OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite getting extra time, Russell Westbrook couldn’t extend his record triple-double streak on Friday, falling two assists short in the Thunder‘s 148-147, double-overtime win over the Jazz.
Westbrook finished with 43 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in 43 minutes, ending his streak at 11 straight games with a triple-double. The previous record was held by Wilt Chamberlain with nine in a row, set in 1968. Twice during the 2016-17 season Westbrook had flirted with breaking Chamberlain’s mark but fell short with seven straight.
“Honestly, man, I’m just very thankful, blessed, give all the thanks to the man above to be able to go out and compete,” Westbrook said. “And that’s all I do each and every night, and whatever comes with it, comes with it.”
Westbrook has five career 40-point, 15-rebound games, second most among guards in NBA history. Only Oscar Robertson has more with nine.
Westbrook had only four assists going into the fourth quarter but picked up four in the final frame. With the game going to overtime, it looked like he would extend his streak. However, Westbrook couldn’t collect two more assists before eventually fouling out on a charge with a minute left in the first overtime.
Without Westbrook, the Thunder rallied behind MVP candidate Paul George, who finished with 45 points (17-of-31 shooting), nine rebounds and seven assists and hit the game winner with 0.8 seconds left in the second overtime, a rainbow floater over the outstretched arms of Rudy Gobert.
“Had to get it up there,” George said. “It’s a shot that I work on. Just thank God it went in.”
Westbrook had a chance to win it at the buzzer in regulation, but he missed a jumper wide left. Utah’s Donovan Mitchell had his opportunity in the first overtime, missing a pull-up 3 at the buzzer.
But after Mitchell missed a layup with 17 seconds remaining in the second overtime and teammate Joe Ingles clanged a desperation 3 off the backboard at the end of the shot clock following an offensive rebound, Thunder coach Billy Donovan elected not to call timeout after George corralled the rebound. With Westbrook on the bench, it was pretty obvious what the Thunder wanted to do, but George split two defenders and lobbed a teardrop.
“Tough shot,” Westbrook said. “Over Gobert, big play, man. Big players make big plays. Obviously, he’s been making them all year long, and tonight was one of those nights where he made another big play.”
The Jazz tried to turn Westbrook into a scorer more than a distributor, going under screens and trying to funnel him into the shot-blocking Gobert. Westbrook scored 20 in the first half and 22 in the second. Eventually, George got loose with 17 in the fourth quarter as Westbrook set him up for a flurry of jumpers.
Westbrook and George scored or assisted on 117 of the Thunder’s 148 points, including 25 of 27 in the final 7:50 of the fourth quarter to force overtime.
During Westbrook’s triple-double streak, the Thunder went 9-2.
Westbrook has 24 triple-doubles on the season and is on track to average a triple-double for the third consecutive season.