The NBA therefore canceled Giannis Antetokounmpo’s triple-double against the Wizards. While he lacked a rebound to reach ten in this third statistical category, the “Greek Freak” had sent the ball over the board in the dying seconds to complete a match with 23 points, 13 assists and therefore 10 rebounds.
After the meeting, the double MVP was amused by the situation and he did not take too badly the fact that the NBA withdrew his 4th “TD” of the season. For other players, on the other hand, it was much more serious.
Small return on the most absurd attempts to validate a “triple-double”.
anthony bowie
As Basket-Retro already noted in a dossier on the subject, the oldest example that comes to mind is also perhaps the most absurd. In the absence of Nick Anderson, the back Anthony Bowie thus recovers a starting place for Orlando at the reception of Detroit. Usual “role player” from the bench, he compiled a full game that evening with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists while his team was leading by +20 a few seconds from the end of the game.
That’s when things go off the rails. Anthony Bowie thus takes the rebound and immediately calls a time-out. On the Pistons bench, Doug Collins is furious and orders his players not to play the last possession. The Magic therefore plays the final action without an opponent, Anthony Bowie delivering his last pass.
The player tries to go see Doug Collins but the latter refuses to greet him as he goes to the locker room.
Brian Hill, the Magic coach, will also try to apologize to his counterpart but Doug Collins will also refuse his explanations. He will even be sanctioned by the NBA for having asked his players not to defend…
“I remember the time-out” will explain Doug Collins years later. “I was watching Brian Hill. I wondered what he was going to do in this situation. Me, I would have said: ‘Listen, throw the ball and keep it, it’s over’. If we want to make a triple-double, it has to make sense. I just took that choice away from them. I said to the players: ‘Guys, there are two things we can do. We can dump him and make it really ugly. Or don’t defend and let it be. We chose not to defend. »
Enough to allow Anthony Bowie to sign his only career triple-double.
” Regrets ? I don’t understand why people say I should regret having a triple double no matter how it happened.”will assure Anthony Bowie much later. “The triple double is in the history books, no matter how it happened. If those guys wanted to arrest me, they could have. »
Ricky Davis
In March 2003, while the Cavaliers were tanking in the race for LeBron James, the club still managed to win by a wide margin against Utah (122-95). Ricky Davis takes advantage of the last seconds to try to validate a triple-double… by shooting his own basket to take the rebound he lacks.
Deshawn Stevenson makes him understand by a fault what the Jazz think of his idea, while Jerry Sloan does not come back on the bench. After the meeting, the coach will not be tender…
” What happened ? He shot the wrong basket. He was trying to embarrass someone by doing that and Deshawn made a mistake and I would have done the same. I would have put it on the ass” explains the coach.
The only person Ricky Davis embarrassed that night, however, was himself. Because if the rear thinks he has 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds at the end of the game, the NBA will withdraw his 10th rebound, on the grounds that a player cannot deliberately try to score for the opposing team, and that he therefore did not take a rebound since his shot was not really a shot. Besides, he will say much later that his only regret in his NBA career.
“I did bad things, but the only thing I really regret is that triple-double. Everything else comes with experience. People forget that I was drafted at 17, so I was very selfish and immature. »
Bob Sura
A year later, Bob Sura finds himself in a similar position. The back of the Hawks has just achieved two consecutive triple-doubles, within a team whose season is over for a long time.
We are April 12, 2004 and, during the penultimate game of the season, Bob Sura can therefore achieve a third consecutive triple-double against the Nets. His team, in which Boris Diaw plays, dominates the match (129-107) and everyone therefore encourages the back to do what no player has done since Grant Hill in 1997, namely to achieve three “TD” consecutive. He will therefore voluntarily miss a shot to take his 10th rebound.
What trigger a new controversy that goes a little beyond the “journeyman”.
