Russell Westbrook Ties for 2nd-Most Triple-Doubles with 40-Plus Points
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook totaled 41 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The output tied him with Wilt Chamberlain for the second-most triple-doubles in NBA history while scoring at least 40 points, per the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info). Both Westbrook and Chamberlain have seven such games, but the former has plenty of his career remaining to improve on that number. Oscar Robertson owns a record 22 40-point triple-doubles to his name.
Westbrook's success rate in the triple-double department drastically improves when playing the Pelicans. He recorded his third triple-double in four tries this season against New Orleans on Sunday. The effort made him the first player to record three or more against an opponent in a single season since Jason Kidd did so in 2007-08 with the Nets and Mavericks, per NBA.com. Westbrook missed a fourth triple-double against the Pelicans this year by just three assists.
The 28-year-old floor general sits two triple-doubles back of Chamberlain for second in the single-season record books. His 29 triple-doubles in 59 games puts him on pace to fall one short of Robertson's all-time single-season record (41), per ESPN Stats & Info.
Sunday's victory marked the Thunder's third consecutive and Westbrook's third straight triple-double. He's taken his game to a new level in 2016-17 following the departure of Kevin Durant last offseason, and the star figures to carry the club to any postseason success it enjoys.
