A triple-double is a basketball statistic for a player who, in one game, reaches double digits in three of these five areas:
points
rebounds
assists
steals
blocks
The most common form of triple-double is made up of points, rebounds, and assists.
Where does
triple-double come from?
Although basketball was invented in 1891, triple-doubles were not recorded until around 1980. Both Harvey Pollack, a statistician for the Philadelphia 76ers, and Bruce Jolesch, the public relations director for the Los Angeles Lakers, have been credited with coining the term triple-double.
In the years since, the triple-double stat became well known to basketball fans and more familiar to the general public. The 1983 Spectator’s Guideto Basketball explained the triple-double alongside other basketball terms. In 1986, The New Yorker and a book on Magic Johnson and Larry Bird both described the term for readers. The following year, a book titled 101 Greatest Athletes of the Century noted that 1960s NBA player Oscar Robertson would, retroactively, hold the all-time triple-double record.
From starting out as a somewhat obscure stat, the triple-double became known as a “benchmark of virtuoso versatility” by The Economist and a “common measuring stick” by The Denver Post. The number of triple-doubles achieved in a season has sharply increased in contemporary basketball. Sports Illustrated notes that from 1990–2011 there were around 30 per year. In 2018, there were 108. This led sports news website SBNation to declare that we are “living in the golden age of triple doubles,” but others have criticized the triple-double as an overrated measure of talent and performance.
How is
triple-double used in real life?
Although a triple-double is typically made up of points, assists, and rebounds, some have also been recorded that include blocks or steals in lieu of other categories.
In addition to the triple-double, double-doubles (double digits in two categories) and quadruple-doubles (double digits in four categories) are also recorded. So far, only four quadruple-doubles have been recorded in the NBA.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Wilt Chamberlain may have achieved a quintuple-double before such stats were recorded. No quintuple-double has ever been officially recorded in the NBA. Two have been recorded in high-school basketball, one by Tamika Catchings and another by Alex Montgomery, both of whom went to play in the WNBA.
More examples of triple-double:
“NBA Champ and 6x NBA All-Star, @Klow7, was all over the floor for the @Raptors as he posted his 15th career triple-double with 20 PTS, 10 REB, and 10 AST!” —@NBA_Philippines, May 2020
“Dallas Mavericks sensation Luka Doncic has been a triple-double machine since entering the league last season, which has put him in the record books multiple times over—he’s the second-youngest player to ever record one, and is the only teenager to have a 30-point triple-double, just to name a few. ” —Jack Maloney, CBS Sports, February 2020
Note
This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.
How to use triple-double in a sentence
And Ollie says, ‘Oh, I see, well, let me have two double vodka martinis.’
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A few weeks after returning from England, I was trolling the dairy section and came across the Cotswold Double Gloucester.
Biking With the Bard|Kara Cutruzzula|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He went on to say that even such double horrors had never kept cops from continuing on.
Two Cops ‘Assassinated’ in Brooklyn|Michael Daly|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Faced with the loss of middle class voters, the administration seems determined to double down on its current coalition.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Albuquerque Economic Development, a private non-profit, estimates the five year growth rate at almost double the U.S. in general.
After The Fall: Introducing The Anti-Villain|Rich Goldstein|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Under the one-sixth they appear as slender, highly refractive fibers with double contour and, often, curled or split ends.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
In treble, second and fourth, the first change is a dodge behind; and the second time the treble leads, there's a double Bob.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing|Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman
All things are double, one against another, and he hath made nothing defective.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The way was under a double row of tall trees, which met at the top and formed a green arch over our heads.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
The wretched young man persistently exercises his right of crying "Banco," and so practically going double or quits each time.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
What is a Triple-Double in Basketball - Why is it Special?
A triple-double is a statistical achievement by a basketball player when they get at least ten points in three of the five major statistical categories in a single game. The most popular triple-double categories are points, rebounds, and assists. However, a triple-double can also include steals and blocked shots. Here is the complete breakdown on what a triple-double is in basketball.
Why Is it Called a Triple-Double?
A triple-double refers to a basketball player receiving double digits in three statistical categories. The name comes as an evolution of the double-double. A double-double refers to receiving ten or more figures in two out of five categories, so the triple means one more than that.
To get points for a triple-double, a player doesn’t just have to shoot field goals. Three-pointers and free throws also count towards achieving a triple-double.
Is There Anything Greater than a Triple-Double in Basketball?
Basketball players can also get quadruple doubles and quintuple doubles if they get ten or more points in four or five statistics.
What are the Five Categories?
Points
Rebounds
Steals
Assists
Blocks
How Often Do NBA Players Get a Triple-Double?
