Two of the best players in the NBA, and two legitimate MVP candidates shared a special milestone on Sunday the 2nd of April. Russell Westbrook is having the best season of his career and arguably one of the best seasons in NBA history. He is averaging a triple double with 31.9 PPG, 10.6 RPG and 10.4 APG in 34.8 Minutes Per Game. On the other side, LeBron James is also having one of the best seasons of his career. At age 32, the King is still going about business with averages of 26.3 PPG on 54.4% FG with 8.7 APG and 8.5 RPG in 37.6 minutes per game.
The stellar performances have these two men in the MVP race and also in the history books. As shown with their record setting night.
LeBron and Russell make history
Mr. James and Mr. Westbrook became the first two players since 1975 to record a 40-point triple double in the same day. The last to do it were Pete Maravich (Utah Jazz) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks) in 1975. 12 years before that it was also done by superstars Elgin Baylor (Los Angeles Lakers) and Wilt Chamberlain (San Francisco Warriors). It is very rare that a player drops a triple double, but it seems it's getting more and more common in today's game. But the rarity of a 40-point triple double, and two players doing it on the same day, is high.
Making this feat such an outstanding accomplishment for the two superstars from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The year of the triple double
This year has most defiantly been the year of the triple double. The 2016-17 NBA season has recorded the most triple doubles in history, and it's not close. With the 3 leading the pack, Russell Westbrook with 40 TD's, James Harden with 20 TD's and LeBron James with 11 TD's.
Those are career highs for a season in terms of triple doubles for each respective player. No season has ever had three players with over 10 triple doubles or two with over 20, until this season. The 2016-17 NBA campaign is truly incredible, and will be looked back as one of the best, most talent ridden seasons in NBA history.
