For decades, there has been one basic stat in basketball that plenty of people have hailed as the hallmark of a truly remarkable all-around performance: the triple-double.
It’s one thing to score a lot of points efficiently, but when one records double-digits in points and two other positive categories, it means he had an impact in multiple areas of the game.
After Team USA men’s basketball came back from a 17-point deficit to defeat Serbia in the semifinal round of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Skip Bayless tweeted that a triple-double in which a player has less than 20 points is the “Most overrated stat in basketball.”
Most overrated stat in basketball is the sub-20-point triple double. #StriveforGreatness
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 8, 2024
There’s no doubt basketball fans love big stats and big numbers, but sometimes, somewhat smaller stats can still be indicative of a big impact.
For example, Hall of Famer Magic Johnson would often have triple-doubles with fewer than 20 points, but the impact he would have over a game was extremely palpable, even though he averaged just 13.2 shot attempts a game for his career.
Jason Kidd, another Hall of Fame point guard, had 107 career triple-doubles and was never a real scoring threat, but he controlled the game better than most and was the pump that made his team go.
One of the most impressive things about Team USA has been the unselfishness its players have embraced, which has resulted in a new hero in almost every game.
On Thursday, it was Stephen Curry, who poured in 36 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter that finally allowed it to see a way out of what looked like a looming upset.
It will now face France for the gold medal.
NEXT:
Steph Curry Had A Telling Statement After Win Over Serbia
