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3 reasons Russell Westbrook can maintain his triple-double pace

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Russell Westbrook needed 11 rebounds against the New York Knicks on Monday to officially average a triple-double on the season.

He ended up grabbing 18 - an insane tally for a point guard, that somehow wasn't even his career high (Westbrook snagged 19 boards in February). Monday's performance brought his season averages to 30.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 11.3 assists - superhuman numbers for a superhuman player.

The question naturally turns to whether Westbrook can maintain his ridiculous pace. He would somehow need to continue this output for another four months to join Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double.

But OKC head coach Billy Donovan isn't ruling anything out for Westbrook, and he's right in that regard - nothing Westbrook is doing is a fluke, by any means.

Rebounding on the rise

The points and assists will always be there - but grabbing double-digit rebounds each night will be a rate-limiting factor in Westbrook's chase.

Through 19 games, Westbrook's average of 10.4 rebounds is a significant bump over his previous career high of 7.8, established last season. Or put another way, he's currently doubling his career average. That all screams unsustainable.

But then again, Westbrook's rebounding numbers have increased each season since 2012. This year is a major jump, to be sure, but it's consistent with where Westbrook was already trending.

The Thunder also deploy strategies on both ends that accentuate Westbrook's rebounding. On defense, the team allows him to snag boards as much as possible, because it quickly sparks the fast break. On offense, the Thunder rank second to Memphis in highest chase rate on misses (percentage of offensive rebounds that are contested), which means Westbrook can hunt for second-chance opportunities as he sees fit.

Historic usage rate

The Thunder need Westbrook to create everything on offense, and he's happy to oblige. He has the ball at all times.

Westbrook's usage rate (an approximation of possessions used) sits at 40.1 percent, which not only leads the league, but would lead the entire NBA since 1946. No player in history - not Wilt Chamberlain, not Michael Jordan, not Kobe Bryant - has single-handedly consumed possessions the way Westbrook has this season..

That means if the Thunder score, it will either come directly from Westbrook, or off his assist. He leads the Thunder with 99.6 touches per game (a mark that also leads the league), while Victor Oladipo ranks a distant second at 51.9. Nobody else even approaches 40 touches.

More possessions translates to more stats in Westbrook's ledger. It's simple math.

Durability

The other concern with Westbrook's chase for triple-doubles is durability. Can he sustain his current level of production without getting worn down? And more to the point, can he stay healthy?

Westbrook is currently logging a career-high 35.4 minutes per game, which sounds high, but that's only a hair above his nine-year average of 34.1. His usage might be higher than ever, but again, that's nothing new - his current rate of 40.1 is only a fraction higher than his previous career high of 38.4 percent.

Health is another potential hurdle. Westbrook pays the full price for playing a reckless brand of basketball that sees him drive relentlessly with little-to-no regard for hard fouls. His knees are worse for wear because of it.

But then again, outside of two injury-shortened seasons in 2013 and 2014, Westbrook has been remarkably healthy. He didn't miss a single game across his first five campaigns, and managed to play 80 contests last year (he was rested for two).

So far, Westbrook hasn't missed a game this season, and with how much the Thunder rely on him to succeed, he's unlikely to see much rest down the stretch.

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