During the 2020-2021 NBA season, 138 different active players earned a triple-double. Russell Westbrook had the most with 40, while Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets was a distant second with 17. That all-star performance helped him earn the MVP that year.
Draymond Green is the only player ever to achieve a triple-double without at least ten points. In 2017, Green collected 12 rebounds, ten assists, and ten steals against the Memphis Grizzlies. That stellar performance is one reason why he was Defensive Player of the Year that season.
How Often Do Triple-Doubles Occur in the WNBA?
While triple-doubles are common in the NBA, they’re less frequent in the WNBA. To date, there have only been about ten triple-doubles, with only two coming in the playoffs. Sheryl Swoopes and Courtney Vandersloot have the same number of triple-doubles in their careers and are tied at two. Swoopes and Vandersloot are also the only WNBA players with triple-doubles in playoff games.
Who Got the First Triple-Double in Basketball?
The first triple-double belongs to Andy Phillip. On December 14, 1950, Philadelphia Warriors player Andy Phillip played against the Fort Wayne Pacers during a basketball game to achieve the triple-double accomplishment. During the game, he scored 17 points and had ten rebounds and ten assists.
Who Was the Youngest Players to Record a Triple-Double?
LaMelo Ball is the youngest player to record a triple-double at the age of 19. LaMelo Ball had 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists to achieve the accomplishment.
What is the Fastest Triple-Double in the NBA History?
It took 14 minutes and 33 seconds for Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic to record a triple-double. The accomplishment took place in 2018, and the game was against the Milwaukee Bucks. His final slash line was 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 17 assists.
Before Nikola Jokic, the previous fastest record was in 1955 by Jim Tucker, which took seventeen minutes.
Additional NBA Triple-Double History
As of October 2021, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook holds the record for the most triple-doubles with 184. The previous record-holder was Oscar Robertson, who had 181. Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Jason Kidd fill out the current top five players in career triple-doubles.
Magic Johnson also leads the league in post-season triple-doubles with 30. LeBron James comes in second in this statistic, while Westbrook is third. Westbrook also has the single-season record with 42 during the 2016-2017 season while playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Similar Statistics
The five-in-five stat dictates that a player gets five or more in each of the five major basketball statistics, points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Hakeem Olajuwon is one of the only players with six five-by-fives in his career. He’s also one of the few players to record a quadruple-double.
A quadruple-double and quintuple double are two statistics that function very similarly to the triple-double. The only players who have scored a quintuple double, or ten or more points in five statistical categories, are female high school players. These high school players to achieve this accomplishment are Tameka Catchings, Alex Montgomery, and Aimee Oertner.
There is a rumor that Wilt Chamberlain got the only NBA quintuple-double in 1968. This claim comes from estimates from reporter Harvey Pollack, who claimed Chamberlain had 53 points, 32 rebounds, 24 blocks, 14 assists, and 11 steals while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, NBA statisticians did not record steals and blocks during games, so this achievement is not official.
Conclusion: What is a Triple-Double in Basketball
In summary, a triple-double in basketball means that a player has (3) ten or more figures in three out of the five categories. Each time a basketball player achieves a triple-double, it’s cause for celebration. These stats show just how skilled and powerful players are becoming.
Now that players are starting to stand out as offensive powerhouses, we’ll surely see more triple-doubles and maybe even quadruple-doubles in the future. The evidence of more triple-doubles in the game is prevalent in stat websites like Statista, which show modern-day players have the most triple-doubles in NBA history.
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double | it's... What is a triple-double? Triple-double
two-digit number). Metrics can include points, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds. Example - 16 points, 11 assists, 12 rebounds. The term was first used in NBA statistics to refer to Magic Johnson, the record holder for triple-doubles in the playoffs. The triple-double made testifies to the versatility of the playing qualities of the basketball player. The hardest part is scoring 10 steals - the all-time NBA record for steals in a single game is just 11, and from 19For 73 years, there were only 19 cases (on average once every 2 years) when basketball players made 10 or 11 interceptions. 10 block shots are also rare in the NBA - only about 130 cases in the last 36 years.
Contents
1 Types of triple-doubles
2 NBA record holders
2.1 Regular seasons
2.2 Play-off games
3 See also
Triple-doubles
There are 10 combinations of triple-doubles in total:
The most common combination is points-rebounds-assists . There are several dozen of these during the season in the NBA.
This is followed by points - rebounds - block shots . On average, such a triple-double recently happens 2 times per season in the NBA. Most often, such a triple-double was done by Dikembe Mutombo (10), Hakim Olajuwon (9) and David Robinson (9).
