It seemed impossible not long ago, but Russell Westbrook has climbed ahead of Oscar Robertson with his record-smashing season. (1:30)

DENVER -- First, Russell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson's record for most triple-doubles in a season. Then, he broke the Denver Nuggets' hearts.

Westbrook's 36-foot dagger at the buzzer gave Oklahoma City a 106-105 victory, eliminating the Nuggets from playoff contention and capping an historic Sunday afternoon in which he scored 50 points to go with 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

Westbrook's 42nd triple-double is one more than the "Big O" had for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961-62, a mark that many in the NBA had considered unbreakable until Westbrook's incredible run.

The crowd gave Westbrook a standing ovation after he broke Robertson's record with his 10th assist with 4:17 remaining.

Then, those same fans stood in stunned silence after watching Westbrook score his team's final 15 points, including the game-winner after Steven Adams took the inbounds pass from Kyle Single with 2.9 seconds left and dished to Westbrook, whose long jumper ringed through the iron as the horn sounded.

"It was a good defense," lamented Nuggets guard Gary Harris. "He's had a hell of a season. I think he might have just locked up the MVP with that one right there."

Westbrook insisted his buzzer beater wasn't a low-percentage prayer.

"I practice that shot everyday pregame," he said.

Same spot. And, he said, usually the same result.

"So, I definitely feel confident in shooting that shot," he said.

DO-IT-YOURSELF

Westbrook had a double-double by halftime but didn't get his triple-double until feeding Semaj Christon in the right corner for a 3-pointer that pulled the Thunder to 101-91 with more than four minutes left.

With his 10th assist and his record in the books -- after four tries at that final assist -- Westbrook took care of the scoring himself the rest of the way.

He followed a pair of layups with six free throws -- half of them coming after Nikola Jokic was whistled for a flagrant foul and a technical -- then added another layup.

"It was like a video game," Christon said. "I loved watching it."

Westbrook's biggest bucket was his last.

"Pure adrenaline, emotions running high, game-winning shot, it is something you dream about as a little kid to be able to do that on the road especially from that distance," Westbrook said. "It is something you definitely will never forget."

TAKING OVER

Westbrook scored the game's final eight points overall as Denver's shooters went cold when one more bucket would have iced it.

"I give him credit, he is a hell of a player and an MVP candidate," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. "(But) I really feel that we lost this game. Our turnovers in the fourth quarter, we had six turnovers for 10 points. Down the stretch, we had a lack of poise, lack of execution, we picked up a technical foul. Everything that could go wrong went wrong."

HOT AND COLD

Danilo Gallinari scored 22 of his season-high 34 points in the third quarter to lead the Nuggets, who were hoping to take the race with Portland for the final Western Conference playoff spot down to the final two games.

But Gallo didn't score at all in the fourth quarter, when the Nuggets managed just 14 points.

WAIT FOR IT

Westbrook nearly had his 10th assist with two minutes left in the third quarter but Enes Kanter lost the handle going up for the basket and Westbrook took a seat until the fourth quarter.

Upon his return, Westbrook again fed Kanter, who took several steps on his way to the basket and was whistled for traveling with 8:20 left.

With the crowd again on its feet anticipating history, Westbrook passed to Domatas Sabonis, whose jumper rimmed out at 7:16. Sabonis missed another short jumper with 5:39 left that would have given Westbrook the record.

Finally, Westbrook fed Christon for the 3-pointer to put Roberton's record to rest.

"He always tells us, if you're open, shoot the ball," Christon said of Westbrook. "I was open and let it go."

TIP-INS

Thunder: Westbrook's three career 50-point triple-doubles all came this season and are the most by any player in NBA history. ... F Doug McDermott was a late scratch with a sore left knee. ... Coach Billy Donovan said it'll be up to Westbrook if he wants to rest during one or both of the Thunder's final two games.

Nuggets: Denver, which has lost nine straight to the Thunder, was without F Kenneth Faried (back) and G Jameer Nelson (right calf).

UP NEXT

Thunder: Wrap up their four-game trip at Minnesota on Tuesday night before finishing regular season against Denver at home.

Nuggets: Visit Dallas Tuesday on the first night of a back-to-back to end their season.

