Russell Westbrook triple-double watch: 10 games remaining
By Luke Norris
With 10 games remaining, here’s an update on exactly what Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook needs to do in order to become just the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double over an entire NBA season.
Another week down and another couple of triple-doubles for Russell Westbrook. The Thunder only went 1-2 this past week but Westbrook still put up averages of 24 points, 11.3 assists and 10 rebounds.
As far as our watch is concerned, Westbrook is still averaging a triple-double and is coming closer and closer to becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to accomplish this feat over the course of an entire NBA season. “The Big O” did so during the 1961-62 season, averaging 30.8 points, 11.4 assists and 12.5 rebounds per game, putting up a total of 41 triple-doubles.
Much like what may end up happening to Russell Westbrook, Robertson did not win the MVP that year. In fact, he didn’t even come in second. Bill Russell ended up winning the award that year (18.9 points, 23.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists) and Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged more than 50 points and 25 rebounds, was the runner-up. That’s three of the greatest individual seasons in the history of basketball.
While Westbrook is enjoying one of the most successful individual campaigns in NBA history, the fact that the Thunder aren’t considered one of the elite teams in the NBA may make things harder for him to win his first MVP. LeBron James is always in the mix, Isaiah Thomas has entered the race and Kawhi Leonard is probably in there as well. Kevin Durant may have been before his injury and James Harden is having an incredible season of his own and has the Houston Rockets in position for a deep run in the playoffs and may be the favorite right now. But Russell Westbrook continues to impress and regardless of whether or not he wins the MVP, he’s on track for history.
So let’s break down the triple-double stats for Westbrook and see exactly what he needs to do over the next 10 games to become just the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season.
What are Russell Westbrook’s current averages? Through 72 games, he’s averaging 31.3 points, 10.4 assists and 10.5 rebounds.
What would Russell Westbrook have to average the rest of the season to make it with a triple-double? Thus far, Westbrook has played in all 72 games the Thunder have played this season so we’re going to go ahead and assume that he’s going to play in all 82 games, meaning he would need a total of 820 points, 820 assists and 820 rebounds to average a triple-double.
We already know that the points are not an issue. He took care of that back on Dec. 17 by scoring 26 in a win against the Phoenix Suns, which put him at 820 exactly.
Through 72 games, he has a total of 747 assists, meaning he needs 73 assists over the next 10 games, which comes to an average of 7.3 assists per game.
Through 72 games, he has a total of 756 rebounds, meaning he needs 64 rebounds over the next 10 games, which comes to an average of 6.4 rebounds per game.
What was Russell Westbrook’s fastest triple-double of the season? Westbrook’s fastest triple-double this season came back on New Year’s Eve in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He had his 16th triple-double of the season in about 19 minutes, just two minutes shy of the NBA record set by Jim Tucker in 1955, with 11 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds before halftime. Westbrook didn’t play much of the second half in the 114-88 blowout victory and ended the night with 17 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds.
What was Russell Westbrook’s best triple-double of the season? According to Game Score, a formula used at Basketball Reference to measure a player’s single game productivity, Russell Westbrook’s best triple-double of the season came on Nov. 13 in a two-point home loss to the Orlando Magic. Westbrook shot 14-for-18 from the floor that night and ended up with 41 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds.
How many triple-doubles does Russell Westbrook have this season? Through 72 games, Westbrook has 36 triple-doubles, good for second on the all-time single season list and just five short of the record of 41, which as I noted earlier was set by Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season.
Where is Russell Westbrook on the career triple-double list? Westbrook currently sits in fifth place on the all-time career triple-double list with 73 and has passed Larry Bird and LeBron James with his output this season. The four players ahead of him are Wilt Chamberlain (78), Jason Kidd (107), Magic Johnson (138) and of course, Oscar Robertson (181).
Who does Russell Westbrook play against this week? It’s a big week for Westbrook and the Thunder as they still have a chance to get home-court advantage for the Western Conference playoffs and they’ve got four games in the next seven days, starting with a matchup in Dallas on Monday against the Mavericks. In two games against them this year, Westbrook has averaged 37 points, four assists and seven rebounds.
From there the Thunder will head to Orlando for a Wednesday night game with the Magic and as you just read a moment ago, Westbrook had his best triple-double of the season that night in November with 41 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds.
OKC will return home on Friday night for a game with the San Antonio Spurs, who they’ve gone 1-1 against this season with Westbrook averaging 25 points, 13.5 assists and 9.5 rebounds.
They’ll wrap up this stretch with their second and final game of the year against the Charlotte Hornets, whom they lost back in January but Westbrook still put in a nice performance with 33 points, eight assists and 15 rebounds.
Next: Twitter roasts Jalen Rose
Be sure to keep checking back in with FanSided as we’ll continue to track the progress of Russell Westbrook as he inches closer and closer to making history.