J-Speaks: The Historic Triple-Double March of Russell Westbrook

It has been over five decades since an NBA player has garnered a triple-double for a single season since Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson did it back in the 1961-62 season. Coming into this season, no player in NBA history has garnered more triple-doubles in a single-season since Mr. Robertson did it also in the 1961-62 NBA campaign with 41. Second to him is the late great Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlin’s 31 triple-double in the 1967-68 season. With what MVP candidate of the Oklahoma City Thunder Russell Westbrook has done in recent games, he is on the verge of breaking both of those records, while also moving up the charts in terms of the most triple-doubles all-time in the history of the NBA.

In the month of March, Westbrook garnered nine triple-doubles to give him 39 on the season, just two shy of tying Robertson’s record for most triple-doubles in a single season and three away from breaking the record.

In the Thunder’s (43-32) 114-106 win at the Orlando Magic (27-50), where they overcame a franchise record 21-point deficit on Wednesday night, Westbrook recorded his 38^th triple-double on the season with 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists on 21 for 40 from the field, including 6 for 15 from three-point range and 9 for 11 from the foul line.

The 57 points not only set the Magic franchise record an opposing player, Westbrook recorded the 10^th 50-plus point triple-double in NBA history and he also joined Houston Rockets guard James Harden, and Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, and Chamberlin to register two 50-plus point triple-doubles in their careers. Westbrook and Harden are the only two players to register 50-plus point triple-doubles in the same season.

The most recent triple-double by Westbrook came in a 100-95 loss versus the San Antonio Spurs (58-17), where he registered 32 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists for as mentioned earlier No. 39 on the season 76 for his career. 

In terms of all-time triples-doubles in NBA history, only Robertson (181), Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson (138), Jason Kidd (107) and Wilt Chamberlin have more than the previously mentioned 76 of Westbrook. 

The Thunder this season are 31-8 on the season when Westbrook registers a triple-double and are 65-11 in Westbrook’s eight-year career when he registers a triple-double.

Former Magic center, Hall of Famer and NBATV/NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal said on the late Thursday edition of “Gametime,” that he had never seen a player like him.

He continued by saying, “The tenacity night in and night out. A lot of people speculated because of the departure of Kevin Durant that these guys [the Thunder] would not make the playoffs. Russell Westbrook in my opinion is the favorite for the MVP.”

Back on Mar. 22 in the Thunder’s 122-97 victory versus the Philadelphia 76ers, Westbrook garnered his 35^th triple-double of the season with 18 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

He was a perfect 6 for 6 from the field and 6 for 6 from the charity stripe. He became the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double without missing a shot attempt or a free throw, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

What made this triple-double even more remarkable is Westbrook did not take a three-pointer in the game. That is the first time since March 14, 2016, something he said after the game that he was not aware that he had not missed a shot.

“I was just trying to play, trying to take my time,” the All-Star guard said. “I’ve been watching some film, trying to pick my spots better. I found ways to continue to get my teammates involved throughout the game and it just happened that way.”

To bring into clearer context what Westbrook has done this season in terms of garnering this high number of triple-doubles, he has registered 21 triple-doubles while scoring 30 points or more. The entire NBA has a combined total of five of that nature.

In the history of the NBA, Robertson is the all-time leader in 40-plus point triple-doubles with 22 in his career. Second behind him is Westbrook with eight. Harden is tied for third with Chamberlin with seven, and all of Harden’s have come this season.

To break down Westbrook’s 39 triple-doubles even further he has four of them when he has scored between 10 and 19 points. He has registered 14 triple-doubles when he has scored between 20 and 29 points and another 14 when he has scored between 30 and 39 points. Westbrook has recorded seven triple-doubles when he has scored 40-plus points this season.

It seemed very farfetched that anyone could ever garner over 40 triple-doubles in a single-season, let alone average double-figures in points, rebounds, and assists. That is what Russell Westbrook is on the verge of doing if he garners three more triple-doubles in the Thunder’s final seven games of the season and baring the unthinkable of him missing a game, which he has not this season will become the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double.

The most important thing for Westbrook throughout this magical season for him individually is that he has led the Thunder back to the playoffs, as they reside in the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference and stand just 2 ½ games behind the Los Angeles Clippers (47-31) for the No. 5 spot in the West.

It is the same approach to the game that Robertson took when he played and said as much to host of ESPN's NBA: The Jump Rachel Nichols in a interview over the weekend.

"Honestly, I didn't even know I was doing the triple-double at all," Mr. Robertson said. "No one ever mentioned anything about it. I thought everybody played the same way. I thought everybody was trying to get rebounds. Get assists and try to help the team win. I guess I was doing a little bit more than others, but I had no knowledge of it what so ever."  

When this season began, the question was could Russell Westbrook be the unquestioned leader and led the Thunder back to the postseason? He has answered that with as loud of a “Yes!!!” As loud of a sound as a thunderous dunk you see him pull off in a game when he is in the open court and if the Thunder remain in the No. 6 spot by season’s end, they would meet the No. 3 Seeded Rockets and Harden in the opening round. That would be a must see first-round series between the two leading candidates for MVP.

As far as when he joins Mr. Robertson in terms of being the second player in league history to average a triple-double for the season and breaking the single-season mark for the most triple-doubles, Mr. Robertson said to Nichols, "I'll congratulate him. I think it's wonderful."

"I didn't know I had the record to be honest, so this is where I am. My game is behind me. Whatever I did in those days is fine. This is the new age. People want to see great stars play. They want to see guys get triple-doubles and shoot three-point shots. They want highlights."

Well Russell Westbrook has provided a high number of those this season and his career and received the greatest compliment from one of the pillars of the NBA game when Mr. Robertson said to Nichols about him, "I think he's done a lot for basketball this year."

"I think he's a great athlete. He's tenacious. He's so quick up and down the floor. I just hope he doesn't wear out." 

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 3/2/17 10:30 p.m. contest Oklahoma City Thunder versus Portland Trail Blazers on TNT with Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller, and David Aldridge; 3/20/17 2 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by State Farm with Kristen Ledlow, Dennis Scott and Milt Newton; 3/30/17 2 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Rick Kamla, Dennis Scott and Shaquille O’Neal; 4/2/17 12:30 p.m. edition of "NBA Countdown," presented by Straight Talk Wireless on ABC with Michelle Beadle and Jalen Rose; report from Rachel Nichols www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/3468/russell-westbrook; www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3468/russell-westbrook; www.nba.com/games/20170316/OKCTOR#/recap and www.espn.com/nba/standings.