SOME triple-double performances in U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) history carry more significance than the others.
On December 3, 2013, two rookies from opposing teams recorded a triple-double for the first time in the same game.
That marked the first and only time in NBA annals that has happened.
Philadelphia’s Michael Carter-Williams logged 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in 47 minutes in the host 76ers’ 126-125 double overtime win over the Orlando Magic, whose own frosh Victor Oladipo also registered a triple-double with a 26-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist line.
The last time that two players had posted their first career triple-doubles in the same regular-season game was when Donnie Butcher (19 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists) and Ray Scott (23 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists) of the Detroit Pistons accomplished the feat against the New York Knicks on March 14, 1964. They were not rookies.
The Carter-Williams and Oladipo act marked the first time that two opponents had collected triple-doubles in the same game since Washington’s Caron Butler and Golden State’s Baron Davis turned in the trick on November 23, 2007.
The NBA record for the fastest triple-double belongs to Jim Tucker of the Syracuse Nationals. On February 20, 1955, Tucker, then in his rookie season, chalked up 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in just 17 minutes during the Nationals’ 104-84 victory over the New York Knicks. Note that the NBA started compiling rebounding stats only in 1950-51.
Since 1985-86, triple-doubles by teammates in a regular-season assignment have been achieved only twice. It came on January 3, 1989 game by Michael Jordan (41 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds) and Scottie Pippen (15 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds) of the Chicago Bulls against the Los Angeles Clippers. It also was accomplished in an April 7, 2007 contest by Vince Carter (46 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists) and Jason Kidd (10 points, 16 rebounds and 18 assists) of the New Jersey Nets against the Washington Wizards.
Only once has a player collected at least 20 in any three of the five major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots). The double triple-double record belongs to Wilt Chamberlain, who had 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists for the Philadelphia 76ers in a 131-121 home victory over the Detroit Pistons on February 2, 1968.
The most recent player to come close to Wilt’s feat was Rajon Rondo, who tallied 18 points, 20 assists and a career-high 17 rebounds for the Boston Celtics in a 115-111 overtime win over the visiting New York Knicks on March 4, 2012. Rondo was traded to the Dallas Mavericks last December 18.
The 6-foot-1 Rondo also is the last man to register a T-D with at least 17 in each category since Earvin (Magic) Johnson had 24 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists for the LA Lakers on April 18, 1989.
Chamberlain holds the NBA mark for the most consecutive triple-double games. In 1968, from March 8 to March 20, the 7-foot-1 mastodon produced a T-D in nine straight assignments with the Philadelphia 76ers. (Note that stats for steals and blocked shots were not kept by the NBA until the 1973-74 season.)
The second-longest streak is shared by Oscar (The Big O) Robertson and Michael Jordan, both of whom had a triple-double in seven consecutive games. Robertson’s streak occurred in 1961-62 with the Cincinnati Royals, while Jordan’s streak came with the Chicago Bulls and went from March 25 to April 6, 1989.