Russell Westbrook bagged his 30th triple double of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Utah Jazz 109-106 on Tuesday.
Westbrook now stands third on the all-time list of players with the most triple-doubles in a single season, one adrift of Wilt Chamberlain who finished with 31 in the 1973-74 season.
The record remains Oscar Robertson’s 41 in 1961-62, a benchmark Westbrook could well threaten with the Thunder having 22 games left in the regular season.
On Tuesday the dynamic point guard exploded for 43 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a hard-fought win over Utah at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
It was the eighth time Westbrook has scored 40-points while securing a triple double and the second time he has achieved the feat in the last two games.
Westbrook received strong support from Doug McDermott, who finished with 16 points, while Enes Kanter rose from the bench to score 15 points with nine rebounds.
The win helped the Thunder improve to 35-25, putting them within two games of the Jazz in the Northwest Division.
Gordon Hayward topped the Jazz scoring with 19 points while Rodney Hood weighed in with 18 points. George Hill added 13 as Utah fell to 37-23. – Agence France-Presse
