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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook is reaching historic heights on his triple-double binge and his Oklahoma City teammates are flourishing.The Thunders dynamic point guard has entered rarified air with six consecutive triple-doubles -- the most since Michael Jordans seven straight in 1989. Hes taken the leading role in the early-season show that is the NBA, which is enjoying a smorgasbord of hits: Klay Thompsons 60 points, the Spurs road winning streak, Anthony Davis one-man band in New Orleans and James Harden, who will bring his own brand of showtime to Oklahoma City on Friday.Russells performance stands above them all, and no one has benefited more than his suddenly sharp-shooting teammates.Victor Oladipo, Enes Kanter, Steven Adams, Domantas Sabonis and even defensive specialist Andre Roberson are all are shooting at least 50 percent from the field during the streak.Hes not just making himself better, hes making everybody better around him -- his teammates, his coaches, this organization, Kanter said. Thats what a special player does.Westbrook has looked to get his teammates engaged early. He often has more than five assists in the first quarter, then looks for his own shot later. The approach is working: He is averaging an MVP-worthy 31.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 11.3 assists a game and has the Thunder rolling.It gives him an opportunity to see how hes being guarded, how certain movement plays, screening action plays are being guarded, coach Billy Donovan said. It allows him to gather that information and figure out whats going to be open when we come back to that.Oladipo extended his deal with the Thunder earlier this season, and he cited Westbrooks leadership and playmaking ability as key reasons. Playing alongside Westbrook, Oladipo is becoming the player the Thunder envisioned when they acquired him in an offseason trade with Orlando. He is averaging 17.7 points and shooting 50 percent during Westbrooks run.I think hes done a great job of listening to Russell, Donovan said of Oladipo. Not listening to him about how he has to play, but listening to him about different things that he should be thinking about and that he should do. I think they both have created a good connection there, and I think theyre both playing off of each other fairly well.With Westbrook averaging double-digit assists, no one feels left out.Many of Westbrooks assists have come from bullet passes to Thunder big men Kanter and Adams. Kanter is averaging 15.2 points and shooting 60.3 percent during Westbrooks streak while Adams is averaging 11.3 points and shooting 60.9 percent. And Sabonis, a rookie power forward often left open, has made 17 of 31 shots during the run.Before the games and after the practices, before the practices, we (Kanter and Adams) are working on those hot passes, Kanter said. You never know when Russells going to pass, so you always have to look at the ball, look at Russ, read him. Weve been working on it a lot.Westbrook is also helping Roberson, a defensive specialist for much of his career, find some offense. Because Westbrook is so explosive, teams are sometimes using their shooting guards to defend him. That leaves smaller players guarding the 6-foot-7 Roberson, who has scored in double figures three times during Westbrooks triple-double surge.I just take what the games giving to me and try to help Russell as best I can, Roberson said. If I have a smaller guy on me, its easier to finish and I can go and crash a little bit more. I just go out there and take advantage of the game.Kanter knows hes a part of something rare.After 10 years, 20 years from now, Im going to look back and say I played with that dude, Kanter said of Westbrook. Im going to tell my kids, maybe my grandkids one day, `You know what? I played with Russell Westbrook.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP Wholesale Nike NBA Jerseys . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. Stitched Nike Basketball Jerseys . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. http://www.wholesalenbajerseysfromchina.com/ . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Nike NBA Jerseys For Sale .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys China . