the season. Handfuls of points can dictate a division title or missing th

With 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists against the New York Knicks in a 112-103 win Monday, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is now averaging a triple-double and doing so later in the season than any player has since Oscar Robertson in 1963-64.Westbrook is averaging 30.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 11.3 assists in 19 games this season. He is one of only five players in NBA history to average a triple-double more than five games into the season.Winning is sustainable, Westbrook said of averaging a triple-double for the season. My job is to go out and find the best way to win games. Right now, we won three straight, and that is the most important to me.The only player to average a triple-double over the course of a full season was Robertson, who posted 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game in the 1961-62 season. The era Robertson played in featured much faster-paced games, with around 25 more possessions, 30 more available rebounds and 30 more shot attempts per game.Its amazing what hes doing, Thunder coach Billy Donovan said of Westbrook. Theres also a part of it that hes probably the most unique player in the NBA because youve got great scorers, great assist guys, great rebounders. There are a lot of great players in this league. But he kind of touches it all in every facet of the game. He gets those numbers, but theres so much more to him than that to me, as a coach.Westbrook posted his triple-double Monday -- his third consecutive -- in less than 20 minutes. That made it the second fastest of his career. (He had one in 17 minutes, 35 seconds last season.) In 1955, Jim Tucker had a triple-double in a game in which he played 17 minutes. Tuckers feat is believed to be the fastest ever; however, due?to play-by-play restrictions, it cant be known -- before the 1996-97 season -- when in games a triple-double would have been recorded.Westbrook has eight triple-doubles this season, with the rest of the NBA combining for eight. The Knicks, by comparison, have had seven triple-doubles as a franchise since 1992.I dont really care, honestly, man, Westbrook said of his historic numbers. I just like to win and compete at a high level, play the same way every night. Ive been playing the same way since I got in the league, so I just do the same thing, and [Im] grateful to be blessed and play the game I love.Mondays triple-double was the 45th of Westbrooks career, which ties him with LeBron James for sixth all time. The Thunder are 39-6 when Westbrook records a triple-double, including 6-2 this season.You cant always expect to get numbers and win, Donovan said. It doesnt work like that. Theres more to it than that. The thing Im encouraged by is when he does what he did tonight and we win. Does what he did against Detroit and we win. Theres certain times when [a player] goes off and gets crazy numbers, and his team loses. Winning is the most important thing to Russell. And he knows that his assists, his rebounds and his scoring, being efficient, helps our team win.Robertson is the only player in NBA history to enter December averaging a triple-double. Westbrook and the Thunder have one more game in November, at home against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. He needs just four rebounds to be averaging a triple-double heading into December, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.I can do a lot of things better, Westbrook said. Every night I will watch film and find ways to be better, even as a leader.ESPNs Ian Begley contributed to this report.Cheap White Sox Jerseys . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Nellie Fox Jersey Large . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. http://www.customwhitesoxjersey.com/ . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. Custom White Sox Jerseys . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Authentic Custom White Sox Jersey . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota.NEW YORK -- The last time the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning saw one another, they were battling for the right to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.On Tuesday, the teams will be looking to regain the form that sent them deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs six months ago.The Islanders will continue a five-game homestand by hosting the Lightning at Barclays Center. It will be a rematch of an Eastern Conference semifinal from last spring, when Tampa Bay outlasted New York in five games.The Islanders (4-5-0) snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Lightning (5-4-0) lost their third straight contest on Sunday with a 6-1 setback to the New York Rangers.The losing streak -- during which the Lightning have been outscored 12-3 -- has dropped them into a tie for third place in the Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay resides seven points behind the red-hot Montreal Canadiens, who remain unbeaten in regulation.The Lightning allowed just 17 goals in their first six games.I think every team goes through a stretch of games where youre off your game, Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman said Sunday night. Thats obviously where we are right now. It doesnt matter if its now or midseason (or) later in the season. Its about stopping the bleeding, fix the wrongs and do right. And Im sure we have the quality to do that.The Islanders played perhaps their most complete game of the year Sunday night, when they scored twice in the first eight minutes of the first period and three times in the third. Entering Sunday, New York had scored just four first-period goals all season and had allowed the tie-breaking tally late in the third period in each of its two previous losses.ddddddddddddThe win came too late to salvage a winning October for the Islanders but provided valuable points for a team that rode strong starts to playoff berths in each of the last two seasons.Points are just as crucial now as they are in April, said defenseman Travis Hamonic, whose goal 61 seconds into the game Sunday gave New York a lead it wouldnt relinquish. You need to be aware of that, and certainly we are. You want to try and collect as many early on, because it becomes so close at the end of the season. Handfuls of points can dictate a division title or missing the playoffs.Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop is likely to draw the start against Thomas Greiss, who may be emerging as New Yorks No. 1 netminder as general manager Garth Snow tries to trade the disgruntled Jaroslav HalakBishop is 5-4-1 in 10 regular-season appearances against the Islanders. He took the defeat the last time he opposed New York in a regular-season game on April 4, as he was pulled in the third period after stopping 18 of 23 shots in the Lightnings 5-2 loss at Barclays Center.Greiss is 3-1-0 in four regular-season games against the Lightning. He earned the win for the Islanders on April 4, when he stopped 32 of 34 shots.If Greiss starts Tuesday, it will be his second start in as many games since Halaks agent tweeted his displeasure with his client getting in only one practice prior to last Thursday, when Halak took the loss as New York fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 4-2.Newsday reported Monday that Snow has let other general managers know Halak is available in a trade. ' ' '