Russell Westbrook earns triple-double NBA record; Explosive year wouldn’t have happened with Kevin Durant in OKC

Russell Westbrook needed just three quarters to get his 41st triple-double of the 2016-2017 NBA season. The Oklahoma City Thunder handily beat the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night and Westbrook tied NBA legend Oscar Robertson’s triple-double record for a single season.

Westbrook exploded this season after Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors in 2016 free agency. Without “KD”, Westbrook played motivated all-season long and proved he is one of the best players in the league. OKC with Durant would have not given Westbrook the opportunity to chase Robertson’s record.

Westbrook led the Thunder to a 110-79 win over the Bucks on Tuesday. The NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists. He did not need to score much vs. the Bucks after the Thunder led big after the first quarter, 28-20 and the first half, 63-39.

Westbrook and the Thunder never let up in the third quarter and cruised to the easy win. OKC needed to bounce back in this game after losing their previous two games, against the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets.

Westbrook and Robertson are now the only two players to register at least 41 triple-doubles in a season. The Thunder also have five games left in the current season so Westbrook has a big chance to break the NBA legend’s record. OKC will face the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets (twice) and Minnesota Timberwolves to end the regular season.

The Thunder are trying to hold off the Grizzlies for the higher sixth seed and are avoiding the seventh seed, which is a first round match-up with West powerhouse San Antonio Spurs. It’s possible that the Thunder won’t rest Westbrook for the rest of the regular season and he will aim to break the triple-double record he shares with Robertson.

Westbrook commented on achieving the feat and called it “special.”

“It's one of those nights, a special night, and something I definitely will never forget. I'm just truly honored to do it here, especially in Oklahoma City,” Westbrook said post-game via ESPN. “An honor to just be mentioned in a conversation with Oscar Robertson, the different things he did for the game of basketball to allow me to play the game today.”

Robertson recorded 41 triple-doubles in the 1961-1962 NBA Season while playing for the Cincinnati Royals. He averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists that season. Westbrook has similar averages this season, logging in 31.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 10.4 assists with five games left. It’s very likely that Westbrook ends up averaging a triple-double this season.

Overall, Westbrook has also registered the 78th triple-double of his career and is still climbing in the NBA all-time list for career triple-doubles.

Durant was the number one option with the Thunder when he was part of OKC. Without him in the line-up, Westbrook is proving that he can be a superstar on his own and lead the Thunder to the playoffs.