Which Pacer will end the franchise’s three-year triple-double drought?
By Ben Renz
The Pacers are in the midst of a three-plus year triple-double drought, but that’s not the longest franchise trip-dub drought. Not by a wide margin.
Since the NBA-ABA merger, there have been 37 triple-doubles in Indiana Pacers history (playoffs included) per Basketball-Reference, the most recent of which occurred over three years ago. On February 27, 2015, George Hill managed 15 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in a Pacers win over the Cavs for his only career trip-dub.
There’s been a bit of a trip-dub drought. Last year, Victor Oladipo played with Trip-Dub King himself, Russell Westbrook, who infamously averaged a triple-double for the full season, and is just a hundred-or-so rebounds from doing it for the second straight year — this time, as you know, with Paul George as his No. 2.
Paul George notched three trip-dubs in Indiana (he has yet to get one alongside Russ), including one in the 2013 playoffs in a big win over the Hawks — an NBATV series if there ever was one.
Someone managed more triple-doubles for the Pacers during the G2-Era, though. Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson has five, four of which came at home. Unsurprisingly, all of Lance’s triple-doubles have come in a Pacers uniform, because he belongs in a Pacers uniform.
The most “fun” Pacers triple-double has to be Roy Hibbert’s ten block performance on November 21, 2012 in a win over the Hornets, then of New Orleans. Later that season, David West got in on the action, achieving a triple-double after dishing ten dimes in a win over the Bobcats. Neither player managed another triple-double over their respective careers (it’s probably safe to set that in stone).
Before Roy’s trip-dub, the drought was real. The Pacers hadn’t had a triple-double since Jermaine O’Neal’s block-party (10) on January 22.. in 2003. If you don’t wanna do the math, that’s NINE years, nine months, and 30 days between triple-doubles in the slowest passing-of-the-torch of all time. J.O.’s triple-double also remains the only of his career.
Jamaal “Mel Mel the Abuser” Tinsley had a couple. Mark Jackson, who had 19 triple-doubles over his career, has five in a Pacers uniform, two of which came in the same month of March 1997. But the Pacer with the most triple-doubles may surprise you.
Throughout five seasons in Indiana, Roy’s fellow Parks and Rec star Detlef Schrempf had six triple-double games, suggesting maybe he had plenty more during his 16-year NBA career. But you’d be wrong, you goof. Detlef somehow only had one other triple-double, as a member of the Mavericks in 1987.
The other notable trip-dubbin’ Pacer was Vern Fleming, who had five of ‘em as a Pacer. Chuck Person had a couple. Derrick McKey, Michael Williams, and Pooh Richardson had one each in navy and gold. Even Reggie Miller had one of his own after dishing ten assists, all the way back on March 5th, 1991 — the only time in his career.
And the very first NBA-era Pacers triple-double? The much-celebrated Steve Stipanovich. Another big-man trip-dub, Stevie got his back in 1985 by getting credited with ten assists. Stipanovich spent only five seasons in the league, all with Indiana, and I swear I have one of his basketball cards in a box somewhere.
Surely, Pacers fans don’t wanna go another ten-ish year without a triple-double. So, who do y’all think has the best odds of getting the franchise’s next?
Could Lance go for his sixth, Detlef-tying trip-dub? What about Thad, the team’s Swiss army knife – could he manage the first of his career as a Pacer?
Imagine Myles being in trip-dub territory with double-digit blocks, but loses a few rebounds to Lance and comes up just short. I picture it.
Next: Did Damien Wilkins call Myles Turner soft?
My money’s on Vic, though. He’s having the miracle season, and he has two triple-doubles already from his Orlando days (he also got three steals in each of those games — no kidding). No matter who it is, the odds of the Pacers going another TEN years without a triple-double are quite slim.
I’ll be on watch.