Is Westbrook Going to Average a Triple Double Again
Marc Stein on Basketball
Russell Westbrook Makes Triple-Doubles Look Like shooting fish in a barrel. They're Not.
Westbrook, the Washington Wizards guard, is on track to average a triple-double for the fourth time in 5 seasons, making it seem virtually routine. And then why doesn't everyone practice it?
Russell Westbrook and Scott Brooks huddled by phone late Sunday. Subsequently the Washington Wizards' 8th consecutive victory, and with the second half of a back-to-back looming Mon night against San Antonio, Westbrook wanted to do some extra strategizing with his autobus.
Information technology was only a few months earlier that vi consecutive Washington games were postponed because the Wizards had been ravaged past a coronavirus outbreak. Their U-turn has been and then dramatic, with Westbrook'due south play reminiscent of his Oklahoma Metropolis best, that Brooks couldn't resist interrupting the serious tone by needling his star guard.
"I told him: 'You lot've got to showtime rebounding the brawl — only five tonight?'" Brooks said. "But busting his chops."
Those 5 rebounds Westbrook managed in Sunday's victory over Cleveland, to go with 14 points and xi assists in 36 minutes, were indeed an anomaly. In 9 of his previous 10 games, 13 of the previous fifteen and sixteen of the previous 20, Westbrook reached double figures in points, assists and rebounds.
In his first season as a Wizard, at age 32, Westbrook is averaging 21.8 points, eleven rebounds and 11 assists per game — with a league-leading 29 triple-doubles to hike his career total to 175. Denver'southward Nikola Jokic, with fifteen triple-doubles, is his closest pursuer this flavour. With seven more triple-doubles, Westbrook will pass Oscar Robertson as the N.B.A.'southward career leader.
This is where it'southward important to notation that Westbrook, who is on a course to average more 10 rebounds per game for the fourth fourth dimension in 5 seasons, stands half-dozen-pes-three.
The official stance of this newsletter is that Westbrook'due south forthcoming accomplishment should exist celebrated heartily, at the very least for his relentless rebounding at that size, just it's hard to say how much fanfare awaits him when he eclipses the Big O. This isn't even a tape that Robertson knew he set at the time, since the term "triple-double" didn't come up into vogue until the 1980s.
Some other tricky variable: In my 28 seasons of total-time Northward.B.A. reporting, Westbrook is right there with Allen Iverson when it comes to the most polarizing players I have covered. Considering of Westbrook'southward ball-dominant style, fickle bound shot, high turnover rate, occasionally brusque demeanor and, almost of all, nix championships, it is often easier to discover his critics than his admirers.
Paradigm
Equally Westbrook closes in on Robertson, there is also a rising tendency to dismiss triple-doubles as empty calories because they happen and so often in the wide-open mod game. (Example: On March 17, Westbrook was i of half dozen players to record a triple-double that day.) Westbrook's triple-doubles in particular tend to exist discounted in a way that others aren't, which he brought up in a video session with reporters after Monday'southward overtime loss to the Spurs.
"I think information technology's very interesting that it'south not useful at present that I'k doing it," Westbrook said.
As covered in a recent piece by my colleague Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, at that place were only xviii triple-doubles leaguewide as recently equally the 2011-12 regular season. This flavour's total has already topped 100, for the 5th season in a row, pointing to the various offensive advantages enjoyed in today'south North.B.A. The faster footstep of play creates more than possessions, and thus more statistical opportunities, and restrictions on defenders have been designed to promote more liberty of movement on offense. Players are likewise encouraged to shoot 3-pointers at record rates, boosting scoring numbers and leading to more than long rebounds. Onetime schoolers resistant to the 3-bespeak revolution, in response, are prone to scoff at some of the gaudy stuff we come across in box scores these days.
Yet this is where I experience compelled to repeat that part about Westbrook continuing just half dozen-3. He is the only player in league history at that size or smaller to average at least x rebounds a game over a full flavour.
"It's a lot harder at 6-3," said Lafayette Lever, who went past the nickname Fat and amassed 43 triple-doubles from 1982-83 through 1993-94.
Lever understands Westbrook's challenge too as anyone. He was a 6-3, 170-pound guard who rang up a league-leading xvi triple-doubles in 1986-87, ahead of both Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and he didn't have Westbrook's explosion.
"Russell is and then much more athletic than I was at any point in time," Lever said in a phone interview, "probably from the day he was born."
Lever, though, had an exceptional knack for rebounding, which he credited to playing on a high school team with no one taller than half-dozen-3. He however ranks tenth in career triple-doubles. It wasn't until Johnson joined the Lakers, v seasons after Robertson's retirement, that triple-doubles were seriously tracked and discussed, only among my N.B.A.-obsessed high school friends in the 1980s, we associated triple-doubles with Lever as much as with Magic or Bird, since he seemed like such an unlikely source for them.
Lever accrued all 43 of his triple-doubles in a half-dozen-season span with the Denver Nuggets from 1984-85 to 1989-90 as one of the driving forces on a team that, like Westbrook, wasn't e'er appreciated. Detractors at the fourth dimension took issue with the freewheeling way those Nuggets played under Motorbus Doug Moe — and the wild scores and stats their games produced.
