Ranking the NBA's 10 Biggest Triple-Double Threats
The triple-double is one of the NBA's most elusive accomplishments, and as a result, it's a feat that always gets plenty of attention. Recording double figures in two box-score categories is difficult enough, and adding a third makes it nearly impossible for most players.
But not all of them.
The fraternity of triple-doublers is a pretty small group, with only the occasional player recording one and only one such game throughout his career. Most of the time, it's the same set of standouts gaining entry multiple times with distinct performances. And it's those players who we're focusing on here.
However, these aren't necessarily the ones who have recorded the most triple-doubles in recent days. It's about who will earn the most going forward, based on their typical averages and how often they manage to break through in the necessary categories. That's partially represented by a player's "ultimate line," which is derived from his highest output in each category during the 2014-15 season.
Only 46 triple-doubles were recorded last season, and there have been just three during the early portion of the current campaign. But chances are that the featured players here will be adding to that total before too long.
10. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
1 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 25.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.3 steals, 3.9 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 31 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, four steals, nine blocks
Last Triple-Double: None
Given his ridiculously long and ever-growing list of honors and accolades, you might be surprised to learn that Anthony Davis has never recorded even a single triple-double. He's been close, as he was on opening night of the 2014-15 campaign, when he recorded 26 points, 17 rebounds and nine rejections, but he hasn't gotten over the hump.
This spot could easily go to Kyle Lowry or John Wall, both of whom have produced some of the league's most recent triple-doubles. Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant or Paul George could take the spot, though all three are injured for significant periods of time and are therefore arbitrarily ruled ineligible.
But it's Davis who gets the nod on sheer potential.
He's a near-lock for a double-double each time he steps onto the floor, and there's no telling when he'll explode in the assist column (don't forget he used to play point guard) or record double-digit blocks...or steals, for that matter. How could we possibly omit the league's biggest five-by-five and quadruple-double threat, even if he has yet to experience the joy of a triple-double?
"I'd like to see him get 25 shots a game. We haven't been able to do that as much as we want to. He's efficient," Monty Williams told Pelicans.com's Jim Eichenhofer after Davis put on another show against the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 18. If that's the case, the ball is going to be in his hands more, and that only offers more hope of a traditional triple-double with a 10 in the assist column.
9. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
2 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.6 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 32 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, one block
Last Triple-Double: Nov. 3, 2014
Despite his relatively diminutive frame, Chris Paul has always been a quality rebounder from the point. His per-game average has actually risen during each season he's spent with the Los Angeles Clippers, going from 3.6 boards per contest in 2011-12 all the way to the 4.8 he's currently recording.
And that only offers more hope at a triple-double, because it's not as though the league's resident point god struggles when trying to rack up points and assists. Paul is one of the few players in the league who can hope to average double figures in the dimes category, as he put up a league-best 10.7 per game last season and is close to breaking past the 10-assist barrier this year.
Only rebounding holds him back in the pursuit of a triple-double.
Paul already has one such feat this season, exploding for 13 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists against the Utah Jazz, and he's come within 10 cents of another. Just three outings later, he worked against the San Antonio Spurs for 12 points, 10 boards and nine assists, albeit in a loss.
However, this is a bit of a new trend. After all, Paul's last triple-double came all the way back in 2009.
8. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
3 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 8.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.3 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 13 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, three steals, three blocks
Last Triple-Double: April 9, 2014
During the 2013-14 season, Joakim Noah was a triple-double machine.
Taking on more point-center responsibilities than ever before, thanks to the prolonged absence of Derrick Rose, he recorded four such games throughout the year and came close on many other occasions. The sight of Noah dribbling up the floor and leading the charge on a fast-break attempt actually became rather commonplace.
But this season, the big man has to take a step back.
Not only has Rose spent some time on the floor, but Pau Gasol takes over some of the distributing duties from the frontcourt, allowing for more creativity in Tom Thibodeau's offensive sets. Noah simply has less responsibility, and it doesn't help that his balky knees have been giving him trouble throughout the year.
Though he's recorded exactly six assists in each of his past five outings—a feat that's as strange as it is impressive for a center—Noah hasn't so much as sniffed a triple-double during the early portion of the 2014-15 season. He'll get there, but it doesn't seem nearly as sure a bet as it did last year.
7. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
4 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 24.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.3 steals
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 34 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists, six steals
Last Triple-Double: April 11, 2014
Stephen Curry doesn't stand out as the type of player who appears likely to record 10 or more rebounds on any given night. At 6'3", he's not a particularly large point guard, and his athleticism is limited enough that it's still fairly surprising every time he gets up high enough to throw down a dunk.
Nonetheless, Curry is one of the best rebounding 1-guards in the NBA, largely because he has such a remarkably impressive understanding of caroms. Of all the players I've watched, Curry is one of the best at figuring out where a missed shot will end up and beating everyone there.
Only four players—two of whom have yet to appear—have recorded triple-doubles more recently than Curry, who manages to creep into double figures on the boards every once in a while. That April 11 performance against the Los Angeles Lakers last season was one of four trip-dubs he put together in 2013-14, and it shouldn't be all that long before he adds to his career total with another similar outing in 2014-15.
After all, he's already pulled in 10 rebounds in two separate games, though he only managed a combined 10 assists in those outings. Sooner or later, he'll manage to explode offensively while doing some significant work on the glass.
Plus, there's always a chance he could record 10 steals in a single game now that he's being allowed to gamble more in Steve Kerr's defensive schemes. His season high is six, but the possibility exists that he could put together a fluke performance.
6. Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers
5 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 9.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 16 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals, two blocks
Last Triple-Double: January 8, 2014
Nicolas Batum hasn't exactly put together a stellar season thus far, only appearing in seven contests and making fairly limited contributions. The root of the problem is his right knee, for which he recently received Platelet Rich Plasma injections. Now, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, there is no need for any concern down the road.
"That said, there are no concerns about the long-term health of his knee," Freeman reports, "And Batum is on pace to return to the starting lineup Friday, when the Blazers host the Chicago Bulls at the Moda Center."
A return to health means a return to his near triple-double ways of old.
Batum is one of the more skilled small forwards in the league, constantly operating with the ball in his hands and doing a fantastic job on the boards at all times. He may only have had a pair of triple-doubles in 2013-14, but the number of times he was close to adding to that total is substantial.
For example, he finished with both nine rebounds and nine assists on two separate occasions, and that's saying nothing of the times he hit double figures in one category and was relatively close in the other. Batum may be slowing down a bit, but he's still one of the more unique and well-rounded players in the Association.
5. Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
6 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 steals
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals
Last Triple-Double: March 10, 2014
During the first game of his professional career, Michael Carter-Williams put on an absolute show.
Faced with a daunting matchup against the defending champions, the rookie point guard torched the Miami Heat for 22 points, seven rebounds, 12 assists and nine steals, proving right away that he was going to be a dangerous triple-double threat. Not only is the lanky floor general one of the best backcourt rebounders in the game, but he also plays in an up-tempo system with the Philadelphia 76ers that leads to inflated per-game numbers.
It only took him another 14 outings to record his first triple-double—27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the Orlando Magic—and he'd post the second of his career just a few months later. The slate has been empty since then, but it won't be long until he gets back on the board.
With his 6'6" frame, it's tough to keep him off the glass. And despite Philadelphia's dearth of NBA-caliber scoring threats, there are still enough pace-aided opportunities for him to get up into double figures with his passing on many a night.
4. James Harden, Houston Rockets
7 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 23.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.0 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 35 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists, four steals, three blocks
Last Triple-Double: March 27, 2014
It's easy to forget about the entirety of James Harden's game.
However, there's more to this shooting guard than a bearded face, fantastic scoring skills and struggles on defense (though he's admittedly been much better on the less glamorous end during the early portion of this season). Focusing only on those elements doesn't allow you to realize that he's a terrific distributor and a threat to post gaudy rebounding numbers on any given night.
After averaging 5.8 assists per game during his first season with the Houston Rockets and following that up by posting 6.1 last year, Harden is now posting 6.9 dimes per contest. It's the best mark of his career, and it's one that's been accompanied by quite a few standout performances. Already this year, he's hit double figures three times, though he's recorded only four, seven and nine rebounds in those outings.
All the tools are there for Harden to be a nightly trip-dub threat, even if they've only occurred on rare occasions for him. From the beginning of the 2013-14 season through the present day, he's topped 10 rebounds three times and gotten at least a dollar's worth of dimes on 15 separate occasions. Problem is, there's only been a single game of overlap.
