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In the event you’re arguing a few participant with a good friend, and the good friend defends the participant by citing their double-double numbers, are you listening to them out or asking what yr they only time-traveled from?
Triple-Doubles?
Do they nonetheless matter within the NBA?
Throughout final evening’s 126-114 loss to the Cavaliers, Nuggets famous person Nikola Jokić notched the 139th triple-double of his profession. He had one other stat line with 27 factors, 20 rebounds and 11 assists. Fairly ridiculous, however he’s made stuff like this look customary. (It wasn’t sufficient to beat 4 totally different Cavs gamers scoring a minimum of 20, led by Donovan Mitchell’s game-high 28. However the Cavs are simply doing that to groups this season.)
This being his 139th triple-double is noteworthy as a result of he handed Magic Johnson on the triple-double checklist. Magic did it in 906 profession video games. Jokić? Simply 692 video games. Fairly bonkers to consider. It additionally left me questioning if there’s a hollowness to this feat. The triple-double doesn’t really feel the identical because it used to. Seems like 20 years in the past, a participant undertaking a triple-double would have led SportsCenter. Now? It’s turn into only a footnote.
I’m sufficiently old to recollect double-doubles being a comparatively hallowed statistical feat. We’d observe which gamers had the longest double-double streaks, and it will definitely turned one thing to keep in mind David Lee by. Even now, a Kings broadcast would possibly point out Domantas Sabonis and his variety of double-doubles, however he’s additionally turn into a little bit of a triple-double machine.
The triple-double is one thing you have a good time much more in case your favourite participant or a man in your favourite staff does it. If somebody elsewhere does it, you would possibly chalk it as much as stat-padding or “it’s simply what occurs on this period.” The triple-double has been watered down. I believe we are able to pinpoint when. The 2016-17 season is when Russell Westbrook did the unthinkable. He averaged a triple-double for the whole season, which hadn’t been performed since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.
Shortly after, we noticed James Harden actually rack them up, LeBron James add to the tally and Luka Dončić pile them on. The explosion of the triple-double has made it a much more common feeling than it ever was earlier than.
Looking on Basketball-Reference’s Stathead characteristic, I tallied up 3,238 triple-doubles within the practically 79 years of the league. It feels like quite a bit! However when you cut up the NBA’s existence between the primary 70 years and the final 9 (when the Westbrook triple-double season started), the cut up on triple-doubles is form of wild.
First 70 seasons of the NBA: 2,215 triple-doubles. That’s 68.4 p.c of the triple-doubles.
Final 9 seasons: 1,023 triple-doubles. 31.6 p.c of triple-doubles.
That’s a bonkers ratio! Particularly when you think about, the ninth season of this cut up is simply a bit over a month into it. I don’t even actually know what to do with that info. I simply determined to look it up as a result of my latest emotions on triple-doubles the final couple years have been comparatively muted. The dramatic triple-dips wow me, however it’s important to remind your self this sort of factor isn’t truly mundane.
Why are triple-doubles exploding like this? Catering to stars has mutated within the participant empowerment period. I don’t even say that negatively. It’s only a reality as coaches, entrance places of work and possession teams wish to preserve these stars completely happy, in line for awards and employed by their respective franchises. Cooler stats. Greater Q score. Higher worth of their financial institution accounts. Extra accolades. Generational wealth ensues. The explanations do add up.
However Russell Westbrook getting his two hundredth lately is critical. Jokić passing Magic Johnson is critical. Perhaps the milestones are extra significant than the person moments.
The Final 24
Khris Middleton’s season debut is tonight
🏀 Wolves protection again? Since Anthony Edwards known as out his staff, the Wolves’ protection has been buzzing. Is it mounted?
🏀 John Hollinger unveiled his All-Disappointment Staff … it’s highlighted by a stunning title.
💸 Rockets fined! Ime Udoka, Alperen Şengün and Tari Eason all had been fined for his or her scuffle in opposition to the Kings. $100,000 whole.
✈️ In 2025, the NBA will return to China for 2 preseason video games. Mike Vorkunov has the main points.
👋 Welcome again, Khris! Bucks wing Khris Middleton is making his season debut tonight in Boston. Talking of: Milwaukee wants him.
📺 Don’t miss this recreation tonight. Bucks (11-10) at Celtics (18-4), 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
📺 Late evening motion. Timberwolves (11-10) at Warriors (13-8), 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Wolves wish to preserve issues shifting, and the Warriors must proper the ship.
Over/Beneath Checkup
How are your bets from preseason doing?
One staple in making ready for a brand new NBA season is checking in on the over/unders. Our pals at BetMGM all the time present them for us, after which, we begin pontificating on what may or couldn’t be. Over the past couple days, we appeared on the first quarter of the 2024-25 season and threw down a report card for every convention. (Test the East and West grades at your leisure.)
Right this moment, I needed to have a look at a few of the fascinating over/below numbers from the preseason and see the place we’re with them. Let’s spotlight three groups projected to hit the over and three groups projected to take the below.
