Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook officially tied Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson on Saturday for the most triple-doubles in NBA history. After notching career triple-double 181 in their 133-132 win over the Indiana Pacers, the 9-time All-Star paid his respects to Robertson for setting the standard.
Via Fred Katz of The Athletic:
Russell Westbrook on Oscar Robertson: "I just wanna thank him, because he set the stage."
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 9, 2021
Obviously, Westbrook has a ton of admiration for Robertson for paving the way for guards to dominate the boards.
Asked about what made him get a knack for gobbling up the boards, Westbrook gave a pretty simple answer as to why.
Russell Westbrook on what allowed him to start averaging double-digit rebounds four years ago: "I don’t know. I just go get it."
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) May 9, 2021
Russell Westbrook is no doubt going to break the record, and he will likely do so in the next game for the Wizards, especially with Bradley Beal potentially missing a game or two with his tweaked hamstring.
He obviously can still put up points in a hurry on any given night and can dish out assists with the best of them with the way he always looks for his teammates. But his relentlessness on the glass, despite playing at the point guard spot, is what makes him one of the most unique players in NBA history.
Definitely, this is no feat to scoff at. Getting triple-doubles in a game is hard enough for anybody. It was historic when he averaged such for a season during his MVP campaign in 2016-17. However, doing so for four of the past five seasons is just so out of this world.
Not only did Westbrook make history on Saturday night, he also saved the day for the Wizards. The 31-year old secured the win for Washington by swatting away a potential game-winning three-point attempt at the buzzer from Caris LeVert. With the win, the Wizards also moved past the Pacers in the standings and are now at no. 9 in the Eastern Conference.
Follow Us
Subscribe