Westbrook has surpassed Oscar Robertson as the NBA’s single-season triple-double leader vs. Denver
Sunday evening, vs. the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder phenom Russell Westbrook has eclipsed Oscar Robertson as the NBA’s single-season triple-double leader.
Oklahoma City’s six-time All Star supplanted Robertson’s 55-year-old record with 4:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Now boasting 42 triple-doubles throughout his historic campaign, Westbrook owns one of professional sports’ most revered benchmark achievements.
In addition, after compiling 8 assists vs. Phoenix on Friday, the 6’3 guard joins Robertson as the only other performer in league history to amass a seasonal triple-double.
Currently, Westbrook averages 31.8 ppg, 10.7 rpg, and 10.4 apg.
With his name alone in the record books, and an Oklahoma City Thunder playoff berth complete, onlookers at Denver’s Pepsi Center heartily saluted Westbrook’s achievements.
Having started each of OKC’s 79 contests this year, when triple-doubling the 28-year-old has led the Thunder to an estimable 32-9 record. This winning touch has dispelled contrived stat-chasing narratives that have existed during Westbrook’s unparalleled run.
For his part, amid a seventh playoff-bound season, the MVP candidate downplayed media-hype surrounding what became, at times, nearly-inconceivable performances.
Further, sporting 45 wins, Westbrook and Oklahoma City are a lock for the Western Conference’s sixth-seed.
On Wednesday, Westbrook fell just one rebound shy of breaking Robertson’s mark during OKC’s dramatic road win vs. Memphis. Opposite the Grizzlies, Oklahoma City’s iconic superstar finished with 45 points, ten assists, and nine rebounds.
Friday, Westbrook missed singular glory by just two assists during a setback to Phoenix.
However, tonight, vs. Denver, the unyielding guard with 79-career triple-doubles (4th all-time) has cemented his season for the ages.
Now, the owner of a record once thought unbreakable, a new dialogue will abound concerning how long Russell Westbrook’s name will remain unrivaled in the annals of single-season triple-double lore.