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Trendon Watford does best Ben Simmons impression in career-best game vs. Raptors
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- Trendon Watford does best Ben Simmons impression in career-best game vs. Raptors
The post Trendon Watford does best Ben Simmons impression in career-best game vs. Raptors appeared first on ClutchPoints .
After cobbling together minutes with two-way players like Dominik Barlow and Jabari Walker at the power forward spot as Paul George recovers from a knee injury, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to give Trendon Watford the nod at starting power forward in their first game back in black, gold, and red jerseys, and were immediately rewarded for that decision with a career-best two-way barrage.
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Taking the court against a Toronto Raptors team that just took care of the Atlanta Hawks the night before, the excitement in South Philadelphia was at an all-time high, with a returning Hip-Hop teaming up with Franklin for a mascot one-two punch as the 2000-01 team was celebrated on the court and throughout the game. Watford, taking the court alongside his good friend Tyrese Maxey , came out of the gate hot and turned in an all-time great effort at the power forward spot, scoring 20 points, a career-high 17 rebounds, and 10 assists on the way to his first-ever triple-double .
Goodness, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward-sized player dishing out passes and bringing in rebounds on the regular? Is it too soon to compare that to Ben Simmons ? Considering Watford has already made four 3-pointers in six games of action, that might not be the perfect comp.
Now granted, this is just one game. Watford hasn't played this well in any of the other games he's played in so far this season, and is still working his way back from a hamstring injury he suffered in the preseason. He could fall back to earth in the 76ers' next game against the Detroit Pistons and may be relegated to the bench regardless of when PG returns to the starting lineup in the future. Still, if Watford is stuffing the stat sheet with points, assists, and rebounds while knocking down the occasional 3 when he's open, he will be a top-9 player on the 76ers alongside Quentin Grimes , Jared McCain , and Adem Bona , and will have every opportunity to contribute for Nick Nurse's squad.
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