Strange that triple-doubles would be a topic of conversation before the Jason Kidd-less Nets hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in New Jersey. But with LeBron James back in town a week after he nearly recorded a rare 50-point triple-double against the Knicks, it was worth asking.
Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press posed the question: Does LeBron ever think about becoming the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season? Oscar Robertson (30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists in 1961-62), of course, is the only one to do it.
"If we’re winning?" Yeah," James said. "You hear Oscar Robertson’s name so much and Magic Johnson’s name so much and Jason Kidd, yeah it crosses my mind. If I can do it and we’re winning, that’s the ultimate goal. But when you’re losing, who cares? At the end of the day, I just do what I've got to do for our team to win and I’ve been pretty successful with that so far."
Incidentally, LeBron's No. 1 fan -- the guy who ran across the MSG court last week because he wanted to meet the guy who'd just scored 50 points -- is not at the game against the Nets tonight. At least not as a guest of LeBron.
"That never happened," James said. "I don’t know where that rumor started. I don’t know where it came from. I have no idea where that came from."
Something seems a little off, but whatever. I'm just relieved that LeBron wouldn't make a mistake like that. He's usually so careful about public perceptions. A guy who endangered himself and others by recklessly sprinting toward an international superstar in the middle of the most famous basketball arena in the world shouldn't be rewarded with a free ticket. That would only encourage more imbeciles to do the same.