Westbrook extends record, sees ways to improve
Russell Westbrook stuffs the stat sheet with 44 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, but the Thunder fall to the Pelicans 131-122. (1:47)
Despite recording his 11th consecutive triple-double Thursday to extend the longest such streak in NBA history, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook said he still has “so much room for an improvement” after a 131-122 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
On Monday night, Westbrook’s triple-double against Portland extended his streak to 10 games, breaking Wilt Chamberlain‘s mark of nine straight set in 1968.
Westbrook finished with 44 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in 39 minutes Thursday. In the process, he surpassed Gary Payton for the most points in Thunder/SuperSonics franchise history with 18,208.
But Westbrook isn’t resting on his laurels.
“I have so much room for improvement, just for me personally, because I know how good I can be and how much I can bring to the game and to help this team be successful,” he said. “So I’m very, very optimistic.”
Asked where he can improve, Westbrook said: “Everywhere. Because I do everything.”
It was the 12th time in Westbrook’s career in which he scored at least 40 points in a triple-double. That puts him in a tie for second place with Houston’s James Harden for the most 40-point triple-doubles in NBA history, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Oscar Robertson has the record with 22.
Beyond Westbrook’s contributions to the box score, Thunder coach Billy Donovan also praised his point guard for inspiring his teammates on a night where the Thunder didn’t have enough “pop.”
“I thought Russell’s energy trying to lift up our team kind of kept us around, kept us hanging around,” Donovan said. “He really played downhill, he got to the basket. That was the biggest thing — you noticed he got to the rim and then he was able to, you know, find people, and he did. But I think his energy and his inspiration was just trying to keep the guys in it.
“But I think his energy and his inspiration was just trying to keep the guys in it. Because just calling it like it was, we did not have the pop in my opinion that we needed to have. I think our guys were trying. We didn’t have it in some spots tonight, and that’s part of it. But I think Russ, as he always does, he was trying to will those guys in timeouts and get our team to fight, and we did.”