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Recording a triple-double in the NBA is no small feat, let alone a 40-point triple-double. However, a few players have shown how great they are by doing that more frequently than others.
Although 28 different players have recorded 40-point triple-doubles in NBA history, only a few of them have been consistent with their production. With young players like Luka Doncic and Trae Young on the list, there is the prospect of witnessing a lot more 40-point triple-doubles in the years to come.
On that note, let's take a deep dive into NBA history and have a look at the five players with the most 40-point triple-doubles.
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#5 LeBron James - 6
LeBron James was the No.1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft but did not get his first career triple-double until the 2004-05 season. His first triple-double tally read 27 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists.
It did not take long for James to dominate the NBA as he started registering triple-doubles more frequently. His first 40-point triple-double came on April 9, 2005, when he recorded 40 points, ten rebounds and ten assists against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Although he recorded most of his 40-point triple-doubles in the earlier part of his career, his last NBA regular-season triple-double came in the 2017-18 campaign. He registered 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
LeBron James' game has evolved, in the sense that he is more of a creator than a scorer now, which is why his points tally has reduced in recent years. Nevertheless, the King still knows how to turn on the jets when push comes to shove, as seen in the 2018 playoffs game when he recorded 42 points, ten rebounds and 12 assists against the Boston Celtics.
Despite having only six 40-point triple-doubles in the regular season, LeBron James has a total of 128 career triple-doubles and has a few years to add to that tally.
#4 Wilt Chamberlain - 7
Wilt Chamberlain is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He holds the record for the most points scored in a single game after putting 100 past the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
Chamberlain was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1959 territorial pick. Before his debut in the NBA, he was a member of the famed Harlem Globetrotters.
Wilt Chamberlain's 7' 1" frame made his job a lot easier. He recorded what could perhaps be seen as the greatest triple-double in NBA history in a 131-121 victory against the Detroit Pistons in 1968. He registered 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists, making him the first player to post a double triple-double with a 20-20-20 stat line.
In his 15-year NBA career, Chamberlain posted a total of 78 triple-doubles, seven of them being 40-point triple-doubles. For a big man, it was incredible that he also had the court vision to create as many assists as he did.
#3 Russell Westbrook - 13
Russell Westbrook is the king of triple-doubles in the NBA following an outstanding 2020-21 season. He currently leads the NBA in most career regular-season triple-doubles made with 185, breaking the record on May 10, 2021, in a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.
In the 2016-17 season, he surpassed the legendary Oscar Robertson for the most triple-doubles in a single NBA season. He ended the campaign with 42 triple-doubles, one more than what Robertson had in the 1960-61 season.
But when it comes to 40-point triple-doubles, Westbrook is not the most successful player. His first 40-point triple-double came in the 2014-15 season, and he has registered 12 more since then.
One achievement worthy of note is that he is the second player in NBA history to have recorded a double triple-double, Wilt Chamberlain being the other. Westbrook scored 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists in a game against the LA Lakers in April 2019. Russ has averaged a triple-double in four of his last five seasons in the NBA.
#2 James Harden - 16
James Harden has 62 career triple-doubles, 58 of them coming in the regular season. However, he has 16 40-point triple-doubles after he exploded in the 2017-18 NBA season and continued his impressive run in the subsequent campaign.
Although he was drafted by the OKC Thunder in 2009, his first 40-point triple-double came in the 2016-17 season while he was with the Houston Rockets. He registered 53 points, 16 rebounds and 17 assists against the New York Knicks. Since then, he has continued to dominate, with his highest points tally reaching 60.
Harden recorded only one 40-point triple-double in the 2020-21 NBA regular season, mainly because his workload in offense has reduced since his partnership with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Nevertheless, Harden remains one of the most efficient players and can produce on any given night.
#1 Oscar Robertson - 22
Oscar Robertson held the record for the most career triple-doubles but is currently ranked second after getting surpassed by Westbrook. Robertson was selected by the Cincinnati Royals in 1960 and averaged a triple-double season two years later, becoming the first player in NBA history to record that feat.
Although Westbrook has overthrown Robertson as the king of triple-doubles, the latter remains the player to have scored the most points achieving it. He also led the NBA in assists in six seasons in his 14-year playing career.
Westbrook has a few playing years under his belt, which means he could top this list in due time. For now, Robertson is the No. 1 40-point triple-double player in NBA history.
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