Scoring is up in the NBA this season — the median points scored per game is up more than four points per game this season over just two seasons ago. Teams are playing faster, shooting more threes, and scoring more buckets.
But what is stunning is the number of huge individual games this season.
Jimmy Butler’s 52 point outburst on Monday night made him the eighth player this season to top 50 in a game. He joins Russell Westbrook, Klay Thompson, James Harden, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Anthony Davis, and Isaiah Thomas. You can see highlights of all the performances above.
That ties the NBA record for most different players to get to 50 in a season in NBA history. It was done last season and in the 1989-90 season.
What’s crazy? We may well see more this season and a new record. Notice no Kevin Durant, no Stephen Curry, no DeMar DeRozan, no Damian Lillard, no LeBron James or Kyrie Irving on that list? There are a lot of guys in the league capable of having one of those nights who haven’t done so yet through the first 30+ games.
This has been one of the most interesting and entertaining NBA regular seasons in memory.
