Westbrook streak of triple-doubles now at 6 straight games

Despite a poor start shooting, Westbrook already had 15 points and 11 rebounds when he picked up his 10th assist with 6:20 left in the third quarter.

Donovan meanwhile praised Westbrook’s ability to read the game before choosing when to strike. “When it’s time to be aggressive, that’s what it’s time for”. “I’m glad that he went in and tried to complete it”.

Atlanta will act as the team’s next opponent, as the Thunder loses an hour on its way to play the Hawks in Georgia on the second night of a back-to-back. Westbrook’s historic stretch of triple-double stat-stuffing has everyone’s attention, but for the Thunder, it’s becoming a rallying cry for the team.

Westbrook’s streak is the longest since Jordan posted seven straight in 1989. “That’s what a really special player does, look at Russell”. We saw some of that in the first half. It’s nearly as if every time someone asks him about Kevin Durant, it becomes internalized as one of those glowing orbs from Inside Out, and Westbrook can take a look at it and examine it as one of his core memories.

That came just 24 hours after the 2.13m starting centre from New Zealand had limped off in the first quarter against the Pelicans with a sprained left ankle that looked nearly certain to keep him out of the second part of the back-to-back in Atlanta.

The jumpers weren’t going. No problem. He crashed the boards and kept looking for his teammates. And failing to shoot well doesn’t necessarily mean failing to play well.

That all changed when he hit a pull-up jumper three-and-a-half minutes into the quarter.

Then, Roberson turned the ball over on the same sequence after the Hawks missed an open 3-pointer. In support, Dennis Schröder added 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds, while Kyle Korver contributed 15 points off the bench and Mike Muscala added 11 points on ideal shooting from the floor. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he had no idea about the protective gear his players use. “When he does that and he’s getting to the rim and he’s including his teammates…that’s why he’s on a roll right now”.

And this coast-to-coast drive in which Westbrook turns on the turbo-booster just past half court. Dwight Howard and Chris Humphries both scored 10 points, but Superman also had 17 rebounds.

“I haven’t felt like that in a long time”, Hield said.

Hield hit back-to-back 3-pointers to trim Oklahoma City’s 10-point lead to four with 1:55 remaining, including one in transition. However, a broken play led to a 29-foot heave from Tim Hardaway Jr.at the buzzer, and the shot went begging.

These games always seem close, though, nearly no matter how they start. They are 26th in the league in three-point percentage with just 32.5 percent from downtown.

That “something else” might be obvious, though.

What’s more, Robertson played during a time notorious for its accelerated pace – which created more possessions per game, and thus created more opportunities to accumulate statistics, and thus arguably makes Westbrook’s stats to date the more impressive accomplishment. In fact, Westbrook outscored the entire Hawks team by a 16-15 margin during the 12-minute period, and an 11-2 run in the middle of the quarter swung the momentum. He did not return, and the Cavaliers said X-rays taken at the arena were negative and that the guard would return to Cleveland on Tuesday for further examination.

“It’s fantastic, night-in and night-out he gives us all of his effort”, forward Jerami Grant said.