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[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’The triple- and quadruple-double’ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”][/av_heading]
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AT THE NBA’s infancy stage, only points, rebounds and assists were recorded. It was not until the league’s 1973-1974 season opened when blocks and steals were logged and then the triple-double was born.
Wikipedia defines it as “a performance in which a player accumulates double digit number totals in three of five statistical categories – points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.”
While playing for the Syracuse Nationals, Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes probably could have recorded the league’s first ever triple-double when he submitted a statline of 18 points, 22 rebounds and 13 assists in a win versus the New York Knicks.
Usually, triple-doubles are achieved with double digit numbers in scoring, rebounds and assists. Occasionally, there are double-digit performances in steals and blocks. No one in the league, whether he’s active, retired or demised, has ever made a triple-double without scoring a single point.
With the game getting faster these days, it is not uncommon for players to record the feat. Superstars regularly do the stuff because the team depends on them so much that a triple-double effort becomes a side attraction. The league requires a player to have at least 20 tri-dubs in their playing career to be included in the NBA’s all-time lists of regular season leaders in triple-doubles.
Oscar “The Big O” Robertson tops the leader board with 181 triple-doubles. He is the only player in league history to average a triple-double in a single season. His cumulative first 5-season statistics has him averaging 30.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. With 41 recorded tri-dubs during the 1961-1962 season, he holds the league’s single season record of most triple-doubles.
Next to the Big O is Magic Johnson with 138. He holds the league record in most triple-doubles in playoffs with 30 and most in the Finals with 8.
Jason Kidd is third on the list with 107. While playing for the New Jersey Nets in 2007, he, together with Vince Carter both recorded triple-doubles in a victory over the Washington Wizards. Kidd was one of the few players to have a 3-game triple-double streak against the same team (Charlotte Bobcats).
Wilt Chamberlain comes fourth with 78 triple-doubles. He’s the only player to record a double triple-double when in February 1968, Wilt recorded 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists in a game versus Detroit. During that year, he also recorded 9 consecutive games with a triple-double.
Larry Bird is fifth on the list with 59 and closing fast is Russell Westbrook at sixth with 50 triple doubles. We’re not halfway to the season yet and strong chance that Russ will overtake Larry Legend by the All-Star break.
LeBron James is close with 45 and is seventh on the list. He’s the youngest at 20-years old to record a triple-double during a game versus Portland in January 2005 when he recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He is second to Magic in playoff tri-dubs made with 16 and in the Finals with 7. Bron is good for at least five more years and surely, Magic’s triple-double records will be surpassed.
While playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, Karl Malone is the only 40-year old player ever, and the oldest to record a tri-dub with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a game versus the San Antonio Spurs.
Rajon Rondo is the only other active player on the elite list with 29 triple-doubles. He’s tied with Grant Hill on the 11th and 12th spot with 29.
Much harder to achieve is the quadruple-double and only four players have so far recorded the feat. Nate Thurmond first did it on October 18, 1974 while playing for Chicago. In a win over Atlanta, he submitted 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks.
San Antonio’s Alvin Robertson did the same on February 8, 1986 when they won over Phoenix with a statline of 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals.
Hakeem Olajuwon did the feat twice in one month when on March 3, 1990, he recorded 29 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and 11 blocks in leading Houston blowing away Golden State. He did again on March 29 with an 18 point, 16 rebound, 10 assist and 11 block performance versus Milwaukee.
The last to achieve the quadruple double was David Robinson in a game against Detroit on Feb. 17, 1994. He exploded for 34 points and had 10 each in rebounds, assists and blocks.
The quad-dub is much harder to achieve compared to the tri-dub but I see a player who can actually do it. The New Orleans Pelicans is not doing great but I think Anthony Davis has the ability and the capacity to submit a tri-dub or a quad-dub for that matter./PN
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