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Like Magic, another triple-double for Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook racked up the assists on Saturday night. AP Photo/Alonzo Adams

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has 44 career triple-doubles. At the rate he’s going, he might record that many this season.

Westbrook had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists in the Thunder’s win over the Pistons on Saturday. That gave him seven triple-doubles this season (the rest of the NBA entered the day with seven combined after James Harden lost due to a scoring change the one he thought he got Friday). It is Westbrook’s fourth triple-double in his last six games.

Since turning 28 on Nov. 12, Westbrook is averaging 32.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 12.9 assists, numbers comparable to those Oscar Robertson put up for an entire season in 1961-62 (30.8, 12.5 and 11.4). Westbrook is nearly averaging a triple-double for the season. He would be if he had one more rebound.

On Friday, Westbrook’s triple-double brought back statistical memories of one by Robertson (whose record of 181 career triple-doubles is safe … for now). Saturday’s could be hooked to Magic Johnson. Westbrook and Johnson are the only players in NBA history to have a 15-assist triple-double on consecutive days.

Westbrook is tied with LeBron James for sixth all time in triple-doubles.

The next player ahead of them is Larry Bird, with 59. If Westbrook somehow keeps up his four-every-six-games pace (and doesn’t rest), he would pass Bird during a six-game Thunder road trip in mid- to late January.