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. The big change in the Big Ten is the move to the nine-game conference schedule. What doesnt figure to change is the dominance of the East Division.Ohio State, Michigan and defending champion Michigan State all are positioned to make runs at being national top-10 teams, if not College Football Playoff contenders.Iowas amazing 12-0 regular season in 2015 notwithstanding, this looks like another year when the West will play in the Easts considerable shadow.The Big Ten attempted to create balance when it split into divisions with Nebraskas entry in 2011. The Legends and Leaders monikers went by the wayside after three years, replaced by the geographical East-West alignment.Last season, Michigan State went to the playoff and was joined by fellow East members Ohio State and Michigan among the top 12 teams in the final Top 25. Iowa, at No. 9, was the only West team among the top dozen.The year before, Ohio State won the national championship and Michigan State was No. 6 in the final AP poll, with Wisconsin the highest West team at No. 13. The East won the last two Big Ten championship games, with the folks in Wisconsin still smarting from the 59-0 beat-down administered by Ohio State in 2014.Commissioner Jim Delany said shuffling the divisions is not in the plans.Things are a little cyclical, he said. I mean, if you look at other conferences who have experimented much longer than we have, you had a 10- or 12-year run by the eastern group in the SEC and then a 15- , 10-, 12-year run by the West. It looks like the (SEC) East is getting stronger.We have some great programs in the West who have won national championships, that have won big bowls, that have found themselves in the top five and 10 rankings in the country, have great coaches, great resources, great brands. So I suspect over time there would be parity.The Big Ten will join the Pac-12 and Big 12 in playing nine-game conference schedules. SEC and ACC teams each play eight league games.THE FAVORITESEast DivisionUrban Meyer has a bevy of talented reinforcements ready to step to the fore after the NFL plucked a record number of players from Ohio State.J.T. Barrett has the quarterbacks job all to himself, finally, and can hurt defenses in a variety of ways and redshirt freshman Mike Weber is ready to step in at running back. The receiving corps and offensive line are retooling. The strength of the defense is at linebacker, where Raekwon McMillan made a team-high 119 tackles.Michigan continues is rise under Jim Harbaugh, and the Wolverines are contenders to win the Big Ten and figure in the playoff picture if they can end their four-game losing skid to Ohio State. The offensive line and receivers are set. All the Wolverines need to do is settle on a quarterback. New defensive coordinator Don Brown inherits key pieces to what was one of the nations best units.Michigan State won the East and went to the plaayoff after ending Ohio States 30-game conference win streak in Columbus.dddddddddddd. The inclination would be to expect the Spartans to take a step back because of key departures on offense. Dont count them out, though. The defense is loaded, and the Ohio State and Michigan games are at home.West DivisionIowa turned into the darling of college football with its 12-0 regular season, and the Hawkeyes have the schedule and returning personnel to win the division again. Quarterback C.J. Beathard, most of the top running backs and several key receivers are back, and All-America cornerback Desmond King is among eight returning starters on defense.Nebraska had five losses by five points or less, but a bowl win over UCLA left the Cornhuskers with a positive vibe coming out of a 6-7 first season under Mike Riley. If the Huskers can split back-to-back road games against Wisconsin and Ohio State, their Nov. 25 game at Iowa might decide the West.Northwestern returns workhorse running back Justin Jackson from a team that won 10 games despite averaging fewer than 20 points. Wisconsin gets running back Corey Clement back from injury, but the Badgers are unsettled at quarterback and they play one of the most brutal schedules in the country.TOP PLAYERSMichigans Jabrill Peppers is a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate. Hes listed at linebacker after primarily being a safety in 2015, but he has proved he can play about any position on either side of the ball.Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett also could get into the Heisman conversation. He won back the starters job in the eighth game and is the Buckeyes undisputed leader.Iowa CB Desmond King is among the nations top defenders after intercepting eight passes.Michigan State DL Malik McDowell goes into his junior season with 17 of his 56 career tackles having gone for losses.NEW FACESChris Ash, the former Ohio State defensive coordinator, takes over a Rutgers program that has lost 12 of 16 Big Ten games in its two years in the conference.D.J. Durkin, the former Michigan defensive coordinator, is in charge at Maryland, where facilities improvements and UnderArmour money should enhance the Terrapins chances of winning after going 5-11 in the conference through two seasons.Lovie Smith, the new Illinois coach, hasnt worked at the college level since 1995, but he brings fresh perspective and NFL cache to a program that has finished above .500 only twice since the 2007 team went to the Rose Bowl.ON THE HOT SEATPurdue coach Darrell Hazell, whose three-year record is 6-30 overall and 2-22 in the Big Ten. He probably kept his job after last season only because the administration didnt want to pay $6.6 million to buy out a contract that runs to 2018.PICKSEast: Ohio State. West: Iowa. League champion: Ohio State. ' ' '