The NBA has done us all a great disservice.
This is not a triple-double. The box score may say it is. The title of the video itself may say it is. Ask Dominique Wilkins, and he’ll say that it is. Adam Silver is likely phoning Al Horford himself to congratulate him on this “achievement”. How long until the castles constructed of branch and bough blow away in the cold winter winds? The deception cannot last forever.
Take a look at these assists. Most of them are legit, sure. There is no doubt that Al Horford had a good game passing the rock. Two in particular, however, catch my eye, both to a certain Dennis Schröder. Al hands the ball off on the perimeter as Dennis curls into the paint, taking a fair few dribbles before finishing the play at the rim. This is not even a case of “home-cooking”, rather, a blatant example of league interference in the stat-keeper’s sacred duty.
The NBA, in an effort to keep a crude facade of legitimacy, have been known to take away triple-doubles in the past. This is not an effort for statkeeping consistency; a triple-double taken away lends credence to those that remain.
I do not want to lessen Al Horford’s performance tonight. He played a great game, a game befitting the best team in the East. But was it a triple-double? Do not believe the NBA’s lies.