Russell Westbrook joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in National Basketball Association history to average a triple-double for a season.
That did not make him feel much better about his or his team’s awful Friday night game, when Westbrook failed for the second game in a row to break Robertson’s 55-year-old, single-season record for most triple-doubles.
The dynamic Oklahoma City Thunder guard fell two assists shy of what would have been his 42nd in the Thunder’s 120-99 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Photo: AFP
“You could never say in a million years that I would think that was even possible,” Westbrook said of averaging a triple-double for the season.
“My main goal since I got here, especially this season, is to win a championship,” Westbrook said. “If I wanted to get 10 assists, I could get 10 assists. Everybody wants to see the record broke, but it’s bigger than that for our team and for me.”
On a rough night all around, Westbrook had 23 points — on six-of-25 shooting, two of 12 three-pointers — 12 rebounds and eight assists, along with eight turnovers before coach Billy Donovan pulled him with 2 minutes, 34 seconds to play.
Devin Booker scored 21 of the Suns’ 25 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 37 as Phoenix snapped a 13-game losing streak.
“From the start of the game, Russ was chasing history,” Booker said. “Unbelievable player. I’m sure he’s going to get it. I’m happy it wasn’t here, but we locked in defensively.”
Westbrook did get the six assists he needed to assure that he would join Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double for a season — breaching double figures for all three categories. Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists for the Cincinnati Royals in the 1961-1962 season.
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