Chapter 1028 The Battle of the Triple-Doubles

"Tang got another triple-double! His 9th consecutive triple-double! He's tied Chamberlain's historical record for consecutive triple-doubles!"

"What's so strange about that? Tang equals triple-double + win now. It would be news if Tang *didn't* get a triple-double one of these days!"

"That makes so much sense. I used to think triple-doubles were hard, but Tang makes it look so easy!"

"This must be what they call effortless! If I were the Pelicans' opponent, I wouldn't even think about winning, I'd just try to stop Tang from getting a triple-double!"

"Easier said than done. Stopping Tang is impossible, you can only limit him, or pray he's having an off night. Whiteside is a cautionary tale!"

"Speaking of Whiteside, the Pelicans' next game is against the Thunder, right? According to him, it's a showdown between two 'stat padders'?"

"I hadn't even noticed, but Tang's playing Westbrook next! A clash between two players averaging a triple-double!"

"Breaking the consecutive triple-double record over the head of a player averaging a triple-double? Sounds a bit convoluted, but exciting!"

"Westbrook definitely won't like that! He cares a lot about this! He'll bring out the same intensity he had against the Warriors!"

…

The Pelicans and Thunder game was three days away. Before that, the Thunder had a home game against the Magic.

The Magic are currently second to last in the Eastern Conference and have long been out of the playoff race, but they've been in good form recently, winning three of their last five games.

That form was evident in the first half, as they led the Thunder 49-44 at halftime.

Both teams were shooting poorly, but Westbrook still had 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in the first half.

In the second half, Westbrook's shooting percentage dropped, and the Thunder only scored 16 points in the third quarter. The Magic, on the other hand, caught fire and scored 28 points, taking a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Just as the Thunder were about to lose, Westbrook stepped up, scoring 22 points in the fourth quarter and stealing the ball before hitting a step-back three-pointer to tie the game, sending it into overtime.

After four quarters, Westbrook had 53 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists.

The two teams were evenly matched in regulation, but no one expected overtime to become a one-man show for Westbrook.

He started with two consecutive assists, leading a 4-0 run, and then successfully notched his 50+ point triple-double.

After that, he scored 4 more points, extending the lead to 8.

The outcome was no longer in doubt, and fans were hoping Westbrook could challenge Tang's newly set 60+ point triple-double record.

But unfortunately, the Magic didn't want to become the next Cavaliers and defended hard at the end, causing Westbrook to miss consecutive shots.

In the end, the Thunder went on a 10-0 run in overtime to defeat the Magic 112-102.

Westbrook's final stats were 57 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.

He failed to match or break Tang's 60+ point triple-double, but a 57-point triple-double was still terrifying.

Moreover, he shot 21-for-42, a 50% shooting percentage, nearly 8 percentage points higher than his season average.

More importantly, he led the team to a 17-point comeback.

This was undoubtedly the best game of his career.

The game was spectacular, and social media was buzzing afterward.

"Two 50+ point triple-doubles in one season! That's insane!"

"I'm increasingly convinced that Whiteside is brain-dead. Tang and Westbrook both have triple-doubles with over 50% shooting, what the hell is he talking about, stat padders?!"

"I think Westbrook was definitely motivated by Tang's consecutive triple-doubles. You can tell he really cares about it this season!"

"It's good that he cares, caring lets him put up a 57-point triple-double, next game with the head-to-head matchup is going to explode?!"

"The next game is really going to be like Mars colliding with Earth!"

…

While fans were passionately discussing it, the media didn't miss out on the excitement either.

"The Real and Fake Triple-Double King."

FOX Sports generated plenty of controversy with just that headline.

Before Journey to the West could even start, they'd already brought out the tale of the real and fake Monkey King.

But the headline was indeed harsh. Anyone could see that if a distinction had to be made between real and fake, Tang was definitely the real one, and Westbrook was naturally the fake one.

After all, the two teams' records spoke for themselves.

To put it bluntly, one was a triple-double that could win games, and the other was a triple-double that couldn't.

The headline was classic FOX, designed to completely stir up controversy between the two fanbases.

Perhaps because of the controversy, the Thunder's practice on game day was closed to the public.

After practice, the players rested in the locker room.

Westbrook's expression looked serious.

He and Tang were on good terms, but the media's descriptions and reports made him very unhappy.

"Russell, you are the real one."

Adams, who was next to him, said when he saw his expression.

Westbrook turned to look at him after hearing that.

"Tonight you will prove that you are the real one."

Adams repeated.

Westbrook's serious expression suddenly turned into a smile.

Durant's departure had made him paranoid, turning him into a stats fanatic. He needed to use his triple-double average to prove that he, the one the Thunder management ultimately kept, was the most worthwhile.

But in some games, he wouldn't do that, like against the Warriors, where he only wanted to win.

And now, against the Pelicans.

On the one hand, it was because of the media hype; if he lost, he would be branded as the fake.

On the other hand, and more importantly, if the Thunder ultimately made the playoffs, their first-round opponent would likely be the Pelicans.

If they could win the upcoming game, they would have a significant psychological advantage when they actually challenged the Pelicans as challengers.

"Yes, I am."

He nodded after smiling.

That night, the game between the Thunder and the Pelicans began at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The arena was packed.

It was a direct showdown between the league's two triple-double kings, and the night Tang would try to break the consecutive triple-double record.

There was a gap in strength between the two teams, but the excitement of the game would definitely not be lacking.

During the pre-game warm-up, Tang and Westbrook greeted each other at center court.

They had known each other for three years, and their relationship had gotten better each year at the All-Star Game. Although they weren't as close as teammates who trained together, they were still good friends.

This greeting was a matter of routine.

However, the photographers on the scene were good at creating atmosphere, and after the two greeted each other, they began to constantly switch between close-up shots of them.

The emotions of the fans at the scene were completely stirred up.

It was clear that Tang and Westbrook were the protagonists of the night.

After the opening ceremony, the two teams' starters took the court one after another.

The Pelicans' lineup was the usual one.

The Thunder's backcourt consisted of Westbrook and Oladipo, the forwards were Roberson and Sabonis, and the center was Adams.

The photographers on the scene then showed split-screen shots of Tang and Westbrook again.

Tang was calm and composed, while Westbrook was serious and focused.

Amid the cheers of the many fans in attendance, the "identification" of the real and fake Monkey King was about to begin.