Variant 9 is very rare0003 points-passes-interceptions . Only 5 cases of such a triple-double are known (Lafayette Lever - 1985, Clyde Drexler - 1986, Kevin Johnson - 1993, Mookie Blaylock - 1998 and Alvin Robertson - 1986 as part of his quadruple-double)
An even rarer variant is points-rebounds-steals . 4 cases are known: Larry Steele - 1974, Clyde Drexler - 1996, Kendall Gill - 1999 and again Alvin Robertson - 1986 as part of a quadruple-double.
Points-transfers-blockshots . Only 3 cases are known, all within quadruple doubles (Nate Thurmond—1974, Hakim Olajuwon—1990 and David Robinson—1994)
Rebounds-assists-block shots . Same 3 Quad Doubles
Rebounds-passes-interceptions . Only Alvin Robertson, as part of his 1986 quadruple-double, made such a triple-double
Never recorded in the NBA 3 types of triple-doubles - points-steals-blocks , rebounds-steals-blocks and assists-steals-blocks
NBA record holders
Wilt Chamberlain - triple-doubled in 9 games in a row in 1968
Magic Johnson - 168 career triple-doubles in the NBA
history
The NBA record for triple-doubles in the regular season (181) is still held by Oscar Robertson, who retired back in 1974. In addition, Robertson is the only player in history to average a triple-double in a season. In season 1961-62, Oscar averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. In total, he made 41 triple-doubles that season (if Oscar spent only 1 this season in the NBA, he would have ranked 6th in the number of triple-doubles in history).
A record series of triple-doubles in a row was a success in 1968 for Wilt Chamberlain - 9 matches. He is the only one who managed to make a double-triple-double - score at least 20 points in 3 indicators. It happened on February 2, 1968 - 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists.
Since the 1985/1986 season, there have been only 8 cases in the NBA when there were 2 triple-doubles in one match: teammates succeeded twice and players from rival teams 6 times. Interestingly, in 5 out of 8 of these cases, one of the triple-doubles was on the account of Jason Kidd.
Playoff record (30) held by Magic Johnson. In the history of the NBA in the playoffs, only three have managed to record 10 or more triple-doubles - Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd (11) and Larry Bird (10).
Regular seasons
As of the start of the 2011/12 season. Selected players who continue their careers
No.
Player
Qty
Years
1
Oscar Robertson
181
1960-1974
2
Magic Johnson
138
1979-1996
3
Jason Kidd
107
1994—
4
Wilt Chamberlain
78
1959-1974
5
Larry Bird
59
1979-1992
6
Lafayette Lever
43
1982-1994
7
LeBron James
32
2003—
8
John Havlicek
30
1962-1978
9
Grant Hill
29
1994—
10
Michael Jordan
28
1984-2003
11
Clyde Drexler
25
1983-1998
12
Walt Frazier
23
1967-1980
Play-off games
As of the start of the 2010/11 season. Players Continuing their Career
No.
Player
Qty
Years
1
Magic Johnson
30
1979-1996
2
Jason Kidd
11
1994—
3
Larry Bird
10
1979-1992
4
Wilt Chamberlain
9
1959-1974
5
Oscar Robertson
8
1960-1974
6
LeBron James
6
2003—
-
Rajon Rondo
6
2006—
8
John Havlicek
5
1962-1978
9
Charles Barkley
4
1984-2000
-
Elgin Baylor
4
1958-1971
-
Tim Duncan
4
1997—
-
Walt Frazier
4
1967-1980
-
Scottie Pippen
4
1987-2004
See also
Double-double
Quadruple-double
List of the best scorers in NBA history
double | it's.
.. What is a triple-double? Triple-double two-digit number). Metrics can include points, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds. Example - 16 points, 11 assists, 12 rebounds. The term was first used in NBA statistics to refer to Magic Johnson, the record holder for triple-doubles in the playoffs. The triple-double made testifies to the versatility of the playing qualities of the basketball player. The hardest part is scoring 10 steals - the all-time NBA record for steals in a single game is just 11, and from 19For 73 years, there were only 19 cases (on average once every 2 years) when basketball players made 10 or 11 interceptions. 10 block shots are also rare in the NBA - only about 130 cases in the last 36 years.
Contents
1 Types of triple-doubles
2 NBA record holders
2.1 Regular seasons
2.2 Play-off games
3 See also
Triple-doubles
There are 10 combinations of triple-doubles in total:
The most common combination is points-rebounds-assists . There are several dozen of these during the season in the NBA.
This is followed by points - rebounds - block shots . On average, such a triple-double recently happens 2 times per season in the NBA. Most often, such a triple-double was done by Dikembe Mutombo (10), Hakim Olajuwon (9) and David Robinson (9).
