What is a Double Double in Basketball & NBA?
In every sport, the players have to give their best for the team to win the match. Sometimes the win will bring individual players some personal achievement, but never they are any less glorifying than winning big time with your team. As long as your team wins the match, your gain should only bring them positive points in the run. The same goes for basketball and regarding the matter of double double in basketball.
A basketball team needs to have a versatile player and all-rounder in every category. With the ability one possesses, they will only bring more glory to their team as they run for the win. There are various names to be given to basketball players to be exceptional in some court features. If a player manages to fill up the scoreboard with multiply numbers of stats, it is only that he will be rewarded for his achievement with the media as well as his team.
Although it might be hard for a basketball player to have done something outstanding, it is certainly not impossible. Here we are talking about the phenomenon occurrence of a double-double incident happening in basketball. Whether you a new player or a basketball lover, it is only your right to be curious about the action of a double-double and what it stands for. If you keep reading further, we will tell you all about it!
What is a Double-Double in Basketball?
As we have already mentioned, there are various achievements one player can have in a basketball match and get prestigious titles on behalf of the team as well. While a player can show many ecstatic skills on dribbling, passing, rebounding, and defending for their team, they could also do a double-double on the scoreboard to boost their team’s score to win.
A double-double is basically when a player scores a double-digit point in two offensive categories in a single match. If a player achieves a two-digit score for both points and rebounds, issues and assist, or rebounds and assists, they will have a double-double in the match. Usually, the player will score two-digit numbers, mostly in points and rebounds, to get the double-double titles in the game.
If you are still ted bit confused, we will explain it in a more straightforward term. Suppose a single player has managed to score 20 points for his team in playing offensive. If he manages to score ten or more in another offensive category, it could be rebound, assist, block, or steal, then you have two scores with two-digit points for one player. This is how one scores a double-double in basketball. The point could be as high as it can get, but as long as two offensive categories are recorded with two-digit scores for one single player, he will have a double-double in the match.
Effect of Double Double Establishment
If you have any doubt on whether double-double is good or bad for a team, you should undoubtedly stay assured that it is indeed a good thing for the team. Although the term double-double is totally going for a single player’s achievement, it is quite impossible for a team to win when a player from the opposite team has scored 20 points with ten rebounds! So, obviously, a double-double will bring the team their hardworking win with a lot of attention and congrats from the viewers and media.
Things can get only wrong with a double-double happening on a match if the team meets, unfortunately. If the players are too much concentrated on scoring a double-double to miss lots of opportunities for the team to achieve and block as well as hampers other players from scoring, it is inevitable that the scoreboard will not be favorable as matches can only be won with immense teamwork. When the whole team is working together, they can win with or without the rare case of a scoring double-double.
Usually, a teammate will help each other to get a double-double as well. As we said, double-double mostly means the scoring team has the upper hand over the opposite team. So, when a player is close to reaching a double-double, other members will help him achieve it as well. For example, if the players need only a few more assists to get a double-double, other players will change their game strategy and play accordingly to get that player the double-double.
Triple Double in Talk
If you have heard about double-double, then you will also hear about triple-double. Triple double can be called the older brother of a double-double, as it is more prestigious and brings individual wins. A triple-double is rarer than a double-double as it needs more hard work for a single player in one game.
Basically, the triple-double is similar to a double-double, but instead of scoring two digits in two offensive categories, you will require to achieve the achievement in three vicious categories. That means when you score 20 points, you will need ten rebounds and ten assists at least to get a triple-double in a single match. Hence, it is known to be complicated than a double-double. But again, it is not impossible either. There many examples of players in history and every year scoring triple-doubles and double-doubles in games and bringing their teammates the profound joy of glory.
Examples of Double Double
Just as we mention that there are many examples of great players scoring double-double for their team and winning the match, it is recorded as an example when a player can achieve so many double-doubles in one single season. Let us take a look at some remarkable examples of recent years.
Russel Westbrook of Houston Rockets
In the season of 2018-19, Russel Westbrook, under Oklahoma City Thunder, score about 57 double-doubles. He did not stop at that, as he also scores 34 triple-doubles in that season as well. This record is very memorable as he did most of the double-double with the only rebound and assist, which shows how much of a good player he is! He did not fail to achieve the name of double-double machine for his outstanding work.
Andre Drummond of Detroit Pistons
Another double-double machine widely known around the basketball world is known to be Andre Drummond. When lots of players play a whole season but fail to achieve a single double-double, he managed to get 69 of them in a single season playing only 79 games! That is undoubtedly going to be recorded in history. He can score about 45 rebounds per game, with which he brought fame to his team.
Rudy Gobert of Utah Jazz
Another name that is must be mentioned is Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz. He is known to be the famous defensive stalwart of their team. He has never failed to block the offensive team with their shots. Everyone has to think twice while passing and throwing the ball when Gobert is on the court. Although his skills mostly in the defensive area, he has not failed to amaze people with his offensive talent. In the season of 2018-19, the defensive Gobert manages to score about 66 double-doubles, which makes him an example to tell all the basketball lovers.
Some Historical Records
Whenever it comes to sports, history is always latching behind. No marks can ever be completed without creating some significant historical aspects to note down for nationwide. For any basketball junkie, these records should be holding a deep affection on their heart, and they stay on top of their lips all the time. Let us see few recorded histories regarding double double in basketball.
Youngest Player
Sports will always have the records of youngest and oldest players achieving a milestone. The recorded youngest player to ever score a double-double happened in 1997. Precisely, 18 year and 175 days old Tracy McGrady scored a double-double and gained the title of being the youngest one to do so.
Oldest Player
While it is always joyful to see the youngest players reaching the milestone, it is also as well when something is done by old people! In the record for a double-double to be scored by the oldest basketball player is the NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo. He was approximately 42 years old in 2009 when he manages to score a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Longest Streak
If you are thinking if any player ever managed to continue his steak of doing double-double, then Wilt Chamberlian is here to get his admiration for setting the record of keeping the longest streak from 1964 to 1967. He is also known to have the second and third-longest streak as well!
Final Thoughts
There you have it, all about double double in basketball. Now with all the information, it will be extra exciting for you to play basketball or even watch it to see who scores a double-double when you are keeping a right eye on the information.