OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Russell Westbrook is reaching historic heights on his triple-double binge and his Oklahoma City teammates are flourishing.
The Thunder's dynamic point guard has entered rarified air with seven consecutive triple-doubles - matching Michael Jordan's seven straight in 1989. He's taken the leading role in the early-season show that is the NBA, which is enjoying a smorgasbord of hits: Klay Thompson's 60 points, the Spurs road winning streak, Anthony Davis' one-man band in New Orleans and James Harden.
Russell's performance stands above them all, and no one has benefited more than his suddenly sharp-shooting teammates.
Victor Oladipo, Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, Domantas Sabonis and even defensive specialist Andre Roberson are all are shooting at least 50 percent from the field during the streak.
"He's not just making himself better, he's making everybody better around him - his teammates, his coaches, this organization," Kanter said. "That's what a special player does."
Westbrook has looked to get his teammates engaged early. He often has more than five assists in the first quarter, then looks for his own shot later. The approach is working: He is averaging an MVP-worthy 31.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 11.3 assists a game and has the Thunder rolling.
"It gives him an opportunity to see how he's being guarded, how certain movement plays, screening action plays are being guarded," coach Billy Donovan said. "It allows him to gather that information and figure out what's going to be open when we come back to that."
Oladipo extended his deal with the Thunder earlier this season, and he cited Westbrook's leadership and playmaking ability as key reasons. Playing alongside Westbrook, Oladipo is becoming the player the Thunder envisioned when they acquired him in an offseason trade with Orlando. He is averaging 17.7 points and shooting 50 percent during Westbrook's run.
"I think he's done a great job of listening to Russell," Donovan said of Oladipo. "Not listening to him about how he has to play, but listening to him about different things that he should be thinking about and that he should do. I think they both have created a good connection there, and I think they're both playing off of each other fairly well."
With Westbrook averaging double-digit assists, no one feels left out.
Many of Westbrook's assists have come from bullet passes to Thunder big men Kanter and Adams. Kanter is averaging 15.2 points and shooting 60.3 percent during Westbrook's streak while Adams is averaging 11.3 points and shooting 60.9 percent. And Sabonis, a rookie power forward often left open, has made 17-of-31 shots during the run.