by Andrew Kiser
A player averaging a triple-double? No, this is not the 1961-62 NBA season, and his name is not Oscar Robertson. I’m talking about Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, who is currently averaging a triple-double midway through the 2016-17 season.
Westbrook’s stat line is one of many amazing statistical anomalies happening this season.
Like Robertson, Westbrook could average a triple-double and also have the dubious distinction of not winning MVP. It was Bill Russell who won the award in 1962. And, to Westbrook’s misfortune, the nod has to go to Houston Rockets point guard James Harden.
I would choose Harden for the award simply because of the Rockets’ record. Last season the Rockets received the eighth and final playoff spot in the final game of the season. This year the Rockets are currently in third place in the Western Conference, and they have a chance to knock out the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the playoffs if the two teams faced off against each other.
Harden also made the transition from shooting guard to point guard seem effortless. His ability to make deep three-pointers while also making nightly highlight reel assists makes him the more credible MVP candidate.
Harden’s transformation has also drawn admiration from former NBA greats. Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley have marveled at Harden’s career. He started out as the sixth man on the Thunder’s bench, but then he transitioned to Rockets All-Star shooting guard to Rockets superstar point guard.
While looking at current playoff teams, there are no real surprises. On the eastern side, Washington Wizards, who are in fifth place, disappointed many fans last year by not making the playoffs.Even when the team made the playoffs, they struggled to be a cohesive group for most of the season. But they have an NBA All-Star point guard in John Wall and a potential NBA All-Star with shooting guard Bradley Beal. The team has played better recently, and hopefully, they will play more consistently for the rest of the season.
On the other end, the western surprise team is the Utah Jazz. The Jazz had a chance to make the playoffs last season but instead had a hobbled Kobe Bryant score 60 points on them.
Like the Wizards, the Jazz are a young team. They have small forward Gordon Hayward to lead them on offense, and they have center Rudy Gobert rebounding and protecting the paint. The Jazz has a bright future ahead of them.
This season has also shown the potential stars the NBA has to offer in the near future. While I can’t go into great depth about every great young player, I will mention potential future great players like Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker, and New York Knicks’ Kristaps Porzingis.
Speaking of potential stars, the feel-good story of the NBA season so far has to be Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid. After not playing at all his first two seasons in the league, Embiid has played like an NBA All-Star this season.
On a minutes restriction, he almost averages 20 points and eight rebounds a game. Embiid has been playing like a possible unanimous Rookie of the Year winner. During his first two years, Embiid was being worked as another big man first round bust like Sam Bowie or Greg Oden, but Embiid has played nothing like a bust.
Most experts predicted a Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers rematch, and this prediction seems more than likely. Unless barring a significant injury to some talented players on their roster, then expect the trilogy to this matchup. Maybe this will be the new Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
Hopefully, the remainder of the NBA season will be as thrilling as it has been so far.