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Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton</s>Spotlight on Russell Westbrook: The dynamic guard is entering the final stages of an MVP campaign that has chased history all season. After coming two assists shy of a triple-double in a loss at Phoenix on Friday, Westbrook can set a single-season record for triple-doubles if he can compile his 42nd of the season against the Nuggets. Westbrook already has two triple-doubles against the Nuggets this season.

Thunder: Westbrook has averaged 33.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in his two games against the Nuggets this season. The 6-foot-3 guard is the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double during an entire season, an achievement he clinched Friday. … Guard Victor Oladipo is averaging a career-high 16.1 points this season.

Nuggets: Guards Will Barton (foot) and Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle) are listed as questionable for the home finale. Point guard Jameer Nelson (calf) will miss his second consecutive game. … Forward Wilson Chandler has been strong against the Thunder this season, averaging 27 points in the two games between the teams — both Nuggets losses.</s>Oscar Robertson held the NBA’s triple-double record for too long to be bitter over losing it.

The Basketball Hall of Famer congratulated Russell Westbrook on Sunday after the Oklahoma City Thunder guard set the NBA’s single-season record for triple-doubles.

“I could not be happier for him,” Robertson wrote in The Undefeated. “Congratulations to Russell Westbrook on a magnificent season!

“I admire Westbrook’s all-around command of the game. He is a marvelous athlete who plays with intensity and flair and is exciting to watch. His performance this season is impressive. He would have been great in any era.”

Westbrook has recorded 42 triple-doubles this season. His averages of 31.7 points, 10.7 assists and 10.4 rebounds per game will make him the first player to average a triple-double for a season since Robertson did so in the 1961-62 season (when he averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game).

Robertson also offered three reasons why he endorses Westbrook over James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and others for this season’s MVP Award.

“1.) He took over the offense for the Oklahoma City Thunder after Kevin Durant’s blockbuster departure for the Golden State Warriors as a free agent changed the team’s composition;” Robertson wrote. “2.) This season, he beats any other guard in a head-to-head matchup; 3.) Most important, he should be rewarded for his outstanding play this season and his career-making individual accomplishments.”

As someone who did the unthinkable 55 years before Westbrook, Robertson’s assessment is difficult to refute.</s>Russell Westbrook surpasses Oscar Robertson with his record 42nd triple-double of the season. Westbrook's 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists includes a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Thunder stun the Nuggets 106-105. (1:31)

DENVER – This is how Russell Westbrook was meant to make history and break the Big O’s record.

Nitpick some of the rebounds if you want to be a nerd and a party-pooper, but Westbrook making triple-doubles routine this season has not been about stat chasing. It has been about necessity, a remarkable display of a superstar relentlessly doing what his team needed of him to win.

His performance Sunday prompted a pair of standing ovations from the Pepsi Center crowd and epitomized what Westbrook’s season has been about. It was a classic display of all-around dominance -- 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, capped by a 36-foot game-winner at the buzzer -- combined with a refusal to let the Oklahoma City Thunder lose.

“This is the way he’s played all year long,” head coach Billy Donovan said after Westbrook carried the Thunder to a 106-105 comeback win over the Denver Nuggets.

With the Thunder locked into the West’s sixth seed, Westbrook could have coasted after driving and dishing to Semaj Christon for a wide-open corner 3-pointer with 4:17 remaining. That clinched the triple-doubles record, giving Westbrook 42 this season, one more than Oscar Robertson had in 1961-62. He could have basked in the standing ovation and been satisfied with his accomplishment.

But that’s not how Westbrook rolls. He's as ruthless a competitor as there is in the NBA.

All Westbrook did after that was score the Thunder’s final 15 points to finish off Oklahoma City’s rally from a deficit that was 13 points before Christon’s 3, extinguishing the Nuggets’ hopes of making the playoffs.

“I only know one way to play, honestly,” said Westbrook, who has three 50-plus-point triple-doubles this season, more than any other player in NBA history has in a career. “I don’t know any other way to play. When I get on the floor, I try to leave everything I have, regardless of seedings, records, the time of day, whatever. It doesn’t matter to me. Basketball is basketball, and I try to go out there and leave it all on the floor.”

Nobody should have been surprised that Westbrook pulled out the win. This is what Westbrook does. He has pulled off similar one-man shows down the stretch in mounting major comebacks for road wins over the Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic in the past month.

