NBA commissioner Adam Silver said: “It speaks to your relentless work ethic and the all-around skill and passion that you bring to the game every single night.”
1️⃣8️⃣2️⃣ TRIPLE-DOUBLES 😤👏
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 11, 2021
Russell Westbrook is officially the NBA’s all-time triple-double leader! #WES182OOK | @russwest44 pic.twitter.com/exvo3JNhNY
Westbrook sparked a furious comeback against the Hawks that fell just short as he missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the waning seconds of a 125-124 loss.
“You put so much time, sacrifice so much for the game and to be able to be mentioned with guys like Oscar and Magic, Jason Kidd and those guys is just something I never would have dreamt about as a young kid growing up in LA,” the Wizards point guard said after the game. “I’m truly grateful for moments like this. Normally, I don’t like to pat myself on the back but tonight I will.”
Westbrook tied Robertson on Saturday when he had 33 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists in an overtime win over the Indiana Pacers. He sealed that game with clutch free throws and a block.
“He’s a winner,” Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said after Monday’s game. “He’s making the basketball and the non-basketball world a better place. Not a lot of guys can do that. Not a lot of guys can have the impact that he has both on and off the court. It’s pretty phenomenal.”
Westbrook now has 36 triple-doubles on the season with three games remaining. He already has set the record for most triple-doubles in a season with the 42 he had in 2016-17.
“Every night, I try to do things that people say can’t be done or that I can’t do,” he said. “My motto is ‘Why not?’ and that’s how I live and that’s how I think.”
Despite starting the season off battling injuries and then enduring a COVID-19 outbreak on the Wizards team, Westbrook has turned his first season in Washington into a historic one.
The last time an all-time NBA record was broken was when Ray Allen passed Reggie Miller on the all-time 3-pointers made list in 2011.
Article Appeared @https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31423738/washington-wizards-star-russell-westbrook-sets-new-record-career-triple-doubles