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Russell Westbrook Triple-Double Watch: Game 21, versus New Orleans

kelly dwyer
Russell Westbrook, through 20 games.
Russell Westbrook, through 20 games.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook is threatening to become the first NBA player to average a triple-double since Cincinnati Royals Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson achieved the double-figure points, assists and rebounds mark during the 1961-62 NBA season. A lot has changed in the league since then, which is why Westbrook’s current averages of 30.2 points, 11.3 assists and 10.5 rebounds would make such a feat a remarkable achievement in line with some of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history. If not the greatest individual season in NBA history.

As Westbrook takes on each new opponent while the OKC season drawls on, we’ll be updating his chances at matching the Big O’s feat.

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Westbrook enjoyed a lull in the action late last week, which was pointed for the service of this post. After an initial month spent traipsing over the NBA’s headline mill in 2016-17, Westbrook (after three nights off) only awoke on Sunday to a somewhat rudimentary feature on his triple-double chase from the folks at NPR.

That’s what greets you, in the hours before a Sunday evening home pairing against the New Orleans Pelicans. Not even a mention in the Times Magazine or a shout-out from whomever the hell hosts Charles Kuralt’s old show these days. Such is the Watch, in December. It’s early.

It’s true that Sunday’s game doesn’t pack the same intrigue as last Wednesday’s tilt, a contest that saw Westbrook’s Thunder host former Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks for the first time since Brooks was fired by the team in the spring of 2015. That contest saw Russell manage 35 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists alongside two steals, maintaining his triple-double averages and pushing OKC to its fourth straight win.

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On Thursday? Westbrook awoke to talk about his rebounding acumen, as he attempts to the accomplish the unthinkable task of averaging double-figure rebounds as the smallest guy in his lineup:

Merely “doing nothing.” Along the lines of averaging a better rebound rate than Pau Gasol, Myles Turner, Al Jefferson, Robin Lopez or teammate Stephen Adams.

Then, the post-game cliché (via For the Win):

Except, with Russell Westbrook, you actually believe him when he talks about wanting it more than anyone else on the court.

Former teammate Nazr Mohammad, a rebounding center himself, used a good word:

“There’s other guards who can definitely fight that to say ‘I can match Russell. I don’t totally agree with that, but I can say that Russell, what he’s doing is unbelievable. He is out there annihilating everybody, annihilating teams.”

Let’s not forget about his abilities to do damage with the angle on the other side. We know Westbrook seems to have a finger in every pie when it comes to Oklahoma City’s 13th-ranked offense, but just how deep do these waters run?

From Ben Alamar at ESPN:

The 30-40 club is for players who manage to use at least 30 percent of their team’s possessions and assist on at least 40 percent of their teammates’ shots while playing at least 1500 minutes during the season. Members of the 30-40 club are such commanding presences on their offenses that it is hard to imagine how the team scores at all without them on the floor.

Westbrook is the only active player to go 30-40 in consecutive seasons. Dwyane Wade has reached the club twice, joining Westbrook as the only two active players to do in multiple seasons. LeBron James has only managed it once, as have active players Tony Parker and Deron Williams.

Hounds the ball a lot, and makes sure that if the Oklahoma City Thunder registered an assist on a play, there are pretty sound odds that Russell Westbrook had a part in things.

In game 21, for the first time all year, Westbrook won’t be in danger of dropping into the single-digit category in points, rebounding and assists with a bum game — even zero rebounds will keep him safe. The Pelicans will be charged with staying in front of Russ on Sunday night, and though Westbrook and his Thunder have yet to play the Pelicans this season, he did average a tidy 36.7 points, nine assists and 7.3 rebounds a contest against the team in 2015-16.

Nice stats, but hardly work on the level of a triple-double.

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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!