OKLAHOMA CITY — Russell Westbrook tied Michael Jordan and…Russell Westbrook in his quest to break the record for the longest triple-double streak in NBA history on Tuesday.
With 16 points, 15 rebounds and 16 assists in a 132-122 win against the Orlando Magic, Westbrook notched his seventh consecutive triple-double, and 20th overall this season. The longest triple-double streak in NBA history is held by Wilt Chamberlain with nine, set in 1968. Jordan had seven straight during the 1988-89 season.
For a third consecutive season, Westbrook is averaging a triple-double with 21.5 points, 10.9 rebounds and a league-leading 11.0 assists per game. In 2016, Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962, and second player ever, to average a triple-double, and followed it up by doing it again last season. He’s normalized the triple-double where it’s a footnote this season compared to one of the primary storylines of his 2016 MVP campaign.
“I think it’s crazy that anybody is devaluing that in my opinion,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Oscar Robertson did it for a season and it hadn’t happened again in 60 years. [Westbrook] is in the process of doing it three consecutive years, so just that is something in of itself that has not happened in the history of the game. He impacts our team in so many different ways.”
Westbrook posted his seventh career 15-15-15 game, one shy of Chamberlain for the second most in NBA history, according to Elias (Robertson is first with 14). It’s the fourth time this season Westbrook has had at least 15-15-15 in a game, behind only Chamberlain and Robertson for most in a season.
“Guys are making shots, man,” Westbrook said. “My job is to just make the game easier for them.”
Westbrook has struggled shooting the ball for most of the season, hitting a career-low 25 percent from 3 and 64 percent from the free throw line, but has made his impact in a variety of others of the game. In January, the Thunder had one of the best offensive months in franchise history.
“What are we, 8-1, something like that, 9-1 in the last 10 or something like that?” said Paul George, who had 39 on Tuesday against Orlando. “He is definitely is the reason for that. He is the reason we have had the highest [offensive] month in Thunder history. I cannot say enough for the credit he deserves for our offense being at the level it is at.”
Westbrook can pass Jordan and his own mark on Thursday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Westbrook has had two different streaks with seven straight triple-doubles, the last time missing out on an eighth straight with 45 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds against, the Grizzlies.