Russell Westbrook's "Perfect" Triple Double Provides a Reminder of How Exceptional He is
The Denver Nuggets' 132-121 victory versus the Utah Jazz on Monday December 30 featured two triple doubles. Denver's MVP candidate (and three-time NBA regular season MVP) Nikola Jokic had the 144th triple double of his career (36 points, 22 rebounds, 11 assists), and his teammate Russell Westbrook had the 201st triple double of his career (16 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists). Jokic ranks third all-time in triple doubles, behind only Oscar Robertson (181) and Westbrook (201), who became the triple double king in 2021. While Jokic had the "bigger" triple double versus Utah, Westbrook had the more uncommon triple double: Westbrook did not miss a shot (7-7 FG, 2-2 FT) and did not commit a turnover, authoring just the third "perfect" triple double since the NBA began officially tracking individual turnovers during the 1977-78 season. Jokic (in 2018) and Domantas Sabonis (earlier this season) are the only other players who have had "perfect" triple doubles. This is the second time that Westbrook shot 100% from the field during a triple double game.
Denver Coach Michael Malone effusively praised Westbrook: "First-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. And what I admire so much about him, aside from the leadership and toughness that he brings every single day, is he's got no ego." Malone added, "He came here for one reason and that's to help us win a championship. And he hates to lose, and that's another thing I love about him. He's built the right way, and I'll go to war with Russell Westbrook any day."
If you understand basketball in general and the NBA game in particular, then you love the way Westbrook plays. Hubie Brown praises Westbrook to the sky. Unfortunately, many uninformed media members--including Amin Elhassan and Zach Harper--look for any excuse to bash Westbrook and minimize the value of his accomplishments. Contrary to what Westbrook's loudest critics often assert, rebounds are not fungible in general, and Westbrook's rebounds specifically are not fungible.
Seven of the top 12 career leaders in triple doubles are active players. It could be argued that triple doubles in general are easier to get now than in previous eras due to lenient scorekeeping for assists, but it is biased and foolish to praise some players' triple doubles while acting as if the triple doubles by the all-time triple double leader are worthless; the distance between Westbrook and Robertson on the career triple double list--20--would tie Charles Barkley and Tom Gola for 29th all-time. Kevin Durant, Scottie Pippen, Bill Russell, Kevin Garnett, and Stephen Curry are just a few of the Hall of Famers/future Hall of Famers who have less than 20 career triple doubles. In other words, Westbrook is head and shoulders above everyone in terms of triple doubles, and the margin of his dominance cannot be explained just by the nature of how the game is played now or by how statistics are recorded now.
Denver fans need not concern themselves with how easy or difficult it is to get a triple double, or with how many career triple doubles Jokic and Westbrook will have, because what matters most now for their team is that Westbrook's energy and unselfishness are, as I predicted, a breath of fresh air for a Nuggets team that lacks depth.
Labels: Denver Nuggets, Domantas Sabonis, Michael Malone, Nikola Jokic, Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook
posted by David Friedman @ 2:25 AM
10 Comments:
Marcel
I look at russ as a good player not really a great player he very inefficient
His greatest attribute is his athleticism and will
He a good playmaker as well
But he doesn't contribute to winning nearly enough for me
Marcel:
Hubie Brown, Michael Malone, and other informed observers disagree with your assessment of Westbrook.
The record shows that Westbrook has reached the WCF four times, and the NBA Finals once. The Washington Wizards had their only playoff season in the past seven years during Westbrook's only year with the team. There are other examples of Westbrook contributing to winning that I have documented in various articles on this site as well.
Marcel
He has won 1 playoff series in a decade
He plays hard, a good playmaker and athletic
It's just 4 or 5 other guards from this era I'll take over him.
The NBA about what have u won.
And russ hasn't won anything and his inefficient play at times is the reason that is.
I felt like he could of been better
He had a solid career
Marcel:
Westbrook earned a regular season MVP and nine All-NBA selections while setting the career and single season triple double records. He led the league in assists three times, won two scoring titles, and he is one of the best rebounding guards ever. If you think that is just a “solid” career then I am not going to waste my time trying to persuade you otherwise.
I didn’t think I would live to see a player average a triple double for an entire season, even one of the 12-10-10 variety, which makes Westbrook’s 31-10-10 MVP and scoring title season that much more impressive. I hadn’t even considered the possibility of a player having three consecutive triple double seasons, four total.
I remember during Westbrook’s first triple double season there were people in the media who were so blinded by their personal dislike of Westbrook that they frantically trying to convince everyone that averaging a triple double wasn’t that impressive and that Westbrook shouldn’t win the MVP. It reminds me of people who try to trivialize Wilt Chamberlain’s untouchable individual dominance. If what Chamberlain and Westbrook accomplished isn’t that impressive then why hasn’t a single other player in the history of professional basketball come close to matching those numbers?
I just wanted to add that Oscar Robertson did come close to having four consecutive triple double seasons but outside of Robertson, Westbrook is unparalleled when it comes to triple double seasons.
Marcel
Micheal
Everyone gets triple doubles in 2025
The stats not as impressive as it once was
Especially when those triple doubles only led to one playoff series win in a decade
I'm sorry many players could average a triple double in a season if they tried
Marcel:
If many players “could” do it then why is Westbrook the only player who has done it?
Westbrook has had more playoff success than all but a few players during his era, as noted above (four WCF appearances, one NBA Finals appearance). Curry had stacked teams and won more than Westbrook, but that’s about it.
Marcel
It's a lot of players who could average a triple double today if they tried
Curry way better than Westbrook. I also take Dame Lillard kyrie and Chris Paul over him
He was a good robin to kd batman but he never did anything in playoffs after kd left okc
He not a winner he just put up good stats
He never won nothing or had any sustain success
Marcel:
Why would Westbrook be the only player who is trying to average a triple double? If he is the only player trying, then good for him.
Curry is the best guard since Kobe was in his prime, but give me a break with Lillard, Irving, and Paul. Lillard does not play a lick of defense, and he has a career 4-9 playoff series record. Irving only plays a little more defense than Lillard, and his 15-6 playoff series record is a result of playing with prime LeBron and prime Luka. Paul was an excellent defensive player during his prime, but his playoff series record is 12-15 and he has the most blown 2-0 leads of any player in NBA history.
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