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Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook Is Setting A New Standard

By Jerran Anderson

Dec 5, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) celebrates a three-point basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) is shown on the play in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Thunder won 102-99. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) celebrates a three-point basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha (25) is shown on the play in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Thunder won 102-99. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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When Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors, he may have motivated his old counterpart Russell Westbrook in the process.

The 2016-17 NBA season is well underway and point guard Russell Westbrook is setting a new standard with his play. The Oklahoma City Thunder have won six of their last seven games.

Westbrook has also tied Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson with seven straight triple-doubles, the second longest streak in NBA history. It is the first triple-double streak of seven games since 1989.  Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA record for the longest triple-double streak with nine.

The Thunder are 9-3 when he earns a triple-double and 9-3 when he records at least 11 assists or more and 12 rebounds or more this season. He leads the NBA in fourth quarter points with 8.6 points per game.

Westbrook is averaging a triple-double with 30.9 points, 11.3 assists and 10.8 rebounds per game. He is trying to become the first player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson did so in the 1961-62 season for the Cincinatti Royals.

Westbrook has 12 triple-doubles through 23 games for the 14-9 Thunder. To put that in perspective, the rest of the NBA has 13 triple-doubles total. Westbrook leads all active players with 48 triple-doubles.

What makes it so unique is the amount of minutes its taken Westbrook to average a triple-double. Granted, times were different in 1961, but Robertson averaged 44.3 minutes per game back when he averaged a triple-double.

Westbrook has averaged a triple-double through 35.7 minutes per contest. That’s roughly three quarters to complete the task. In fact, Westbrook has earned five triple-doubles in the first three quarters this season.

Nov 30, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Washington Wizards during overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Washington Wizards during overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Chasing History

He recorded the NBA’s first 50-point triple-double since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did so back in 1975. Not since Jason Kidd has the NBA seen someone average close to a triple-double. As the main scoring option, Westbrook is setting a new standard. He is second in the NBA in points and assists per game and ninth in rebounds per game. Westbrook is the only guard in the top 10 in rebounds.

He is one of four players with a triple-double in six straight games. And he is still chasing good company. He’s still got a long way to go to catch Oscar Robertson as well. Robertson holds the NBA record for most triple-doubles in a season with 41.

At the rate Westbrook is going, he could very well break that record. His teammates have put a lot of trust in him this season and it has shown. He has scored over 30 points and grabbed over 10 rebounds in 15 games so far this season. It bodes well for a point guard whose taken a lot of criticism for his style of play.

Raising The Bar

Russell Westbrook is second in the NBA in total assists (249) but also second in turnovers (123). On the flip-side, he still has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.02. The ninth-year guard is attempting a career-high 24.1 shots per game but is second in the NBA in field goals made. He is first in the league in shots attempted but tied for first in free throws attempted with Anthony Davis. Westbrook is attempting 10.6 free throws per game, which leads the NBA and shooting 81 percent from the free throw line.

Then there’s Westbrook on the fast break. He is first in the NBA this season in fast break points per game with 6.8, eighth in points in the paint with 11.2, and third in points off turnovers with 5.1 points per game. Ironically, Kevin Durant is first (5.2) and James Harden (4.5)  is second in points off turnovers. Hard to believe these three guys once played on the same team.

Next: 2016-17 NBA Power Rankings: Week 7

Westbrook has also found more success through defensive rebounding. He is sixth in the NBA in defensive rebounds per game with 8.7. It has a lot to do with his fast break success and getting easy points early and often. With career-highs in points, assists, and rebounds per game looming, don’t expect Westbrook to slow down anytime soon.

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