Denver Nuggets guard, Russell Westbrook, made NBA history on November 19th, 2024. In a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, the veteran guard recorded his 200th career triple-double. Westbrook is now the only player in NBA history to have reached this milestone. In a matchup where Nikola Jokic was out due to personal reasons, the former Oklahoma City Thunder guard turned back the clock and helped Denver get a much-needed victory to secure their first win of the NBA Cup tournament. He posted a stat-line of 12 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds while being a terrific spark plug off the bench for the Nuggets. Denver will host the Dallas Mavericks for their next game on Friday, November 22nd, 2024. The organization is hopeful that their superstar big man, Nikola Jokic, will be back by then. If the recent victory taught the NBA world anything, it is that Russell Westbrook still has gas left in the proverbial basketball tank.
Russell Westbrook Adds to Impressive Legacy
Russell Westbrook’s Career
Westbrook recording his 200th career triple-double should not be shocking. After all, this is the same player who averaged a triple-double for three different seasons of his career. He did this in two years with the Oklahoma City Thunder including the season he won the league MVP and during his lone season with the Washington Wizards. For Westbrook’s career, he is tallying 21.6 points, 8.1 assists, and 7.1 total rebounds per game. The nine-time All-Star is also averaging a career defensive rating of 107 to go along with a player efficiency rating of 21.9. While Westbrook’s prime is behind him, he has proven to be effective in his new role at this junction of his career. His resume is already one of the best ever in NBA history. All that remains is the elusive NBA title.
Can the Nuggets Help Secure His Legacy With a Championship?
It is difficult to tell this early in the season if Denver can return to title contention. Especially with Nikola Jokic missing the last few games. However, the team has looked solid when he is on the floor. Without him, that is a different story. Still, the nucleus of this team has championship pedigree. Jokic is looking like an MVP favorite again and if Aaron Gordon can return soon, the potential is unlimited for this Nuggets squad. That is the caveat though; the whole unit remaining healthy and consistent. Jamal Murray has been inconsistent to start the season which has caused some concern. However, if he gets somewhat close to the level of player that he was last regular season, then Russell Westbrook will have a legitimate chance at adding an NBA championship to his resume.
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