironic.
For what it’s worth, a recent report indicated one 76ers executive may not be that confident in Simmons’ abilities, either. Still, Dudley is setting himself up to look bad if Simmons plays well against Brooklyn on Thursday night and beyond.
