Josh Smith Calls Kenneth Faried a Clown
By David Ramil
Josh Smith called Kenneth Faried a clown, setting off a potential NBA beef
The season has just started but all ready some beef is brewing between two middle-of-the-pack franchises.
Following the Denver Nuggets’ 89-79 opening night victory at home over the Detroit Pistons, Kenneth Faried had some choice comments about the Pistons’ Josh Smith, according to this report by The Detroit News:
"“Josh Smith, we let him keep shooting,” Faried said on the team’s website after the game. “And he ended up with 25, but he still kept shooting. He shot them out of the game.”"
That kind of strategy shouldn’t come as any surprise, especially considering Smith’s well-known reputation as low-percentage shooter from outside. Apparently, Smith didn’t take kind to the comments and blasted back with this:
"“I don’t respond to nobody with dreadlocks who plays basketball. (referring to Faried’s hairdo) He’s a clown, quote me on that.”"
Noted, Josh. Thanks.
The retort seems one based in frustration for Smith who, despite starting off decently, struggled as the game went on. He his six of his first 10 shots, but closed the night missing nine of his next 12. He finished with 25 points, leading the Pistons.
Faried had a solid night, adding 22 points to go along with yeoman-like 17 rebounds in just 27 minutes. And while The News report clearly had a pro-Smith take on the situation, it appears that Faried’s comments were – and justifiably so – based on Denver’s strategy for handling the Pistons.
Brian Shaw, the Nuggets head coach, told this to reporters before the game:
"“We have to have a rebounding mentality. (And) they have Josh Smith, who shoots a lot of threes but doesn’t shoot a high percentage.”"
The years have not been kind to Smith, who had a promising start to his career but has been lambasted over the past few seasons after signing a mega-contract (4 years, $54 million) as a free agent to join the Pistons in 2013. He shot just under 42 percent from the field last season, including 26 percent from 3-point range, and is widely regarded as one of the most inefficient and overpriced players in the league.
Smith continued with the trash talk, going on to call Faried a “Twitter or Instagram gansta.”
He also looks forward to meeting with Faried during the next match between the two teams, adding:
"“He knows it’s coming, he knows, next time we play. In order to make those comments like that, you gotta be able to back it up and we’ll see next time. I’ll have some words while I’m busting his (behind). I back it up when I talk. It’s gonna be a pretty good matchup.”"
The comments about social media would seem to indicate that Smith thinks Faried is avoiding challenging him directly, something he alluded to in the report:
"“I just laughed. It’s funny to me. No, he didn’t say nothing to me, I didn’t say nothing to him. That’s why I find it amusing. He didn’t say two words to me. Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion,” Smith said. “But do it when the game is being played and not after, when you run your mouth like that. It’s a lot of social media. I’m an older guy, I’m not on social media, Twitter, Instagram. It’s a lot of media thugs and Instagram gangstas, I would classify him in one of those categories.”"
Odd, considering Smith is older than Faried by just four short years, at 28 and 24, respectively.
The battle seems likely to continue when the two teams meet again at The Palace at Auburn Hills on February 6.