DESPITE their advanced age, future Hall of Famer Kobe Bean Bryant of the sad-sack Los Angeles Lakers and Timothy Theodore Duncan of the reigning titlist San Antonio Spurs remain a triple-double threat in the U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) this season.
Through games of January 6, Bryant owns a pair of triple-doubles while Duncan has one.
Rajon Rondo, who was jettisoned by the lottery-bound Boston Celtics to the playoffs-headed Dallas Mavericks in a trade last December 18, leads the NBA with three T-Ds, all completed during his Celtics days.
Bryant, Phoenix’s Eric Bledsoe and Philadelphia’s Michael Carter-Williams each have two T-Ds. Along with Duncan, Houston’s James Harden, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry and the LA Clippers’ Chris Paul have one T-D apiece.
There have been 13 triple-double performances in the NBA so far.
In his 19th NBA season straight out of high school, the 6-foot-7 Bryant secured a triple-double last November 30 – his first since April 2, 2013 against the Dallas Mavericks and the 20th overall during his distinguished pro tenure – when he notched 31 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in the Lakers’ 129-122 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors at the Staples Center.
In doing so, Bryant also made NBA history as the first (and only) player ever to collect at least 30,000 points and 6,000 assists in his career.
The Philadelphia-born Bryant likewise became the oldest player in NBA annals to record a 30-10-10 game at age 36 years and 99 days.
Previously, Larry Bird held the distinction at 35 years and 99 days (Boston, 1992). Elgin Baylor also accomplished the feat with the Lakers in 1969 at age 34 years and 165 days and so did Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls in 1997 at age 34 years and 56 days.
Bryant produced a second T-D this season (the 21st in his career) when he put together 23 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds (to offset a nine-turnover game) in the Lakers’ 111-103 road decision over the Denver Nuggets last December 30. He is the third player in league annals to have multiple T-Ds in the same season at age 36 and older, the other two being Wilt Chamberlain (two with the Lakers in 1972-73) and Jason Kidd (two in 2009-10 and 2010-11, both with Dallas).
At 36 years and 129 days, Kobe, the son of former NBA journeyman Joe (Jelly Bean) Bryant, is the second-oldest among active players to register a triple-double.
Bryant’s second T-D of the season came nearly 14 years (13 years/349 days) after the first of his career. Only four men in NBA history have had T-Ds more than 14 years apart – Earvin (Magic) Johnson (1995-96, LA Lakers, 16 years/109 days), Kidd (2010-11, Dallas, 15 years/330 days), Tim Duncan (2014-15, San Antonio, 14 years/255 days) and Mark Jackson (2001-02, New York, 14 years/33 days).
Duncan is the oldest active player with a triple-double when he chalked up 14 points, 10 boards and 10 assists in the Spurs’ 107-101 road triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies last December 5 at age 38 years and 224 days. It was the 7-foot Virgin Islands native’s fourth career T-D.
The distinction of being the oldest NBA player with a triple-double belongs to Karl Malone. “The Mailman” spent his first 18 NBA seasons (1985-2003) with the Utah Jazz but it was in his farewell campaign and solitary season (2003-04) with the LA Lakers that he delivered one historic triple-double.
On November 28, 2003, the 6-foot-9 power forward collected 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against San Antonio to become the oldest NBAer to post a T-D at age 40 years and 127 days.
Malone is the first and only 40-year-old player to accomplish the feat.
With Malone as the oldest come Duncan, Elvin (The Big E) Hayes (1983-84, Houston, 38 days/148 days), and Kidd (2010-11, Dallas, 37 years/343 days).