This was the first game-winning buzzer-beater of Westbrook’s career, but he leads the league with four go-ahead field goals in the final 10 seconds of games this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Westbrook’s 247 points in the clutch – final five minutes, score within five points – are four shy of 2007-08 LeBron James for the most in a season by any player over the last 20 years. His clutch plus-minus (plus-85) ranks third in the NBA.

To put it simply, Westbrook has consistently carried the Thunder to wins in the season after the franchise was rocked by Kevin Durant’s departure. Combine that with his historic production -- a league-leading 31.9 points plus 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game -- and he is clearly the top MVP candidate. At least if you listen to the coach whose team got torched by Westbrook on Sunday.

“Russell Westbrook to be the only player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double. No disrespect to their team, but I think James Harden has more help over there,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said before the game. “Earlier in the year, people said he can't keep this up for 82 games, and he has. What he's done is really something that you see once in a lifetime, so my vote would go to Russell Westbrook.”

No player in the league carries a bigger burden than Westbrook, who has to be historically productive to give the Thunder a decent chance to win.

Oklahoma City is an outstanding team when Westbrook gets a triple-double, going 33-9 in those games. The Thunder are 13-25 when he doesn’t.

That’s why it would have been a shame if Westbrook broke Robertson’s record during Friday night’s lopsided loss to the Phoenix Suns. Whether Westbrook wants to admit it or not, the Suns’ accusations that he was hunting assists in the fourth quarter in pursuit of a triple-double were accurate. It was the exception to the rule for Russ, the rare occasion when padding stats became his priority.

The beauty of Westbrook’s individual brilliance is that it boosts his team. He appreciates making history and the appreciation he’s feeling from fans around the league, but he craves winning much more than individual recognition.

Westbrook would have been well within his rights to lobby for MVP votes Sunday, as Harden did after recording his 21st triple-double of the season in the Houston Rockets’ win over the Sacramento Kings. But Westbrook didn’t swing at a softball question about whether his heart-pounding, record-setting performance put the finishing touches on his MVP case.

“I’m not sure, man,” Westbrook said. “To piggyback on what I just said, every night I go out and compete on a high level. I take pride in that, taking care of my body, different things of that nature, to go out there and play and make sure that my team has a chance to win the game.”

That’s what Westbrook’s season, one of the best the NBA has ever seen, has been all about.</s>DENVER (AP) – Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has broken Oscar Robertson’s NBA record with his 42nd triple-double of the season.

Westbrook had 23 points, 12 rebounds and six assists by halftime at Denver on Sunday. He got his 10th assist with 4:17 left in the fourth quarter.

Westbrook fed Semaj Christon in the right corner for a 3-pointer that pulled Oklahoma City to 101-91 and gave Westbrook his record.

Robertson’s record of 41 triple-doubles had stood since the 1961-62 season.

With averages of a league-leading 31.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists, Westbrook will finish the season as the first player since Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double for the season.

The Thunder have two more games left, at Minnesota and then at home against Denver, and coach Billy Donovan said before tip-off that it’ll be up to Westbrook whether he wants to sit one or both out in preparation for the NBA playoffs.

The Thunder will face the Houston Rockets, led by the league’s other MVP favorite, James Harden, in the first round.</s>Russell Westbrook enjoyed yet another magical night in a magical campaign as he broke the NBA's single-season record for triple-doubles and then hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Oklahoma City Thunder victory over the Denver Nuggets. Westbrook collected 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to break Oscar Robertson's 56-year-old record with his 42nd triple-double of the season.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Droitwich Advertiser.</s>(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey). Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook stretches before a game against the Denver Nuggets Sunday, April 9, 2017, in Denver.

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey). An Oklahoma City Thunder fan shows the Russell Westbrook triple double history board during the first half of a basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Sunday, April 9, 2017, in Denver.

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey). Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook takes a shot over Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic (15) during the first half of a basketball game Sunday, April 9, 2017, in Denver.

DENVER (AP) - Russell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson's 56-year-old record with his 42nd triple-double of the season Sunday, then he broke the Denver Nuggets' hearts with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for a 106-105 victory.

That eliminated the Nuggets from playoff contention.

Westbrook had 50 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in breaking Robertson's record of 41 triple-doubles that stood since the 1961-62 season.

