Thunder at Timberwolves
The triple-double record has been secured but there is still the NBA MVP award to play for when Russell Westbrook leads the Oklahoma City Thunder into action against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Westbrook's 42 triple-doubles tops the record set by legendary Oscar Robertson (41 in 1961-62) and he is battling Houston guard James Harden for MVP honors.
Westbrook's triple-doubles equate to winning for the Thunder, who are 33-9 when he records a triple-double and just 13-25 when he doesn't. The All-Star guard routinely downplays his personal accomplishments while asserting he is only interested in seeing his squad rack up the victories. Westbrook has just one triple-double in three contests against Minnesota this season while averaging 26.7 points, 11.7 assists and eight rebounds. The Timberwolves are limping to the finish with four straight setbacks on a just-concluded road trip, including a 110-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Oklahoma, FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (46-34): Westbrook registered 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Sunday's 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets, capping the record-breaking triple-double with a game-winning, 36-foot 3-pointer as time expired. "I only know one way to play, honestly," Westbrook told reporters. "I don't know any other way to play. When I get on the floor, I try to leave everything I have, regardless of seedings, records, the time of day, whatever. It doesn't matter to me. Basketball is basketball, and I try to go out there and leave it all on the floor." With Oklahoma City set as the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoff festivities, coach Billy Donovan said he will let Westbrook decide if he wants to play in either of the final two regular-season games.
ABOUT THE TIMERWOLVES (31-49): Center Karl-Anthony Towns (41 points, 21 rebounds) and small forward Andrew Wiggins (40) became the 13th pair of teammates to score 40 or more points in the same game during the loss to the Lakers. Towns recorded the franchise's first 40-point, 20-rebound effort while Wiggins posted his fifth 40-point performance of the campaign. "It doesn't mean anything," a dejected Towns said afterward. "We went out there and got beat, so that history or those points don't mean anything."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Timberwolves won 96-88 on Jan. 13 after losing 26 of the previous 30 meetings with the Thunder.
2. Oklahoma City SF Doug McDermott (knee) will sit out his second straight game.
3. Minnesota PG Ricky Rubio scored two points on 1-of-10 shooting against the Lakers after pouring in 26 points in the previous contest.