Despite a loss to the Rockets on Friday night, Russell Westbrook put up his 7th straight triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists). OKC has had a strong start to the season, and Westbrook has already achieved 12 triple-doubles. To put a number like that into a better perspective, the last person to have 7 straight triple-doubles was the one and only Michael Jordan back in 1989. An even crazier stat: as Westbrook leads the NBA with 12 total triple-doubles, the next closest to him is James Harden with 4. And if we add all of the rest of the NBA’s triple-doubles together, it’s only one more than Westbrook at 13. The star point guard has put on a show to begin the season and is wowing fans across the nation.
So how good is Westbrook? Well, it’s hard to say. At this point in the season, he’s averaging a triple-double with 30.9 points, 11.3 assists, and 10.8 rebounds. If he keeps those numbers up, he’ll distinguish himself from anyone to ever play in the NBA. As good as he looks, it’s still too early in the season to tell if this is a fluke or if Westbrook is the real deal. With the departure of former MVP Kevin Durant, coach Billy Donovan has put Westbrook in the driver seat.
In my own opinion, Russell Westbrook is the most entertaining player that I’ve ever seen play ball. I’ve watched a ton of basketball, and I have never seen a more competitive and athletic player to run the court. Whether it’s going coast to coast and finishing it with a spectacular slam, or just playing some good ole lockdown defense, Westbrook can do it all. If he continues performing to his current standard, there is no doubt that OKC will be a deep postseason team. And by the looks of the NBA right now, Westbrook is the clear-cut leader in the MVP contest.
With a ton of young talent around him in Enes Kanter, Victor Oladipo, and Steven Adams, the Thunder look to be a promising championship team this year. As the team was founded in 2008, the same year Westbrook was drafted, the Thunder have come close year after year but have never won a chip. So, as Westbrook and the Thunder have proved their dominance early in the season, will this finally be the year OKC takes home a championship?