Variant 9 is very rare0003 points-passes-interceptions . Only 5 cases of such a triple-double are known (Lafayette Lever - 1985, Clyde Drexler - 1986, Kevin Johnson - 1993, Mookie Blaylock - 1998 and Alvin Robertson - 1986 as part of his quadruple-double)
An even rarer variant is points-rebounds-steals . 4 cases are known: Larry Steele - 1974, Clyde Drexler - 1996, Kendall Gill - 1999 and again Alvin Robertson - 1986 as part of a quadruple-double.
Points-transfers-blockshots . Only 3 cases are known, all within quadruple doubles (Nate Thurmond—1974, Hakim Olajuwon—1990 and David Robinson—1994)
Rebounds-assists-block shots . Same 3 Quad Doubles
Rebounds-passes-interceptions . Only Alvin Robertson, as part of his 1986 quadruple-double, made such a triple-double
Never recorded in the NBA 3 types of triple-doubles - points-steals-blocks , rebounds-steals-blocks and assists-steals-blocks
NBA record holders
Wilt Chamberlain - triple-doubled in 9 games in a row in 1968
Magic Johnson - 168 career triple-doubles in the NBA
history
The NBA record for triple-doubles in the regular season (181) is still held by Oscar Robertson, who retired back in 1974. In addition, Robertson is the only player in history to average a triple-double in a season. In season 1961-62, Oscar averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. In total, he made 41 triple-doubles that season (if Oscar spent only 1 this season in the NBA, he would have ranked 6th in the number of triple-doubles in history).
A record series of triple-doubles in a row was a success in 1968 for Wilt Chamberlain - 9 matches. He is the only one who managed to make a double-triple-double - score at least 20 points in 3 indicators. It happened on February 2, 1968 - 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists.
Since the 1985/1986 season, there have been only 8 cases in the NBA when there were 2 triple-doubles in one match: teammates succeeded twice and players from rival teams 6 times. Interestingly, in 5 out of 8 of these cases, one of the triple-doubles was on the account of Jason Kidd.
Playoff record (30) held by Magic Johnson. In the history of the NBA in the playoffs, only three have managed to record 10 or more triple-doubles - Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd (11) and Larry Bird (10).
Regular seasons
As of the start of the 2011/12 season. Selected players who continue their careers
The 1983 Spectator’s Guide to Basketball explained the triple-double alongside other basketball terms. In 1986, The New Yorker and a book on Magic Johnson and Larry Bird both described the term for readers. The following year, a book titled 101 Greatest Athletes of the Century noted that 1960s NBA player Oscar Robertson would, retroactively, hold the all-time triple-double record.
”
That stellar performance is one reason why he was Defensive Player of the Year that season.
The previous record-holder was Oscar Robertson, who had 181. Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Jason Kidd fill out the current top five players in career triple-doubles.
These high school players to achieve this accomplishment are Tameka Catchings, Alex Montgomery, and Aimee Oertner.
The evidence of more triple-doubles in the game is prevalent in stat websites like Statista, which show modern-day players have the most triple-doubles in NBA history.
The triple-double made testifies to the versatility of the playing qualities of the basketball player. The hardest part is scoring 10 steals - the all-time NBA record for steals in a single game is just 11, and from 19For 73 years, there were only 19 cases (on average once every 2 years) when basketball players made 10 or 11 interceptions. 10 block shots are also rare in the NBA - only about 130 cases in the last 36 years. 
Most often, such a triple-double was done by Dikembe Mutombo (10), Hakim Olajuwon (9) and David Robinson (9). 
In addition, Robertson is the only player in history to average a triple-double in a season. In season 1961-62, Oscar averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. In total, he made 41 triple-doubles that season (if Oscar spent only 1 this season in the NBA, he would have ranked 6th in the number of triple-doubles in history). 
Players Continuing their Career 
.. What is a triple-double? Triple-double two-digit number). Metrics can include points, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds. Example - 16 points, 11 assists, 12 rebounds. The term was first used in NBA statistics to refer to Magic Johnson, the record holder for triple-doubles in the playoffs. The triple-double made testifies to the versatility of the playing qualities of the basketball player. The hardest part is scoring 10 steals - the all-time NBA record for steals in a single game is just 11, and from 19For 73 years, there were only 19 cases (on average once every 2 years) when basketball players made 10 or 11 interceptions. 10 block shots are also rare in the NBA - only about 130 cases in the last 36 years. 
There are several dozen of these during the season in the NBA. 
Same 3 Quad Doubles 
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