Prototype
Turbocharged statistical lines are a staple now in a league where 13 teams out of 30, entering Tuesday's play, were attempting at least 40 per centum of their shots from 3-betoken range. Cries of stat padding became commonplace in Westbrook'southward after years with the Thunder, and the hyper-awareness of triple-doubles — and a corresponding urge to chase them — is another perceived reward for the Westbrook generation. But Lever insisted that achieving the consistency of Westbrook's lath work is far harder than it looks.
"Information technology'south nonetheless a big deal," Lever said, "because not everyone is able to exercise it."
Westbrook made similar statements afterwards the Wizards' winning streak was snapped by the 146-143 loss to the Spurs. Asked well-nigh his latest triple-double, which included 22 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists — albeit on ix-for-26 shooting — Westbrook said: "I honestly believe there is no player like myself. And if people desire to take it for granted, sad for them. Simply I'm pretty sure if everybody could do information technology, they would practice information technology."
It's difficult to fence with that logic, although many endeavour. In 2016-17, Westbrook became the showtime player since the 6-5 Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double for an unabridged season. That feat helped Westbrook, starring for the 47-win Thunder, get the N.B.A.'s outset Nearly Valuable Role player Laurels winner from a sub-50-win squad since Moses Malone in 1981-82.
With a boost from his recent surge, Westbrook is on a grade to average a triple-double for the 4th time in 5 seasons, which in theory should position him as an One thousand.VP. candidate. The reality is much colder: Westbrook has seemingly normalized averaging a triple-double and has been traded twice during that run, suggesting to some that triple-doubles aren't particularly valuable. Or, worse, that he is non a role player to build around.
Washington caused him from Houston on Dec. 2 in a swap of disgruntled backcourt stars that sent John Wall to the Rockets. In Jan and February, Westbrook'south play was alarmingly inefficient and turnover-laden, with noticeably fewer rushes to the rim. Since the All-Star break, Westbrook has consistently played at a top-xxx level, and Washington has a net rating of plus-4.iv points per 100 possessions with both Westbrook and Bradley Beal on the floor.
Concern persists over Westbrook'southward five turnovers per game, and his curious slippage at the gratuitous-throw line to a career-depression 62.eight percent from 76.3 percent last flavour, just the constant thrust Westbrook plays with has made the Wizards hard to guard. His presence has non hindered Aggravate's scoring, as some surmised when the trade went down; Beal is locked in an almighty battle with Gold Land'south Stephen Back-scratch for the league's scoring title.
In March and April, Westbrook became the first player to register at least 300 points, 150 assists and 150 rebounds in consecutive calendar months since Wilt Chamberlain in February and March of 1968, co-ordinate to inquiry from the statistician Justin Kubatko. Westbrook will never be for everybody, especially without a ring, but Brooks couldn't have lobbied harder for the Wizards to reunite them when the trade opportunity arose. He coached him through almost all of Westbrook's first seven seasons in Oklahoma City,
"The rebounding is the nearly incredible thing," Brooks said. "He goes and gets them. He only has that knack. Information technology doesn't affair who's in front of him; he e'er has 1 more step on his ladder. The will, the athleticism the competitive drive — I knew what our team needed.
"Eleven rebounds a game for guy 6-3? We'll never run across a thespian like him ever again, not in my generation or my kids' generation."
Corner Three
Image
You lot inquire; I reply. Every week in this space, I'll field three questions posed via email at marcstein-newsletter@nytimes.com . Delight include your start and terminal name, also as the city you're writing in from, and make sure "Corner Three" is in the subject line.
(Questions may exist condensed or lightly edited for clarity.)
Q: The Knicks have overperformed this flavour. The front office did not make whatsoever splashes at the merchandise deadline. Jeff Van Gundy recently mentioned on television that the Knicks were "still incredibly limited" talent-wise. Their all-time player is Julius Randle , but the N.B.A. has been a perimeter-based league for some time. How will Leon Rose address this? — Wallace Leeth (Paterson, N.J.)
Stein: Apr has been a month for Knicks fans to enjoy. Genuine optimism and joy are tangible at Madison Square Garden for the beginning time in years. I suppose it was inevitable that someone would inject a sober dose of pragmatism into the conversation, but it's also difficult to quibble with the patient arroyo — so far.
The Knicks are ahead of schedule and well positioned to pursue signings and trades to bolster an offensively challenged roster, with considerable salary-cap space and two first-round picks forthcoming in the off-flavour. Team officials know they still have plenty of piece of work to exercise to upgrade the overall talent, but that wasn't imperative at the trade deadline in March. It's not similar there was a departure-maker they missed out on.
It's true that this front function volition ultimately be judged on its power to sign or trade for at least one certifiable star to pair with Randle, which means persuading an established histrion to embrace the claiming of playing in New York every bit heartily as Randle did. Rose and his management team as well have to caryatid for ongoing 2d-guessing about their first typhoon pick if the rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton continues to flower in Sacramento, since they could have drafted Haliburton at No. 8 rather than Obi Toppin.
