Like Magic, another triple-double for Russell Westbrook

NY has to figure out a way to contain the red-hot Russell Westbrook, who is seek his third straight triple-double, but the Knicks should be up for the challenge. But there may be another, more troubling reason the Knicks were unable to keep Kanter (27 points, 10 rebounds) and Adams (14 points, 10 rebounds) off the boards: They don’t have the personnel.

(On what it means to be tied for 6th on the all-time triple double list): “I am happy we won”.

Through 18 games, Westbrook has seven triple-doubles and is averaging a staggering stat line of 31.2 points, 9.9 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game.

Check out the highlights from his latest masterpiece above.

DENVER- Russell Westbrook had 36 points, 18 assists and 12 rebounds for his sixth triple-double, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 132-129 in overtime on Friday night.

Ish Smith did some nice things offensively, scoring 14 points and dishing 3 assists, while running several successful picks-and-roll with Andre Drummond.

Donovan admitted Monday morning Westbrook could end the season as the second man in National Basketball Association history to average a double-digits in points, assists, and rebounds. To be sure, the Knicks are stocked with adept scorers in Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick Rose.

Going hand-on-hand with Fred Katz’s preview of tonight’s game, I definitely recommend listening to his preview of tonight’s game on the Locked On Thunder Podcast with Jared Dubin.

“He’s a Hall of Fame player”, Thunder coach Billy Donovan said of Westbrook. “And he knows that his assists, his rebounds and his scoring, being efficient, helps our team win”.

Head coach Jeff Hornacek said his team wasn’t just outmuscled in the fourth quarter, but outhustled too. “We didn’t even make them make the plays we wanted them to make”. He came close (within 1.0 assist or rebound) four more times. I think Adams and Kanter had a little nastiness to them. If he doesn’t show up to play, the Thunder will most likely get blown out – exactly how Westbrook wants it to be if we’re being honest. Robertson, of course, is the last player to average a triple-double for an entire season.

But the Thunder rallied in the second quarter to take a 58-55 lead into halftime and never trailed in the second half.

Thunder: Morrow enjoyed his best outing of the year in a season-high 26:24, shooting 8 of 12 from the floor, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range. “Just to be able to do that is always good for me and good for him as well”. “We’ve proven we can do it at home – so it’s going to take that attitude that we have at home and take it on the road to get wins”.