MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Russell Westbrook fell a rebound short of an historic triple-double, but he scored 45 points, including a late 3-pointer that helped seal the Oklahoma City Thunder's 103-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
Westbrook is averaging a triple-double at the moment with 31.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game.
Westbrook now has 78 career triple-doubles, matching Wilt Chamberlain for fourth on the all-time list.
Westbrook finished the game with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists and the playoff-bound Thunder snapped a two-game skid. Gibson and Alex Abrines scored 12 apiece.
One of those games happening in the Western Conference will be between the Oklahoma City Thunder (44-33) and the Memphis Grizzlies (42-36).
Following a game last night, will the Oklahoma City Thunder have much in the tank when they hit the road to face the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at 8PM ET?
Along with his impressive rebounding and assist figures, Westbrook is just 77 points away from becoming just the 13th player ever to score 2,500 or more points in a single season. In a game typical of what we have come to expect over the years, both teams clawed and scratched their way to the finish line, with the lead changing hands multiple times in the final minutes of play.
"We're fighting for a play-off position so it's a good win for us".
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But when he struggled in the preseason, he was moved back to right tackle and then eventually was replaced as the starter there. It's only a one-year deal, but $1.4 million in guaranteed money suggests a guy who probably will have a roster spot this fall.
He remains on pace to join Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double for a season. Oscar Robertson did it 41 times for the Cincinnati Royals during the 1961-1962 season-decades before the term was officially coined.
"Obviously, people came to see that, but it happens like that", Westbrook said.
And while the focus inside the locker room was on Westbrook's remarkable accomplishment, not to be overlooked was the fact the Thunder played one of their most complete games of the season.
Westbrook is just nine assists shy of joining James Harden and John Wall as the only players to dish out 800 or more assists this season.
Westbrook got his 10th rebound and 10th assist six seconds apart.
The Thunder took a 24-point led into halftime and were never threatened. OKC with Durant would have not given Westbrook the opportunity to chase Robertson's record.
"It's historic. If what he's doing wasn't so hard we'd have a lot more people being able to do it", Thunder coach Billy Donovan said before the game. As one would expect, there's a lot of drop off from a player now averaging a triple-double to a guy who is in his first season in the National Basketball Association and only averages 2.8 points per game. The Grizz have still managed to cover in three of their last four games to move to 40-38 against the spread on the season.
"With Russ' ability to tie the record or to break the record, whatever he's done, it's at a very high level with the triple-doubles", Kidd said.
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