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Westbrook has historic 51-point triple-double in Game 2 loss

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

Whether it's a regular-season game in December or an all-important playoff game on the road in the opening round, Russell Westbrook is a walking triple-double just waiting to happen.

His shot failed him when it mattered most late in Game 2 (went 4-of-18 from the field in the fourth quarter) Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets, yet his box score still tells the tale of an All-Star guard who did more than his fair share of work for his team.

Westbrook finished with 51 points (a Thunder franchise record), 10 rebounds, and 13 assists in 41 minutes of action, as the Oklahoma City Thunder fell 115-111 to Houston at the Toyota Center to go down 0-2 in their best-of-seven series.

He set a new NBA postseason record for the most points in a triple-double, beating the previous record of 43 points held by both Oscar Robertson and Charles Barkley.

It's Westbrook's sixth career playoff triple-double, which moves him past Boston Celtics great John Havlicek for eighth all time.

This comes on the heels of Westbrook tallying 42 triple-doubles during the 2016-17 campaign, breaking Robertson's record of 41 which he had held since 1961-62 as a member of the Cincinnati Royals.

The 28-year-old attempted 43 total shots against Houston, converting 17 at 39.5 percent. Westbrook is now just the third player (Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan) since 1984 to shoot 40 or more times in a playoff game.

Surprisingly enough, this is the first 50-point performance by any player in the postseason in eight years. Ray Allen last hit the mark when he dropped 51 for the Celtics against the Chicago Bulls on April 30, 2009.

The Thunder-Rockets series now moves to Chesapeake Energy Arena, with Game 3 taking place Friday night in Oklahoma City.

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