With a pass to Semaj Christon in the corner last night, Russell Westbrook officially notched his 42nd triple-double of 2016-17, setting a single-season mark. With Westbrook’s game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in Denver last night, he got his Oklahoma City Thunder off the mat after a stunning loss to the lottery-bound Phoenix Suns a few nights earlier. Barry Trammel of The Oklahoma details how Westbrook’s fire once again got OKC where it needed to be:
Westbrook knew the stats. He always knows the stats. He knew he needed one more assist for a triple double, and he knew his pass to Christon was No. 10. But Westbrook also knew the score.
Christon’s basket hadn’t even reduced Denver’s lead to single digits. The Thunder still trailed by 10 with 4:16 left in the game.
But a few moments later, when Westbrook most improbably trumped himself with a 36-footer game-winner at the buzzer, capping an 18-4 run that included 15 Westbrook points and that Christon swish, the stoic was gone.
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There could be no better way to cap this season-long Questbrook to join Oscar as a triple-double man and break his triple-double record. Because at the core, all those points (50 Sunday!) and all those rebounds (16 Sunday!) and all those assists should be about winning.
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Everyone had taken their eye off the ball, which is the scoreboard. The Thunder rediscovered the scoreboard Sunday.
Some 30 seconds after Westbrook’s assist to Christon, during a stoppage in play, Denver public-address announcer Kyle Speller acknowledged Westbrook’s record, with the crowd standing. Westbrook raised a hand to the crowd, but while Speller still was talking, Westbrook darted to the rim and dropped in a layup.
The lesson was profound. Records are great. Winning is better.
There was no basking in the moment, like the other night at home when Westbrook tied the record in a blowout of the Bucks. “No, no,” Westbrook said. “We was losing. I had to get the ball, go back and win the game.”
Later, Westbrook gave his pat answers about triple doubles and Oscar Robertson and history. That talk about being blessed and never dreaming about such milestones and being thankful to the Man Upstairs, who I assume is not Sam Presti, since the Thunder general manager has a ground-floor office.
But when asked about the shot, Westbrook was truly animated.
“It was fun, man,” Westbrook said. “Pure adrenaline. Emotions running high. Game-winning shot. Something you dream about as a little kid to be able to do that on the road, especially from that distance, something you never forget.”
Triple doubles are fabulous. History is to be treasured. Standing with and surpassing Oscar Robertson is incredible.
But winning is even better.
