On This Day in Sports: March 9, 2011
On March 9, 2011, Kevin Love recorded his 52nd consecutive double-double, the longest streak in the NBA since the league’s 1976 merger with the ABA. The Minnesota Timberwolves forward collected 16 points and 21 rebounds in a 101–75 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The performance moved him past Moses Malone’s post-merger mark and made a rebuilding team’s most dependable nightly achievement an official league record.
Love’s streak was built on positioning and persistence rather than overwhelming height or speed. He read missed shots early, established leverage before the ball reached the rim and used quick outlet passes to begin Minnesota’s transition offense. On the scoring end, his touch extended beyond the paint, making him an early example of the rebounding big man who could also space the floor and punish defenses from distance.
The run had begun in November 2010 and continued regardless of opponent, venue or final result. That consistency stood out because Minnesota was losing far more often than it won. A double-double could not solve every defensive or roster problem, but it provided a measurable standard of effort. Love’s 21 rebounds against Indiana also ensured that the record arrived in decisive fashion rather than through a narrow statistical minimum.
Love extended the streak to 53 games before it ended against Golden State. He finished the season averaging 20.2 points and an NBA-leading 15.2 rebounds and was named the league’s Most Improved Player. The March record marked his emergence from promising young forward to All-Star centerpiece, while preserving a streak that connected modern statistical tracking with the relentless interior production associated with earlier eras.
Love had 16 points and 21 rebounds against Indiana.
Minnesota won the game 101–75.
The result was his 52nd consecutive double-double.
He passed Moses Malone’s post-merger streak.
The run ultimately ended at 53 games.
Love led the NBA with 15.2 rebounds per game that season.
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