Heading into the All-Star break, Russell Westbrook has 27 triple-doubles through 57 games. Which have been his most memorable so far?
The triple-double has been one of the benchmarks for outstanding single-game dominance since basketball statistics evolved beyond point-tracking. Despite the increase in pace and possessions per game, notching double-digit figures in three statistical categories is more than just a blip on the nightly radar.
The poster child for that achievement for the last 50 years has been Oscar Robertson, aka Mr. Triple-Double. Russell Westbrook is trying to erase that image as he paints over it with a Jackson Pollack approach, throwing his body across the canvas each and every night, with this year being his Number 5.
Not unlike Pollack, when Westbrook is at his most eccentric and active, good things happen. The Oklahoma City Thunder are 21-6 when Westbrook records a triple-double this season. And no, it’s certainly not the most efficient season ever recorded, but it does have a certain likeability because of the sheer will Westbrook exhibits on a night-to-night basis.
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Sure, Westbrook hunts for offensive rebounds at the expense of getting back sometimes, but when he skies among seven-footers to snag an extra possession for his team, that’s a boost. And it was also a part of Scott Brooks’ scheme, a point he explained on ESPN’s podcast hosted by Zach Lowe, The Lowe Post.
It seems Billy Donovan hasn’t changed that, and if anything, has encouraged Westbrook to go get more rebounds, understanding that if the ball is already in your lead ball handler’s mitts, there’s no outlet pass and the ball gets up the floor quicker and with less risk.
With all of that being said, let’s look back on Russell Westbrook’s five most memorable triple-doubles so far this year that double as Thunder wins.