Triple Doubles have become a common occurrence in the NBA today and the changing of the guard went from LeBron James and Rajon Rondo to Draymond Green and Russell Westbrook. The latter pair are the top two leaders in the NBA currently in the skill. What makes Westbrook’s league-leading 15 triple doubles so special is he’s a point guard standing at 6’3. Think about that. A point guard scoring like a shooting guard, dishing the rock like his natural position and crashing the boards like a big man.
On Westbrook’s end, he’s taking the acclaim he’s getting for his all-around play, particularly his rebounding (7.7 rebounds per game) in stride, saying there’s really nothing to it and it’s all about wanting to get the rebounds.
Via ESPN:
Westbrook has become the league’s best rebounding guard, and not by accident. His rebounding methodology is straightforward: Go get the ball. Just jump, then jump again, then jump again if you have to. Westbrook has made a career out of trying a little bit harder than everybody else. With rebounding being as much about want-to as it is about positioning and skill, Westbrook is a natural.
And it’s not like there’s an agreement between him and his bigs about who gets boards. It’s first come, first serve, and Westbrook tries to make sure he’s at the front of the line.
“There’s no understanding,” Westbrook said. “You’ve just got to want it. There’s no understanding. I just play, man. If the rebound’s in the air, I jump and go get it. If I’m there, that’s it.”
