We’re Running Out Of Ways To Describe Russell Westbrook’s Greatness

We don’t watch sports simply to see who wins and who loses. We watch to see a human being take flight,  to see a someone manipulate an object as if it were an extension of his or her own body, to see the impossible made possible. We watch to see someone like Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook recorded his seventh triple-double of the season tonight against the Toronto Raptors, notching thirty points, seventeen assists and eleven rebounds. What’s insane about Westbrook’s streak is the way in which he’s stuffing the stat sheet. Rare is the triple-double that features high numbers in multiple categories. More often, the player’s stat line will look like Ricky Rubio’s against the Los Angeles Clippers on March second: 18 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds. It’s not a symbol of dominance, necessarily, but something a bit more subtle: control. Ten points here, 12 assists there, with 11 rebounds on the side — a handprint on every aspect of the game, but no deathgrip.  Westbrook’s triple-doubles, even near triple-doubles, are of a different ilk.

Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Westbrook’s triple-double included 49 points and 15 rebounds, while against the Phoenix Suns, he had one that consisted of 39 points and 14 rebounds. This is both dominance and control. Westbrook has a stranglehold on the game itself, and it simply has no choice but to do what he demands of it. He’s not just recording triple-doubles on a near-nightly basis, he’s doing it while dominating the game entirely.

It’d be easy to say that Westbrook’s performance is a byproduct of Kevin Durant’s absence, but that isn’t true. Westbrook’s brilliance, and the insane attention it demands from opponents, has actually allowed for some of his other teammates to flourish.  Serge Ibaka, who poured in 21 points and five blocks tonight, has experienced a mini-renaissance since the All-Star break, while Enes Kanter – another double-double tonight, 21 points and 12 rebounds – has been a revelation. Westbrook isn’t necessarily the sole reason behind Kanter and Ibaka’s breakouts, but the rhythm he’s in from a passing standpoint (he’s assisting on nearly fifty percent of teammate’s baskets while on the court, per NBA.com), certainly helps.

RT this from tonight! Westbrook dishes to Ibaka. #ThunderBasketball #ThunderHustle @FSOklahoma pic.twitter.com/tq6mx9VSbb

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 9, 2015

Simply put, it’s nothing short of spectacular what Westbrook’s doing right now. We’ve seen players explode for massive scoring streaks in the past, but we’ve rarely had the chance to see a player bend the game to his will for such an extended amount of time.

Russell Westbrook doesn’t make the impossible possible; he erases the concept of impossible from existence.

(video via @DawkinsMTA)