Russell Westbrook has spent a Hall of Fame career hearing how he epitomizes empty statistics. Critics swear up and down that he’s all flash and no substance, with his record-setting triple-doubles commanding more vitriol than respect from the analytics community.
If cold hard facts are on the agenda, however, Westbrook’s latest triple-double continued the one trend no one can deny: Winning.
Westbrook recently recorded career triple-double No. 204 with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. In the process, he built an even bigger lead on the competition and further cemented himself as the king of the statistic.
More importantly, he helped the Kings pick up a rare victory, improving to 3-5 with a 121-116 victory over the favored Golden State Warriors.
Many have brushed Westbrook's statistics off, but the victory is in line with the common result when Westbrook records a triple-double. In fact, his teams aren't just successful under those circumstances, but certifiably elite.
Westbrook's teams are now 151-53 when he records a triple-double—a winning percentage that would equate to a 60-win season across an 82-game schedule.
Russell Westbrook's teams win at 60-win pace when he has triple-double
Long accused of being the epitome of a stat-padding star, it turns out Westbrook's triple-double record directly coincides with team success. He's not only filling up the box score, but giving his team an elite foundation upon which to build.
Westbrook may not be the MVP-winning point guard he once was as he nears 37 years of age, but he's still capable of taking over when his team needs him to.
That's already proving true in Sacramento, as the Kings have started Westbrook in four of its past five games. The goal is clear, as the franchise is determined to address the fact that it ranks 29th in potential assists at this stage of the season.
Not even Westbrook's most determined critics can deny that he ranks among the best and most productive playmakers in NBA history, thus making him an ideal player for the job.
The unfortunate truth is that Westbrook's legacy will likely live on as one of the most divisive in sports. He's an MVP, a nine-time All-NBA honoree, a two-time scoring champion, and a three-time assists leader who has an Olympic gold medal, a trip to the NBA Finals, and four journeys to the Conference Finals on his résumé.
Despite having the accolades of an all-time great and the respect of his peers, the unfortunate truth is that he experienced his success in an era that priortized efficiency above all else.
With a career slash line of .439/.306/.772, Westbrook is the antithesis of what a certain demographic of basketball fans and analysts believe a player should be. His individual and team success is irrelevant compared to the lowlights of poor shot selection and costly turnovers.
Thankfully, the Kings have looked past the flawed narratives and added a future Hall of Famer who may be the only player who can save them from their current playmaking flaws.