“I am disappointed that my attempt to achieve my third triple-double has caused so much controversy. It was never my intention to make fun of our sport and distract from our great win over the Nets. If anyone was offended by my actions, I sincerely apologize. »
The NBA still cancels its rebound and therefore its triple-double by explaining that a shot is defined as being “a player’s attempt to put the ball in the basket to score”. Without intention to score, no shot and therefore no rebound. This same logic has just canceled the triple-double of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee
In a Wizards team trying to rebuild after the Arenas / Crittenton episode, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee will at least give the Washington public a laugh.
In April 2010, the first had 29 points, 13 assists and 9 rebounds against the Nets. There are only a few seconds left on the clock and the interior is desperately looking for its 10th rebound. He will have four attempts to achieve this but between a foul, an unfocused teammate and a JaVale McGee who is too skilful at throws, he fails…
A year later, JaVale McGee finds himself in the same position against the Bulls. His team led by twenty points, and while he has 9 points, 12 rebounds and 12 blocks, he is looking for the point he lacks. He then forces a maximum of shots in a festival of failures. But he achieved his goal.
Nicholas Batum
If Kevin Porter Jr. had found himself in a similar controversy, it was above all his teammates who had tried everything to offer him his triple-double in December 2021. Before Giannis Antetokounmpo, the last player to have so ostensibly forced a triple-double is therefore perhaps… Nicolas Batum.
After asserting himself as the Swiss army knife of the Blazers, the Frenchman is starting the 2013/14 season. During the third game, Portland dominates San Antonio and the tricolor winger has 8 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists. Damian Lillard takes the last rebound and gives the ball to his teammate. The Moda Center is waiting for Nicolas Batum to trigger to get the statistical performance. The interested party obviously hesitates then shoots after the center line.
Except it fits. Tim Duncan is disillusioned, Boris Diaw slips a few words to his compatriot and Nicolas Batum is instantly sorry, apologizing after the meeting.
“It may have been the worst thing I’ve done in my career”he will launch bluntly. “It came in and I was like, ‘Oh, no. I meant no disrespect to this team. These are the San Antonio Spurs, the best team of the last 15 years in the NBA. I never meant to disrespect this team. I like this team. I have many friends in this team. I know it was not a thing to do. I want to apologize to the Spurs organization, because it’s a lack of (respect) for the game, for me, for the Blazers. »
“Why would I be mad at that?” » retorted Gregg Popovich. ” He’s a good boy. I do not care. »
Russell Westbrook
The Russell Westbrook case is a little less clear. In 2016/17, the playmaker’s MVP season is coming to an end. With just three games left for Oklahoma City, the playmaker only needs a triple-double to break Oscar Robertson’s record of 41 TDs in the 1961/62 encounter.
The meeting in Phoenix, then in the depths of the league, seems ideal to achieve this feat. Except that the Thunder’s shots don’t come in, and Russell Westbrook is still missing four assists in the fourth quarter. Despite the Suns’ wide lead, the point guard will in any case stay on the field for as long as possible, refusing a lot of attacks from the circle to get the ball out. Encouraged by the Arizona public (!), he clearly seems to be looking for the assists he lacks to make history.
“From the start of the game, Russ was looking for history” explained Devin Booker, author of 37 points and who took it badly that his own fans encouraged the Oklahoma City player in his quest for the record. “He’s an incredible player. And I’m sure he will break that record. But it won’t be here because we concentrated on defense. »
The shots of his teammates not returning, and the Suns also seeming to foul every time the point guard seems to offer a basket to his comrades, and Russell Westbrook must stop at 23 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists. If he validates his season in triple-double, he does not obtain the 42nd “TD” to overtake Oscar Robertson.
“My goal since I’ve been here, and especially this season, is to win a title” he nevertheless assures after the match. “If I had wanted the 10 assists, I would have had the 10 assists. Everyone wanted me to break the record, but it’s more important than that for our team but also for me. »
A bit of bad faith but this missed triple-double will finally allow Russell Westbrook to break the record in the next match, in a victory, and after a much more memorable performance in Denver.
