I could try to figure out the last time a second-round rookie got a triple-double during their inaugural season, but I’m way too lazy for that. It’s probably happened before, but if it indeed has, I definitely can’t come up with it right now. Isaiah Thomas came close, I think. Someone smarter than me needs to figure this out.
On a night of bananas performances, this one might be the bananasest. Fine, I’m exaggerating. Obviously Harden’s 53-16-17 is better than this. This is definitely second best, though, simply because of who was doing it. We know Westbrook can get trip-dubs. We know Giannis can go crazy on any even given night. We know MCW can go 1 for 6. We know all those things and more. What we didn’t know, was the The President could make the Bulls his collective bitch and dominate for a 15-12-11 statline. Well, we know now.
Not only did Brog-Dog get 12 assists, which is mightily impressive, but he managed to wring one out of the decrepit corpse of Steve Novak, which, in a fair and just world, would count for 10 assists by itself. He also assisted Thon Maker on a three ball, another accomplishment that is worthy of multiple dimes.
My excitement is only slightly tempered by the fact that he is a full two years older than Giannis.