TRIPLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE

Russell Westbrook sometimes sends mixed messages, but he’s putting out one on not only a consistent level but an astronomic one. This guy wants to be the NBA’s MVP.

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard recorded his fourth consecutive triple-double on Wednesday night. That means he hit double figures in points, rebounds and assists. It’s not easy to do once, but Westbrook achieved it for the fourth consecutive game … and just four days after surgery to repair a fracture in his right cheek.

Wearing a plastic protective mask, Westbrook scored a career-high 49 points, grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and handed out 10 assists in a 123-118 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Westbrook had to periodically stop to clean off the mask.

“It was a total big process of trying to keep everything from fogging up. That’s not going to stop me. My job is to come out and trying to lead my team,” Westbrook said.

No player has had this many consecutive triple-doubles since a fellow named Michael Jordan did it seven games in a row in 1989.

The Thunder continue to move forward without the injured Kevin Durant. Early in the season, both Durant and Westbrook were out and the Thunder struggled to compete. At 34-27 and with back-to-back wins, the Thunder are in second place in the Western Conference’s Northwest Division, 6 ½ games behind the Portland Trail Blazers.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .