Russell Westbrook breaks Oscar Robertson’s NBA triple-double report
3 min read Russell Westbrook set the NBA report together with his 182nd triple-double on Monday evening, surpassing the mark set by Oscar Robertson in 1974.
The 32-year-old Westbrook, in his thirteenth season total and his first with the Washington Wizards, reached the milestone when he grabbed his tenth rebound with 8:29 remaining within the recreation in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks. He completed with 28 factors, 13 rebounds and 21 assists and missed a possible game-winning 3-pointer because the Wizards fell to the Hawks 125-124.
Westbrook started the evening averaging 11.5 assists, tops within the NBA and the one participant in double digits. He ranked sixth in rebounds with 11.6 per recreation and was averaging 22 factors. He has recorded a triple-double in every of Washington’s final 5 video games, three of them earlier than the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Westbrook, the 2016-17 MVP and a nine-time All-Star, praised Robertson after he tied the report in Saturday’s additional time win at Indiana. He had 33 factors, 19 rebounds and 15 assists, closing out the sport with a blocked shot.
“I take a lot of pride in doing everything I can to impact winning,” Westbrook mentioned. “To be in a conversation with Oscar, I just want to thank him because he set the stage. The things he was able to do back in the day has allowed me to do the things that I do today. So I’m appreciative of that, and I’m appreciative of his support as well.”
Washington acquired Westbrook in a commerce with Houston for John Wall earlier than the season, reuniting Westbrook with coach Scott Brooks, who guided him to that MVP season with Oklahoma City.
The Wizards, who’re making an attempt to safe a spot within the postseason play-in event, had been taking part in the primary of at the very least two video games with out Bradley Beal, the NBA’s No. 2 scorer who has a strained left hamstring.
That was nothing new for Westbrook, who has seven triple-doubles in 9 video games that Beal has missed.
“Well, it’s definitely pretty incredible like I’ve said many times,” Brooks mentioned earlier than Monday’s recreation. “He’s a special player, an incredible leader, teammate. He’s coachable. No matter what he’s accomplished, he’s about winning. Everyone knows triple-doubles are hard to get and for him to be able to do this is pretty incredible.”
Westbrook had eight triple-doubles throughout his first six seasons in Oklahoma City. Then one thing clicked, and he’s produced 174 over the past seven seasons.
He has a league-leading 36 this season, the second-highest complete of his profession. He had 42 in 2016-17 when he grew to become the primary participant since Robertson in 1961-62 to common a triple-double. With every week left within the common season, he can match that feat for the fourth time in 5 seasons.
“I’ve had nothing but respect and admiration for Oscar and what he’s done and what he’s meant to the league and for (Westbrook) to be able to this, I never thought it would be broken,” Brooks mentioned. “I love the game. I follow the game. There’s two records I never thought would be broken. Oscar Robertson’s triple-double and Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game.”
