Russell Westbrook, record-setting MVP candidate

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Devonte' Dillion, Staff Writer

A record that has held strong since the 1961-62 NBA season has finally been broken.

Oscar Robertson set his record of 41 triple-doubles when the NBA game play was at a different speed and different type of style.

According to The Sports Daily, the average NBA team had 126.2 possessions per game during the 1961-62 season and with the 2016-17 season, the Oklahoma City Thunders were more than 25 possessions ahead of that rate.

Russell Westbrook broke this record on Sunday, April 9 against the Denver Nuggets.

To record a triple-double means that the player has over 10 in three different categories – with that either being points, rebounds, steals, assists or blocks.

It isn’t common that many players record a triple double on a consistent base, in fact; comparing Westbrook to other players in the league for the 2016-2017 season, at 2nd place James Harden of the Houston Rockets has 21 this season, at 3rd LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers has 13 and 4th Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has 6.

The Oklahoma City Thunders finished with a record of 47-35, ranking them as the #6 seed in the Western Conference, and facing the #3 seed Houston Rockets in the playoffs.

Speaking to Russell Westbrook fans around the campus of American International College, there were nothing but positive things said about Westbrook.

Lamont Waites who is a senior at AIC is a longtime fan of the star point guard.

“Russ is the real deal, I’ve been saying this since he came out of UCLA (the college he attended),” Waites said. “Everyone thought he would fall off because they lost Kevin Durant but honestly it was his team even was Kevin was there so I’m not surprised at all.”

Westbrook is one of the top candidates to win the Most Valuable Player award that will be announced June 26th.

Other candidates include James Harden of the Houston Rockets, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunders.

Aaron Yates, who is also a student here at AIC and is a basketball fanatic added his thoughts on the record-setting Westbrook.

“If Westbrook doesn’t win the MVP the NBA is rigged,” Yates said. “He AVERAGES a triple double, let alone he broke the all time record. His numbers says it all.”

As stated through the past interviews the favorite to win the MVP goes towards the record breaker. The wait for the MVP calling will be set on hold while the NBA playoff takes place.