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Russell Westbrook vs. Suns: Stats, Highlights and Twitter Reaction
October 29, 2016
Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook isn't wasting any time proving he is a one-man wrecking crew without Kevin Durant.
During a 113-110 Friday night overtime win against the Phoenix Suns, Westbrook exploded for 51 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
According to Royce Young of ESPN.com, it's the first triple-double that included 50 or more points since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's in 1975.
Sportsnet Stats added that it is the seventh 50-point triple-double in NBA history, as the NBA TV crew broke down his performance:
Westbrook used a monster third quarter to fuel his big night, via SportsCenter:
It wasn't the most efficient night, as Westbrook shot just 17-of-44 for a 38.6 percent field-goal percentage. The team's second-leading shooter was Victor Oladipo, who attempted 17 field goals.
ESPN.com's Tom Haberstroh couldn't believe the number of times Westbrook shot the ball:
To others, it didn't matter:
Especially for Josh Newman of the Asbury Park Press:
Regardless of what the average fan thought, Westbrook forced Juan Martinez of PC Magazine to ask this question:
This came after a season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers in which Westbrook was an assist short of a triple-double, posting 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
The 2016-17 season is just two games old for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but Westbrook is laying the gauntlet down to the rest of the league and making his case as to why he is the most explosive star in the NBA.
Postgame Reaction
For such an uncommon performance, Westbrook's teammate Steven Adams seemed as though he expected it, via Young:
Westbrook even had his mind elsewhere after the game, via Young:
After that kind of performance, Westbrook deserves any kind of meal he wants. And it's more than likely that he'll continue to build up a big appetite as he's expected to carry the Thunder toward a postseason berth as the season progresses.
Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.