" Tang had another triple-double! His ninth straight triple-double! He tied Chamberlain's historical record for Consecutive Triple-Doubles!"
"What's so surprising about that? Tang is practically triple-double plus a win now. If you told me there was a day when Tang didn't get a triple-double, that would be news!"
"That actually makes a lot of sense. I used to think triple-doubles were hard, but for Tang, they really seem way too easy!"
"This must be what they call doing it with ease! If I were the Pelicans' opponent, I wouldn't even think about winning. I'd just find a way to stop Tang from getting a triple-double!"
"Easy for you to say. Stopping Tang is impossible; all you can do is limit him, or even pray that he has an off night. Whiteside is a cautionary example!"
"Speaking of Whiteside, aren't the Pelicans playing the Thunder next? By his logic, is this a matchup between two 'stat padders'?"
"I hadn't really noticed until you mentioned it. Tang is facing Westbrook next! A showdown between two Triple-Double players!"
"Breaking the Consecutive Triple-Doubles record over the head of a Triple-Double player? That sounds a little tongue-twisting, but it's exciting!"
"Westbrook definitely won't like that! He cares a lot about this! He'll bring out the form he had against the Warriors!"
The Pelicans' game against the Thunder was three days later. Before that, the Thunder had a home game against the Magic.
The Magic were second from bottom in the Eastern Conference and had long since dropped out of the Playoffs race, but they had been in decent form lately, winning three of their last five games.
That form showed in the first half. By halftime, they led the Thunder 49-44.
Neither team shot particularly well, but Westbrook still put up 21 points, 5