Now that he's easily averaging more rebounds per game than ever before, there are bound to be more in the future.
3. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
8 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 41 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, four steals, two blocks
Last Triple-Double: March 28, 2014
You knew he was going to show up at some point.
Though LeBron James has had trouble actually stringing together all three double-digit categories, only recording one triple-double during his final season with the Miami Heat and four in the go-round just prior, he's always close. After all, he need only exceed his rebounding average by 3.3 boards and his assist average by 3.4 dimes in order to achieve the feat.
James remains the best player in basketball, and it's largely due to the well-rounded nature of his game. He can do virtually everything on the court, and that includes dropping more than 30 points and still managing to lead his team in assists.
Now that he's playing in David Blatt's ball-sharing system, his distributing numbers will likely go up once everyone gains comfort playing with one another. That just leaves rebounding as the biggest issue.
Given his size, strength and intelligence, it's always been a bit surprising that James doesn't dominate the glass to a greater extent. He's by no means bad on the boards, but his double-digit outputs do come a bit more infrequently than one might surmise while looking at his frame.
If that ever changes, James will jump up to the No. 1 spot. And given what we saw from Carmelo Anthony last season, that remains a distinct possibility at this stage of the future Hall of Famer's career.
2. Lance Stephenson, Charlotte Hornets
9 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 9.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 17 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, one block
Last Triple-Double: April 13, 2014
From a purely numerical standpoint, Lance Stephenson is one of the closest to averaging a triple-double.
Just take the eight players who have already appeared in this countdown and look at the summed total of how far they are from 10 in the categories that leave them closest to the elusive trip-dub.
Michael Carter-Williams is the furthest, as he's 9.3 shy of qualifying (4.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists short). Chris Paul is the closest, just five behind the necessary score. But it's Stephenson who is second-closest, as he's 0.5 points, 0.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists shy of the necessary markers. That's a total of six, and it's easy to explain away some of it.
Were it not for one goose egg dragging his rebounding numbers down, Stephenson would be averaging double figures there. He's also going to break past 10 in the scoring column as soon as his shot starts connecting and he becomes more familiar with Steve Clifford's offensive stylings. And if he qualified in those two, only registering assists would hold him down.
Stephenson, in the midst of the greatest rebounding season by any backcourt member in NBA history, is coming off a year in which he had five triple-doubles. No player in the league had more during the 2013-14 campaign, though it's worth noting our No. 1 finisher missed quite a bit of time.
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale broke down how valuable he'd been right after the final one of the year:
"The Pacers are 4-1 when Stephenson tallies a triple-double. Better yet, they win 78.3 percent of the time (18-5) when he goes for at least 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists, noteworthy only because he's averaging 13.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game on the season. So when he hits his statistical benchmarks, the Pacers are nigh unbeatable.
What other team has that kind of production coming from an X-factor?
"
Well, the Charlotte Hornets do now, and they could use some even better numbers from him in the near future.
1. Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics
10 of 10
2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.3 blocks
2014-15 Ultimate Line: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists, three steals, one block
Last Triple-Double: Nov. 5, 2014
Rajon Rondo is the undisputed king of the triple-double, especially now that he's averaging double-digit assists and simultaneously posting the best rebounding numbers of his impressive career.
The Boston Celtics floor general joins Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry as one of only three players to reach the elusive set of milestones during the opening salvo of the 2014-15 season, and you can be sure that more qualifying contests will soon follow. After all, while he recorded just one triple-double during his injury-plagued 2013-14 campaign, he had five in 2012-13 and another six the year before.
In fact, of the 86 active players who have recorded triple-doubles at some point in their careers, only LeBron James (37) has more than Rondo, who already has 20 to his credit. And while James recorded most of his earlier in his playing days, Rondo is still going strong in the triple-double field.
How strong?
In eight games, he's already gotten close to adding to his total more than he did with the one actual trip-dub. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he was a single rebound shy. When he played the Phoenix Suns, he only needed one more assist. In his opening game against the Brooklyn Nets, he fell short by just three rebounds.
No one else deserves to be in the same tier as him, at least for the time being.
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com and are current as of Nov. 19.