Westbrook's record-breaking assist came with 4:17 remaining after a series of missed shots delayed his historic moment

With his triple-double in the books, Westbrook scored his team's final 13 points, including a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded after a timeout with 2.9 seconds left.

Kyle Single inbounded the ball to Steven Adams, who fed Westbrook for the winner.

Danilo Gallinari scored 22 of his season-high 34 points in the third quarter to lead the Nuggets, who were hoping to take the race with Portland for the final Western Conference playoff spot down to the final two games.

Before tip-off, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he wouldn't care if Westbrook broke the record so long as it came in a loss.

"I want to win. That's the most important thing for me is if we get a win and he breaks the record, gets a triple-double, so be it," Malone said. "I think the most important analytical stat out there is wins and we need to win today if we want to continue to go on this road trip and play meaningful basketball for the last two games."

The Nuggets then blew their double-digit lead by allowing Westbrook to score the game's final eight points.

The Thunder is locked into the sixth seed and will face Houston in the first round of the playoffs in a showdown between Westbrook and his chief rival for the MVP award, Rockets point guard James Harden.

Westbrook had 23 points, a dozen boards and half a dozen assists by the time the Thunder went to the locker room trailing 53-52 at halftime at the Pepsi Center.

Westbrook nearly had his 10th assist with two minutes left in the third quarter but Enes Kanter lost the handle going up for the basket and Westbrook took a seat until the fourth quarter.

Upon his return, Westbrook again fed Kanter, who took several steps on his way to the basket and was whistled for traveling with 8:20 left.

With the crowd again on its feet anticipating history, Westbrook passed to Domatas Sabonis, whose jumper rimmed out at 7:16. Sabonis missed another short jumper with 5:39 left that would have given Westbrook the record.

Finally, Westbrook fed Semaj Christon in the right corner for a 3-pointer that pulled the Thunder to 101-91 and gave Westbrook his record.

Thunder: F Doug McDermott was a late scratch with a sore left knee. ... Coach Billy Donovan said it'll be up to Westbrook if he wants to rest during one or both of the Thunder's final two games. Donovan said he'll defer to his players, who might choose rhythm over rest.

Nuggets: Denver was without F Kenneth Faried (back) and G Jameer Nelson (right calf) but G Emmanuel Mudiay returned from a swollen right ankle.

Thunder: Wrap up their four-game trip at Minnesota on Tuesday night before finishing against Denver on Wednesday night.

Nuggets: Visit Dallas Tuesday on the first night of a back-to-back to end their season.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>After breaking a 55-year-old NBA record, Oscar Robertson believes Thunder guard Russell Westbrook can go on and make more history.

It was a landmark day in the NBA as Westbrook set the record for the most triple-doubles in a regular season with his 42nd against the Nuggets on Monday (AEDT).

Westbrook posted 50 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists — including the game-winning buzzer-beater — in the thrilling 106-105 win as he surpassed the Basketball Hall of Famer.

The six-time All-Star, who is averaging a triple-double for the season, also has 79 career triple-doubles as he continues to make waves, despite losing star team-mate Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors. And Robertson expressed his admiration for Westbrook post-match, the 78-year-old and 1971 champion lauding his impact on the NBA.

"I could not be happier for him. Congratulations to Russell Westbrook on a magnificent season," Robertson wrote for the Undefeated. "Westbrook's averages are similar to mine in both scoring and assists [a point higher in scoring, a digit lower in assists]. What's more, he leads the league in scoring by a comfortable margin at 31.9 points per game."

"If he stays healthy, there's no reason he couldn't eventually break my career record of 181 triple-double games. Magic Johnson is second at 138 and Jason Kidd third at 107.

"Westbrook's journey to tie or break my single-season triple-double records has been remarkable," Robertson added, "and I'm happy to congratulate him for doing so.

"I admire Westbrook's all-around command of the game. He is a marvellous athlete who plays with intensity and flair and is exciting to watch. His performance this season is impressive. He would have been great in any era."</s>Russell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson's 56-year-old record with his 42nd triple-double of the season Sunday, then he broke the Denver Nuggets' hearts with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer for a 106-105 victory. Westbrook had 50 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in breaking Robertson's record of 41 triple-doubles that stood since the 1961-62 season.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Cybercast News Service.</s>With his remarkable triple-double season average already set in stone and his Oklahoma City Thunder locked into a first-round playoff matchup against the Houston Rockets as the Western Conference’s sixth seed, Russell Westbrook had one more bit of history to settle before the regular season ended.

