Listing only 6 players in NBA history to record a triple-double by halftime ft. Luka Doncic

Recording a triple-double is one of the hardest things to do in an NBA game, and it was a rare accomplishment, especially back in the day. Legends like Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird are among those in the top 10 triple-doubles list.

It has become a norm over the past decade due to players like Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, James Harden, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. Westbrook even averaged a triple-double three times during his peak.

Jokic and Doncic, along with Domantas Sabonis, are threats to register a triple-double almost every game in the NBA today.

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Six NBA players who recorded a triple-double by halftime

While recording a triple-double is hard, it's much harder to do it in the first two-quarters of a game. It's a very rare feat that there have only been six players in NBA history who recorded a triple-double by half-time.

Here's a look at the six NBA players who recorded a triple-double in the first 24 minutes of a game:

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#6 Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic is the latest player to achieve the rare feat, doing so on Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz. Doncic had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists at halftime as the Dallas Mavericks were in cruise control.

"Luka Magic" ended with 40 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, with the Mavericks getting a 147-97 win.

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#5 Domantas Sabonis

Domantas Sabonis joined the list on May 5, 2021, when he was with the Indiana Pacers. Sabonis had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the first two quarters against the OKC Thunder.

It was a blowout 152-95 win for the Pacers on the night led by Sabonis, who ended with 26 points, 19 rebounds and 14 assists in 29 minutes of action. He continues to drop triple-doubles for the Sacramento Kings now.

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#4 Nikola Jokic

It's not surprising to see Nikola Jokic on this list, as he's probably going to be the NBA leader in triple-doubles once he retires. Jokic is so good that he has accomplished this rare feat twice.

"The Joker" first recorded a first-half triple-double on Feb. 15, 2018, against the Milwaukee Bucks. He had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists at half-time. He did it again earlier this year on Feb. 7 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

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#3 Russell Westbrook

A triple-double list won't be complete without Russell Westbrook, who also has two half-time triple-doubles in his career. Westbrook registered his first one on Apr. 11, 2016, against the LA Lakers when he dropped 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

The former MVP did it again later that year on Dec. 31 against the LA Clippers with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Both of Westbrook's halftime triple-doubles led to wins for the OKC Thunder.

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#2 Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd is the second player in NBA history to record a triple-double by halftime. It happened late in his career, on Feb. 26, 2010, when he was in his second stint with the Dallas Mavericks, against the Atlanta Hawks.

Kidd had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the first half. He finished with 19 points, 16 rebounds and 17 assists in a 111-103 win for the Mavericks.

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#1 Kevin Johnson

The first player to record a triple-double by half-time is Kevin Johnson, who was a three-time All-Star for the Phoenix Suns in the early 1990s. Johnson recorded the feat on Feb. 12, 1997, against the Boston Celtics.

Johnson had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists in the first two quarters, with the Suns ahead by a huge margin. The Celtics were a poor team at the time, and Johnson finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists.

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