Triple-Double Watch Week 7: The Russell Westbrook machine keeps on turning
Welcome to Triple-Double Watch, a weekly check-in on everyone’s favorite arbitrary milestone of round, base-ten numbers.
It was a quiet triple-double week for those mere mortals of the NBA. However, probable human cyborg, Russell Westbrook, rattled off yet another one, with a 22-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist effort in an important win over the Spurs.
His 2017-18 total now sits at seven, one for each week of the season, and the distance between himself and second place grows. After a slow start of feeling out his new teammates, Westbrook’s numbers are on the rise. On the season, he’s averaging 22 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists.
At this current rate, Westbrook would pass Jason Kidd for third all-time around the beginning of March.
While his exceptional talent and other-worldly athleticism is undeniable, much hubbub gets made about whether Westbrook’s style of play is conducive to winning. Parallels get drawn to Allen Iverson’s 76ers. Both Westbrook and Iverson could carry their teams only so far, ultimately coming up short due to the very approach that got them there.
The Thunder are treading water at 10-12, good for ninth in the Western Conference, and struggling in close games has been their Achilles’ Heel. But it’s not Westbrook’s fault and how dare you for insinuating that it was in the first place.
The major theme of the last week was ejections. Not only were they prominent, they included prominent players. You probably heard about the first time LeBron James got tossed from a game in his 15-year career. The usually-reserved unibrowed wonder, Anthony Davis, also lost his ejection v-card. Shaun Livingston, known for reputable calmness, controversially got jettisoned after making contact with an official who seemed to intensify the situation.
DeMarcus Cousins drew the ire of the referees during a spat with Kevin Durant on Monday night and both were sent to their locker rooms. They’re becoming accustomed to getting kicked out of games, as they’re the only players with multiple ejections this season. That actually marked Durant’s second just this week and a league-leading third of the year, as he tries to distance himself as much as possible from the cupcake stigma.
Next: Forget voter fatigue — LeBron James should be the 2017-18 NBA MVP
Guys…he’s back! Ron Baker has returned to the Knicks, which means so has Ron Baker Corner. Did Baker finally pull off the statistical feat in his triumphant return from the G-League? No, of course not. Don’t be silly. He was, however, able to get off the bench for 22 minutes during a blowout loss to the Pacers on Monday evening. Baker made the most of his heightened court time, scoring nine points and handing out four assists. He also posted a plus/minus of +16(!) during mop-up duty, perhaps earning more playing time while Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. nurse their injuries. Keep grinding, Ronnie Bakes, keep grinding.