And he did so as only Westbrook could, passing Oscar Robertson’s single-season record for triple-doubles with his 42nd of the 2016-17 campaign and notching 50 points on a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer that eliminated the Denver Nuggets from playoff contention. All in a day’s work. It was an evening of basketball that will forever be etched on the minds of those who watched it.

An assist on seldom-used Thunder undrafted rookie Semaj Christon’s corner 3-pointer with 4:17 remaining in the fourth quarter completed Westbrook’s triple-double and cut Denver’s lead to 10:

“He’s like a video game player,” Christon told reporters after the game. “I loved it. I love watching it.”

Westbrook recorded his ninth assist on a feed to Enes Kanter for a layup with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter, but got a much-needed rest on the Thunder’s next possession. He already had 32 points and 13 rebounds at that point. Westbrook returned to the game with just under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, and each time he dribbled the ball across mid-court in Denver, the Nuggets crowd cheered in anticipation. Two would-be assists went by the wayside when a nervous Kanter traveled and an eager Domantas Sabonis missed a short jumper, but Christon got the job done two trips later.

Westbrook wasn’t satisfied. He netted OKC’s final 15 points, outscoring the Nuggets 15-4 in the final 3:35, and capped that stretch with a 36-foot jumper over Gary Harris as time expired for a 106-105 win:

Westbrook’s last-second triple gave him an even 50 points (on 17-of-32 shooting) for the evening, to go along with his 16 rebounds and 10 assists. It also eliminated the Nuggets (38-42) from the playoff race and pushed the Trail Blazers (40-40) into the eighth seed for good, since Portland owns the tiebreaker.

In a season when Westbrook has made the triple-double appear routine and led many to wonder if the statistical anomaly had lost some of the meaning it gained as part of Robertson’s folklore, the Thunder point guard found a way to write a storybook ending to his season-long chase. He reminded everyone just how incredible the achievement is and how near-impossible a player you have to be to complete it. Seriously, the dude hit a buzzer-beater to get 50 points on the night he set the record.

For the record, Robertson’s season-high for points in a game during his historic 1961-62 run was 49. The NBA has seen five 50-point triple-doubles since 1975. Westbrook now has three — more than anyone else in league history. (Hey, more records!). Houston Rockets star James Harden — Westbrook’s chief competition for the league’s MVP honor this season — has the other two. All five came in 2016-17.

If Russell Westbrook played same pace/minutes as Oscar Robertson's 61/62 with his current production, he'd avg 51.4 ppg, 17.4 rpg, 16.9 apg. Westbrook tied Robertson’s 1961-62 total of 41 triple-doubles with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, but fell just shy of breaking the record in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday (45 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds) and a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday (23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists). The third time was the charm. From O to 0️⃣. Take your throne @RussWest44. #WhyNot pic.twitter.com/xOqpCnU5FS Sunday’s triple-double also brought Westbrook’s career total to 79, moving him past Wilt Chamberlain all alone in fourth place all-time behind Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138) and Jason Kidd (107). Westbrook’s effort on Sunday gave him one more signature moment in a season full of them and perhaps left a lasting impression on the league’s MVP voters. It certainly did with his fellow players: Man just give him the MVP Westbrook will almost surely win the NBA’s scoring title while finishing top-three in assists and top-10 in rebounds, but Sunday was a slap across the face to anyone who thinks that’s all he was this season. His performance against the Nuggets brought his season scoring total in the clutch (within five points in the final five minutes) to 247 points — 24 more than anyone else, despite ranking only 27th in clutch minutes played this season (148). Westbrook’s Thunder are now 25-15 in 40 such situations this year, mainly because he’s averaging 80.1 points, 17.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists per 48 clutch minutes. MVP votes are due to the league office on Friday. Russell Westbrook still has two games remaining in the regular season, and at this rate, who knows if he’s done rewriting the record books in 2016-17. Ben Rohrbach is a contributor for Ball Don’t Lie and Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach
In basketball, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder sets a new record for most triple-doubles in an NBA season, collecting his 42nd of the 2016–17 season in the Thunder's 106–105 win over the Denver Nuggets. Westbrook surpassed Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson, who had 41 in the 1961–62 season.