Projected overs
Cavaliers (o/u 48.5): Cleveland has the NBA’s finest document at 20-3, placing the Cavs on tempo for 71 victories this season. After all, that feels excessive, even after their 15-0 begin to all the things. I already really feel so dumb for selecting the Cavs to complete just below the 48.5 quantity. In the event you’re rooting in opposition to it, then you definitely would in all probability spotlight the Cavs are simply 5-3 since their historic begin. Even when they stored that tempo the remainder of the season, they’d hit 61 wins. Means over.
Nets (o/u 19.5): The Nets are 10-13, and, whereas that doesn’t appear terribly spectacular to the informal observer, they’re already midway to hitting the over. All people assumed the Nets had been in full tank mode after getting their picks again. That may take some gutting earlier than the commerce deadline. They’re on tempo for 35 wins.
Warriors (o/u 43.5): The Warriors are on tempo for 50 wins, and it’s affirmation of what I felt about them going into this season. Final yr, the Warriors would’ve been flirting with 50 wins if Draymond Inexperienced hadn’t gotten suspended for weeks on finish. Plus, I assumed they upgraded their roster this summer season.
Projected unders
Pacers (o/u 46.5): After final season’s convention finals look, the Pacers are headed towards 32 wins. Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith have missed a number of video games, however ought to that preserve them as an below .500 staff?
76ers (o/u 51.5): It’s simply value noting the 5-15 Sixers are on tempo for 20 wins this season, and this isn’t a “belief the method” marketing campaign. They would want to go 47-15 the remainder of the best way to hit the over.
Nuggets (o/u 51.5): Now that the 11-9 Nuggets are wholesome once more, it’ll be fascinating to trace this one. They’re on tempo for 45 wins. Their most well-liked beginning lineup is simply 3-5 this season. Destined for the Play-In Match?
About Final Evening
Warriors, Rockets proved protection is so in
We’re so obsessive about scoring, however Ime Udoka and Steve Kerr are as captivated with protection as they’re about yelling on the refs this week. This needed to be a really irritating recreation for the Rockets (15-8), who misplaced 99-93 to the Warriors (13-8). These are two of one of the best defenses within the league, so getting shut down by both staff isn’t uncommon by any means. However the Warriors had been with out Steph Curry and Draymond Inexperienced. The Rockets nonetheless couldn’t take them down.
Jonathan Kuminga led with 33 factors, and Andrew Wiggins had 23 subsequent to him. These had been the one double-digit scorers for the Warriors. The Rockets simply couldn’t get going within the slightest. The Warriors held Houston to lower than 38 p.c from the sphere and below 27 p.c from deep. It was simply the fourth time this season the Warriors held a staff below 100 factors, they usually wanted it to snap their five-game dropping streak.
Grizzlies 115 (15-8), Kings 110 (10-13): In the event you advised the Kings going into this recreation that they’d maintain Ja Morant to eight factors on 2-of-13 capturing and drive the Grizzlies into 22 turnovers, they’d must really feel like they’re getting the win on the street. The Grizzlies had seven gamers in double figures, led by Desmond Bane and Marcus Sensible with 18 every. Sacramento has received simply two of its final 9. Memphis has received seven of eight.
Pelicans 126 (9-15), Suns 124 (12-9): The Pelicans are beginning to look a bit wholesome, they usually gave all people reminder that the Suns actually battle with out Kevin Durant (ankle). Herb Jones blocked Devin Booker’s game-winning 3-point try, and Brandon Ingram had 29 factors to guide the Pelicans to only their fifth victory of the season.
Mavericks 137 (15-8), Wizards 101 (2-18): Luka Dončić had a straightforward 21-10-10 triple-double (yawn) because the Mavericks received their sixth straight recreation. Extra impressively, the Wizards proceed their futility on the courtroom, dropping their sixteenth straight recreation. Washington has tied its longest dropping streak in franchise historical past (performed final season and in 2010).
Knicks 125 (14-8), Hornets 101 (6-16): Karl-Anthony Cities (27), OG Anunoby (25) and Jalen Brunson (24) mixed for 76 factors because the Knicks torched the Hornets from downtown. They made 18 3-pointers on simply 33 makes an attempt. That’s 9 of their final 11 ending up within the win column.
Bulls 139 (11-10), Spurs 124 (11-11): Nikola Vučević took benefit of Victor Wembanyama lacking this recreation by dropping 39 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists whereas making 16 of his 22 photographs. Ayo Dosunmu had 27 factors, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and only one turnovers because the Bulls rolled.
Thunder 129 (17-5), Raptors 92 (7-16): The Thunder had 15 steals and 11 blocks of their whole domination of the Raptors. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had one other 30-point recreation and Isaiah Hartenstein had a bizarre stat line of 16 rebounds, six assists and simply two factors.
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(High picture: Sarah Stier / Getty Pictures )
