The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Westbrook electrifies the fans
Fans stood on their feet, screaming for Russell Westbrook to grab the one rebound needed to separate himself from Oscar Robertson and grab an NBA record that has stood for 55 years. This was a road game. It didn’t matter. Fans all around the league are showing how much they appreciate the Oklahoma City guard’s energy during his historic run. In a time when the NBA is grappling with players missing games to rest, routinely disappointing their fans, Westbrook seems to never take a play off much less miss a game — he’s played in all of OKC’s 78 this season.
Westbrook came up one rebound short of his recordsetting 42nd triple-double Wednesday night against the Grizzlies.
He scored 45 points, tying his career-high with eight 3-pointers, handed out 10 assists and pulled down nine rebounds in Oklahoma City’s 103-100 win over Memphis on Wednesday night.
So the triple-double watch continues, and maybe that’s not a bad thing.
“Obviously, people came to see that, but it happens like that,” Westbrook said. “We got a lot of games left. We got the win. That’s the most important part to me.”
Not to the fans standing throughout the lower bowl in the final minute.
Some like 14-year-old Ashton Wyatt of Paragould, Arkansas, came with his family to see both his hero and an NBA record. Kyle Cox, 24, of Memphis has been a Thunder fan since the franchise relocated from Seattle and could hardly sleep Tuesday night after Westbrook tied Robertson’s single-season mark of 41 triple-doubles, set in 1961-62.
“It’s incredible, and he’s played his heart out, so I think he deserves it,” said Cox, who bought his tickets for this game two months ago.
Fans in Memphis have been disappointed before when LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were sidelined when the Cleveland Cavaliers came to town on Dec. 14.
The next stop on Westbrook’s road show is Phoenix Friday night when the Thunder face the Suns.
Fans in Phoenix should expect another show from the 6-foot-3 All-Star. Westbrook certainly didn’t disappoint in Memphis, scoring 11 of Oklahoma City’s final 14 points.