LeBron James shows Damian Lillard love after his 71-point explosion

Across the NBA, there has been an explosion in scoring over the past five seasons or so, but this year, it has reached even newer heights.

Teams are averaging 114.4 points per game, which is the highest league-wide average in many decades. It can be attributed to an increase in pace and transition basketball, enhanced offensive coaching and improved shot-making and overall skills by players.

It has resulted in some awesome individual performances, such as when Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers put up 71 points in early January.

On Sunday, the Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard exploded for 71 points in a 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets, and LeBron James couldn’t help but give him his flowers.

Earlier in the day, James’ Los Angeles Lakers overcame a 27-point deficit in a huge road win over the Dallas Mavericks, while Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in the Denver Nuggets’ overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers. But Lillard’s eruption stood out as the best and most talked-about performance on Sunday.