Written by Tim MacMahon at ESPN.com
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson’s record for triple-doubles in a season in spectacular, storybook fashion.
Westbrook’s 42nd triple-double of the season was a 50-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist performance Sunday that concluded with his 36-foot buzzer-beater that gave the Thunder a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets. The loss eliminated Denver from playoff contention.
Robertson recorded 41 triple-doubles in 1961-62, when he averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game. That made him the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double until Westbrook accomplished the feat this season.
“Very, very blessed. I’ve got to give all the thanks from the man above,” Westbrook said. “He’s blessed me with unbelievable talent to go out and compete at a high level. I’m just thankful for my teammates, for my coaching staff, for the organization, for all the fans, for my family for believing in me and allowing me to do what I’m doing.”
It was Westbrook’s third 50-plus-point triple-double, all of them this season and more than any player in NBA history has in his career. Westbrook has scored at least 40 points in eight triple-doubles this season.
Westbrook had a double-double before halftime, and he finished the first half with 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He recorded his 10th assist by feeding Semaj Christon for a 3-pointer in the right corner with 4 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, after the crowd had groaned when Thunder players failed to finish on the previous few passes that could have clinched the record for Westbrook.
“It was stressful, but it was going to happen,” Christon said. “We knew it was going to come. When he got close, somebody needed to make a shot. I was open.”
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