Westbrook ties Oscar Robertson's record with 41st triple-double
It's somewhat fitting that Russell Westbrook would tie Oscar Robertson's single-season NBA record of 41 triple-doubles against a Milwaukee Bucks franchise that Robertson once played for, and Westbrook did just that during the third quarter Tuesday.
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Westbrook sat out the entire fourth quarter of the Thunder's 110-79 rout, finishing with a line of 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists.
He became the first player to have two streaks of seven straight triple-doubles in the same season. It was also the 78th triple-double of his NBA career, which ties him for fourth all time with Wilt Chamberlain.
Only Robertson, Magic Johnson, and Jason Kidd have more.
Robertson logged the 41 in his stellar 1961-62 campaign with the Cincinnati Royals, when he averaged a triple-double over the course of the entire season. Westbrook will almost assuredly become the first player since Robertson to do that, as as he only needs 18 more assists over the regular season's final five games to ensure averaging double digits in all three categories.
| Player | GP | Triple-doubles | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Robertson 1961-62 | 79 | 41 | 30.8 | 12.5 | 11.4 |
| Russell Westbrook 2016-17 | 77 | 41 | 31.6 | 10.7 | 10.4 |
It's worth noting amidst the current debate surrounding Westbrook's MVP candidacy, Robertson did not win the award in 1962. However, the triple-double did not become an officially recorded NBA statistic until the 1979-80 season.