22 games into the season, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double. Perhaps the most widespread conversation among NBA fans at the moment is whether or not Westbrook can become the only player not named Oscar Robinson to keep up those averages for an entire season. A believer in Westbrook’s capability to do just that voiced his opinion — a believer by the name of LeBron James. From ESPN (transcribed by CBS Sports):
Westbrook can do it,” James said, via ESPN. “He’s capable of doing it. He’s showing it. He’s like the Energizer Bunny, man. He just doesn’t get tired. He doesn’t get tired, and when you have that passion for the game, too, as well, it’s very doable. The game has definitely changed a little bit. It’s more, it’s almost feeling like back in, like, the ’80s, you know, when teams were putting up 145 and 135 and more possessions and more shot attempts — obviously, they weren’t shooting as many 3s, but it was a lot of possessions. So with that being said, with his athleticism, him being able to get those rebounds, he handles the ball for the majority of the game for OKC so he’s gonna get the assists and I think he’s averaging nine free throws a game. He’s going to make seven or eight of those a game and obviously he’s going to get one bucket — he’s going to get 10 points. That’s the easy thing for him. So it’s very doable.”
At this point, after watching him do it for 22 games, I don’t believe that there are many people out there who have doubts regarding Westbrook’s capability of averaging a triple-double over the course of a season. However, it is possible that the 28-year-old’s numbers dip as the lengthy, tiring season wears on him. As James pointed out, Westbrook goes all-out nearly always. A player who consistently plays with as much energy as Westbrook is likely to burn out faster than most.
However, Westbrook is the most athletic point guard to ever play the point guard position. He’s clearly different from any to come before him. But will that be enough? James says that Westbrook “doesn’t get tired.” But everybody gets tired, that’s unavoidable. At this unbelievable pace, how much will Westbrook fatigue over the course of the remaining 60 games?
