The past few seasons in the NBA have been spectacles. We've seen a new player rise up and challenge LeBron's status as the face of the league. That same player became the first ever unanimous league MVP in NBA History. Which was something. We seen the very first team to ever come back from being down 3-1 in the Finals. There's been a lot of history making moments in the last couple of NBA seasons. None may be as impressive as Russell Westbrook's, though.
For those that don't keep up with the NBA, Russell Westbrook has become only the second man in NBA history to average a triple double for an entire season. His averages were 31.6 ppg, 10.7 rpg, and 10.4 apg. That makes him the first man since Oscar Robertson in the 61-62 season to have averaged a triple double. He also broke Robertson's record for the most triple doubles in a season. When you actually stop and think about it, that's amazing. Westbrook has accomplished something that the best players in NBA history never even got close to accomplishing. Jordan didn't do it. Neither did Magic, Kareem, Kobe, Duncan, Thomas, Erving, Chamberlin, LeBron; I could go on and on and the only other person that would be on the list would be Robertson. There are those in the media and others who are trying to down play this accomplishment by saying that Westbrook was a ball hog. To that I say, the man averaged 10.4 apg. Then they'll say that his team boxed out for him so that he could get all of those rebounds. To that I say, that's what good teammates are supposed to do.
If Westbrook's team were still a losing team despite his impressive numbers, then I would see a problem with it, however, they're not. As a matter of fact, he led them to winning 47 games in a very tough western conference and a playoff birth. That's quite impressive when you realize that Westbrook is literally the only player on his team with all star potential. To go even further with how Westbrook helped his team, whenever he would get a triple double, they won more than 80% of their games. So it definitely wasn't hurting his team for him to get all of those numbers. Even with such an impressive season, though, there are those out there debating whether or not the man should be the MVP of the league this season.
So I ask, what do you guys think? Should Westbrook undoubtedly be the MVP this season? Should individual performance dictate the MVP or should the player's team's success dictate the MVP? Does this NBA Season put him in the pantheon of great NBA players? Is it too early to be talking about Westbrook's place in NBA history even though he's done something that only one other man has done? Let me know your opinions.
For those that don't keep up with the NBA, Russell Westbrook has become only the second man in NBA history to average a triple double for an entire season. His averages were 31.6 ppg, 10.7 rpg, and 10.4 apg. That makes him the first man since Oscar Robertson in the 61-62 season to have averaged a triple double. He also broke Robertson's record for the most triple doubles in a season. When you actually stop and think about it, that's amazing. Westbrook has accomplished something that the best players in NBA history never even got close to accomplishing. Jordan didn't do it. Neither did Magic, Kareem, Kobe, Duncan, Thomas, Erving, Chamberlin, LeBron; I could go on and on and the only other person that would be on the list would be Robertson. There are those in the media and others who are trying to down play this accomplishment by saying that Westbrook was a ball hog. To that I say, the man averaged 10.4 apg. Then they'll say that his team boxed out for him so that he could get all of those rebounds. To that I say, that's what good teammates are supposed to do.
If Westbrook's team were still a losing team despite his impressive numbers, then I would see a problem with it, however, they're not. As a matter of fact, he led them to winning 47 games in a very tough western conference and a playoff birth. That's quite impressive when you realize that Westbrook is literally the only player on his team with all star potential. To go even further with how Westbrook helped his team, whenever he would get a triple double, they won more than 80% of their games. So it definitely wasn't hurting his team for him to get all of those numbers. Even with such an impressive season, though, there are those out there debating whether or not the man should be the MVP of the league this season.
So I ask, what do you guys think? Should Westbrook undoubtedly be the MVP this season? Should individual performance dictate the MVP or should the player's team's success dictate the MVP? Does this NBA Season put him in the pantheon of great NBA players? Is it too early to be talking about Westbrook's place in NBA history even though he's done something that only one other man has done? Let me know your opinions.