The Sacramento Kings secured a valuable victory with a short-handed team against the Golden State Warriors, thanks entirely to a dominant performance from Russell Westbrook. The former Los Angeles Clippers guard recorded 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists and established a brand-new NBA record.
By grabbing 16 rebounds in the victory over the Warriors, Westbrook surpassed Jason Kidd (8,725) for the most boards by a guard during the regular season in NBA history, hitting a total of 8,734.
Following the win, Westbrook spoke at the press conference and confidently affirmed his standing as the best rebounding guard ever. “Humbly speaking, I’m the best rebounding guard ever. So when the ball comes across the rim, I’m going to get it,” the 36-year-old exclaimed, with the statistics now fully backing his claim.
The triple-double leader
The recent triple-double also extended Westbrook’s commanding record in the league to 204 total triple-doubles. He remains the undisputed all-time leader in the category. The closest active player attempting to catch him are the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, who currently stands at 164 career triple-doubles.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ star and NBA’s all-time scoring leader, LeBron James, rounds out the top active players with 122 recorded triple-doubles. The top five list also includes retired legends Oscar Robertson in second place with 181 triple-doubles and Magic Johnson in fourth place with 138 achieved.
DeMar DeRozan on Westbrook’s impact
Several seasons ago, Westbrook appeared far removed from the dominant level he exhibited with the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, after showing flashes last season with the Denver Nuggets, it seems the veteran is now capable of recovering some of his elite form with the Kings.
His teammate, DeMar DeRozan, has no doubt about Westbrook’s ability, noting his consistent intensity and labeling him one of the best point guards in league history.
“He’s fierce. Every single night he’s going to give everything he got. That’s why he’s arguably one of the best point guards to ever play this game, and I’m glad he’s on our team,” DeRozan told NBC Sports Bay Area & California after the Kings’ victory.
Westbrook’s high-level play is essential for the Kings, who were forced to play without Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis due to injuries. “Every night is a dogfight,” Westbrook said at the press conference. “If we knuckle up and compete at a high level, that’s something I want to bring”.