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Throughout his decorated 12-year NBA career, Russell Westbrook has been selected an All-Star nine times, named to All-NBA nine times, and won two scoring titles and a Most Valuable Player award in 2017. In his time with the Thunder and Rockets, Westbrook developed a reputation for an unrivaled competitive edge and a game-by-game energy that helped turn whatever team he played with into a playoff contender. Along the way, Westbrook has amassed one of the most statistically impressive careers in NBA history.
Since the 2014-15 season, Westbrook is averaging 26.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game. In three consecutive seasons (2016-17 through 2018-19), Westbrook averaged a triple-double. No player in NBA history has averaged more than one such season. He has 157 career triple-doubles, 35 behind Oscar Robertson for the most in NBA history. Westbrook has scored 50-plus points in four of those triple-doubles and 40-plus points in 13 of them. Westbrook has six career games with 50-plus points and 57 games with 40-plus points. He has two games with 20-plus rebounds, five games with 20-plus assists and is the only player in NBA history not named Wilt Chamberlain to total at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in the same game.
On any given night, Westbrook is capable of putting on a performance that re-writes at least one section of the NBA record book. Ahead of his Wizards debut, we’re taking a look at the top-10 single-game performances of Westbrook’s career.
10. March 22, 2017 vs. Philadelphia (18 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists, 6-6 FG, 6-6 FT)
As the rest of this list will show, Westbrook is best known for his volume – packing so many points, rebounds and assists into a box score that one is left wondering how he had enough time to do so in a regulation game. But on this night against the Sixers, it was about efficiency. Westbrook became the only player in NBA history to record a triple-double without missing a field goal or a free throw. He finished 6-6 (1.000) from the field and 6-6 (1.000) at the line on his way to an 18-11-14 triple-double. The efficiency wasn’t limited to shooting. Westbrook made quick work of Sixers, notching his triple-double in just three quarters (28 minutes) and resting in the fourth as the Thunder led by 20-plus.
9. April 5, 2017 at Memphis (45 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists, four steals, 56.0% FG, 61.5% 3P)
A career-high eight made 3-pointers, three of which came in the decisive fourth quarter, highlighted a do-it-all performance from Westbrook in a three-point win over the Grizzlies. No team led by more than five points throughout, but it was Westbrook who made the difference down the stretch. Westbrook scored 14 of his 45 points in the final seven minutes of the game, shooting 3-4 (.750) from deep to keep Memphis at bay. With Oklahoma City up one with 15 seconds remaining, Westbrook hit a three to give the Thunder a four-point lead. After Memphis nailed a three of their own with less than a second left, Westbrook hit a pair of free throws to seal the Thunder win.
8. April 12, 2015 at Indiana (54 points, nine rebounds, eight assists)
Westbrook finished one rebound and two assists short of a triple-double in the first 50-point game of his career, a 54-point outburst on 21-43 (.488) from the field. Westbrook wasted no time getting the scoring started, totaling 22 points on 9-14 (.643) shooting and four assists in the first quarter. He closed the game with another 20-point quarter, shooting 7-13 (.538) from the field and 3-6 (.500) from 3-point range in the final 8:48 of the game.
7. December 17, 2016 vs. Phoenix (26 points, 11 rebounds, 22 assists)
Westbrook packed a pair of milestones into OKC’s 13-point win over the Suns: his 50th career triple-double and a then-career-high 22 assists. Westbrook did most of his damage in the third quarter, totaling 17 points, five assists and three rebounds as Oklahoma City piled onto its 15-point halftime lead. In the win, Westbrook became the third-fastest player to reach 50 career triple-doubles, trailing only Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. He is the only player in the last 37 years to tally 20-plus assists in a triple-double – and he’s done so three times.
6. October 28, 2016 vs. Phoenix (51 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, 15-20 FT)
In the home opener of what would be his MVP season, Westbrook put on a show for the OKC crowd, scoring 51 points as the Thunder overcame an 18-point deficit and won in overtime. It was the first game in Oklahoma City following the departure of longtime star Kevin Durant. After tallying just 12 points in the first half, Westbrook scored 33 points in the second and a team-high six in overtime. He tallied 13 rebounds and 10 assists, giving him his first 50-point triple-double of his career and the first in the NBA since 1975.
5. April 2, 2019 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (20 points, 20 rebounds, 21 assists)
Westbrook became the first player since 1968 to total at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a game, joining the great Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to accomplish the feat. The game is one of just two 20-rebound performances of Westbrook’s career and one of five 20-assist games of his career. Westbrook finished the game plus-24 in a dominant win over the Lakers. The game had a sentimental value to Westbrook as well. Postgame, he dedicated the performance to his friend, Nipsey Hussle, a rapper, activist, and fellow Los Angeles native who was killed two days prior.
4. March 7, 2017 vs. Portland (58 points, three rebounds, nine assists, 53.8% FG)
In a back-and-forth shootout with the Trail Blazers, Westbrook scored 17 points in the final 8:28 of the game as the Thunder fought to overcome a late deficit. The valiant late-game efforts highlighted the highest scoring game of Westbrook’s career: 58 points on 21-39 (.538) from the field and 13-16 (.812) from the free throw line. Westbrook was a force from start to finish, scoring 12 points in the first quarter, 16 in the second, 13 in the third and 17 in the fourth. Since Westbrook’s 58-point outburst against the Blazers, only four NBA players have scored more points in a game.
3. April 19, 2017 at Houston (51 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, four steals, 15-18 FT)
In Game 2 of Oklahoma City’s first-round playoff series against Houston, Westbrook continued his history-making campaign with a 51-point triple-double – the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA postseason history, the only 50-point triple-double in NBA postseason history and a new Oklahoma City franchise playoff scoring record. While the Thunder were defeated by four points, Westbrook finished plus-11 in 41 minutes.
2. March 29, 2017 vs. Orlando (57 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 52.5% FG, 40.0% 3P)
In perhaps the most statistically impressive game of his career, Westbrook led the Thunder to an overtime win against the Magic. He scored 57 points on 21-40 (.525) from the field in what was the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history at the time. With Oklahoma City down 10 with just under eight minutes left in regulation, Westbrook checked into the game and brought the Thunder back to life. In a 7:45 span, he totaled 19 points and scored or assisted on all but one of the team’s field goals. The comeback was capped by a deep, game-tying three with seven seconds left, forcing overtime. His dominance continued in extra time: Westbrooks scored or assisted on all five of OKC’s baskets as the Thunder pulled away for a win.
1. April 9, 2017 at Denver (50 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, 53.1% FG, 41.7% 3P)
Westbrook’s third career 50-point triple-double came in dramatic fashion and cemented his 2016-17 season in NBA history. With the Thunder trailing the Nuggets 105-103 and just over two seconds left on the clock, Westbrook gathered a pass and, in one motion, hoisted a 3-pointer from 35 feet away. The shot fell as the buzzer sounded, the Thunder won and the Nuggets were eliminated from postseason contention. Westbrook’s shot gave him a final line of 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists – his 42nd triple-double of the season, breaking Oscar Robertson’s NBA record of 41 single-season triple-doubles set in 1961-62. Westbrook shot 53.1% from the field, 41.7% from three, hit all 11 of his free throws and committed just two turnovers. The performance served as a fitting conclusion to Westbrook’s MVP campaign: a staggering statistical performance, a heroic game-winning play and the breaking of a record that seemed it might last forever.