In the 77th game of the NBA season, Russell Westbrook tied the mark of NBA legend and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson for triple doubles in a season. Ironically enough, Westbrook achieved the feat in a dominant 110-79 victory over Robertson's old team, the Milwaukee Bucks. He had 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists tonight. This is just another historic accomplishment by Westbrook, who has overcome all doubters and has had a season for the ages.
Westbrook should break the record
Russell Westbrook now has 41 triple doubles with five games remaining in the season.
He is also virtually guaranteed to average a Triple Double this season, only needing 16 more assists. The odds at this point that Westbrook would go the last five games without getting at least one triple double to pass Oscar Robertson's record seem very slim. On a comparative note Westbrook has 41 triple- doubles this year, in his first eight seasons in the NBA he only had 37.
More history for Westbrook
After tonight, Russell Westbrook had the eighth game of his career in which he had a triple-double in less than 30 minutes of playing time. Starting with the 1951-1952 NBA season no other player in the league has had more than three such games. This was also Westbrook's second streak this season in which he has had seven triple-doubles in a row.
He is the first player in NBA history to have two streaks of at least five triple doubles in a row, let alone seven. If Westbrook can get two more consecutive triple-doubles to get to nine in a row, he would tie Wilt Chamberlain's record.
Westbrook should win the MVP
At the first ever NBA Awards Show that will take place in New York City on June 26th, after the end of the NBA season and the NBA Draft, I fully expect Russell Westbrook to be named MVP of the NBA.
When you think about everything that Russell Westbrook has managed to do this season, coupled with the fact that Westbrook has also had the least amount of help among all of the MVP candidates, he is clearly the most valuable player to his team.
