Triple-double
There were still six minutes and 19 seconds left when Russell Westbrook recorded a triple-double against the Hawks yesterday. Not that the milestone was in doubt for him; it was his sixth straight, and, based on the numbers, would have actually been his 10th consecutive had he managed another assist in one outing and two more rebounds in another. Yet, what’s most surprising about his singular feat isn’t that his aggregate in the current season is exactly as many as the other 449 players in the National Basketball Association combined. It’s that he has set records for himself and propped up the Thunder in the process.
Certainly, no one from the outside looking in — not even the most diehard of fans — thought the Thunder would hold on to fifth place in the highly competitive Western Conference a quarter into the 2016-2017 campaign given the loss of former Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant. As good as Westbrook was, he looked to preside over an uneven roster that boasted of little firepower and appeared relatively bereft of talent. Instead of being downcast, however, he saw fit to embrace the challenge. He re-upped with the Thunder and did the only thing he could under the circumstances: He became an even better — make that a much, much better — version of himself. Needless to say, the Thunder have rallied behind Westbrook, completely entrusting their future with him in equal parts gratitude for his loyalty and recognition of their situation. They have only too willingly become dependent on him for progress, and, to his credit, he has met their expectations, and more. Considering how he has battled every single moment from opening tip to final buzzer, he has earned his keep as their undisputed leader. It’s no coincidence that, throughout his triple-double streak of six matches, he has delivered victories in every single one.
Can Westbrook average a triple-double over an entire season? He says he doesn’t care about the stats, and it’s hard to disagree with him because he’s also propping up the Thunder. In other words, one is simply an offshoot of the other. For him, the bottom line is clear: His own accomplishments need to be celebrated only when they coincide with the attainment of collective objectives. Still, he can’t but be filled with pride as his name is mentioned alongside such notables as Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson. He’s winning by doing things his way, and
nothing could be more fulfilling.
Can Westbrook average a triple-double over an entire season? He says he doesn’t care about the stats, and it’s hard to disagree with him because he’s also propping up the Thunder. For him, the bottom line is clear: His own accomplishments need to be celebrated only when they coincide with the attainment of collective objectives. Still, he can’t but be filled with pride as his name is mentioned alongside such notables as Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson.