The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets are all tied up at a game apiece in their first-round playoff series, and not surprisingly we already have some off-court trash talking going on. Following the second game, Nets forward Jared Dudley said Sixers star Ben Simmons is “average” when it comes to playing half court.
On Thursday, Simmons was asked about that comment, and he responded by pretty much saying anything Jared Dudley says is irrelevant.
For what it’s worth, Dudley didn’t even see the court in Game 2 while he dealt with a calf injury. He did play 28 minutes in Game 1, and Brooklyn clearly benefited from his defensive presence in that game.
Simmons, on the other hand, went off in Game 2 with a triple-double: 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, along with two steals.
That said, what Dudley said isn’t exactly out there. Simmons still has plenty of work to do in his half-court game — mainly in terms of shooting — before he’ll be considered an elite all-around player.
Chances are, we haven’t heard the last out of Dudley, or Simmons, on this matter.