The Rose authorities, though, has done many good things in its first yr. The Knicks appear to have hired the correct motorcoach in Tom Thibodeau, helped usher Randle to All-Star status and can bespeak to promising development from RJ Barrett and the rookie Immanuel Quickley to offset the injuries that have derailed Mitchell Robinson's third season.
There take been whispers for weeks that the Knicks' amour with the Due east's No. four seed has helped restore their reputation to the point that star players are finally prepared to consider them a destination franchise again. If that proves true, they will take multiple pathways to address the concerns y'all raised, whether it's by trying to sign a savvy erstwhile All-Star like Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan on a short-term deal as a span to complimentary-agent classes more star-laden than this summer's, or by using future typhoon picks (possibly packaged with Toppin) to construct a meaningful trade.
Things could ever become askew if the Knicks rush into the wrong deal, equally they have been known to practise over the years, or if the team'due south owner, James Fifty. Dolan, decides he needs to go involved after abiding past the arrangement's programme to allow Thibodeau and on-court results do all the talking. But I would say that the Knicks have certainly earned a grace period through the end of this surprising flavour. This is a time for Knicks fans, surely, to revel in what'due south going right.
Q: Do they really become the Oscar itself? Kobe Bryant was very involved in co-creating his film, which is why he was given an Oscar . Executive producers frequently provide financing and aren't involved as hands-on producers. In any case, proficient for them. — @FromMeadows from Twitter
Stein: In my exuberance Sun night, I tweeted that Kevin Durant, Mike Conley Jr. and Rich Kleiman, Durant'due south business organisation manager, joined Bryant as Oscar winners from the Due north.B.A. because they were listed as executive producers for "2 Distant Strangers," which won the best live action short film category at Sunday's University Awards. That's wrong.
They were part of an Oscar-winning motion-picture show, only did not go awards themselves. Kobe took home an Oscar trophy in 2022 for the animated short film "Dear Basketball," which was based on a poem Bryant wrote in 2022 to announce his retirement at the end of the 2015-xvi season.
Q: I've never seen and so many tweets and stories about a team signing a guy to a x-twenty-four hour period contract. We've seen posts about Mike James most 50 times over the past calendar week. — @MrWright1218 from Twitter
Stein: In that location are some practiced reasons for that.
It's partially a function of where nosotros are on the regular-season agenda. There just aren't as many roster moves happening this shut to the postseason, peculiarly involving title contenders, and then the ones that do happen generate actress coverage.
Yet it's likewise a byproduct of the circumstances. James was ane of the near prominent Americans playing abroad, with a high-profile European club (CSKA Moscow), and he had a complicated contractual situation to negotiate — equally well every bit six days' worth of health and prophylactic protocols to complete — before he could really join the Nets on Friday. The fluidity of James's condition led to more frequent updates.
Numbers Game
Prototype
50
Recording 50 wins in an 82-game season is a traditional marker for N.B.A. excellence. Winning 50 games in a 72-game season is plain harder, merely 6 teams still take a run a risk to practise and then with 19 days remaining in the regular flavor: Utah (44-17), Phoenix (43-18), the Los Angeles Clippers (43-20), the Nets (42-20), Philadelphia (40-21) and Denver (forty-21). Of those six, only the Jazz (52) and the Suns (51) are currently on a pace to do so.
61
Nikola Jokic's One thousand.V.P. case will undoubtedly exist bolstered by his durability in this pandemic season. Jokic has played in all 61 of Denver'south games and has led the Nuggets to a 6-1 record since Jamal Murray's season-ending knee joint injury on April 12. Philadelphia'southward Joel Embiid, widely regarded as Jokic's closest pursuer in the 1000.V.P. race, has played in 42 of the 76ers' 61 games.
9
Monday's home loss to the Suns, the No. 2 seed in the W, brought a halt to the Knicks' nine-game winning streak. The Knicks have had only one longer unbeaten run in the 21st century, winning 13 consecutive games late in the 2012-13 season, which featured the society's terminal playoff booth.
37.5
The Knicks' Julius Randle leads the league at 37.5 minutes per game. Passenger vehicle Tom Thibodeau has faced criticism for years almost overplaying his best players; Thibodeau nigh likely would counter that Randle, at 26, is young enough to handle the workload.
thirteen
This is Seattle's 13th flavor without an N.B.A. team. The W.Due north.B.A.'s Seattle Storm have won three championships in that time, but the await for a new franchise to supervene upon the SuperSonics will shortly have on a new dynamic when the Seattle Kraken join the N.H.L. next flavor. Nosotros're less than three months away from the Kraken's expansion draft on July 21.
Hit me up anytime on Twitter ( @TheSteinLine ) or Facebook ( @MarcSteinNBA ) or Instagram (@thesteinline). Transport whatever other feedback to marcstein-newsletter@nytimes.com .
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/sports/basketball/russell-westbrook-triple-double.html
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