The Portland Trail Blazers are the hottest team in the league, riding a 10-game win streak into Thursday night’s matchup against LeBron James and the Cavs.

Leading the way for the Blazers has been Damian Lillard, who is averaging over 32 points, six assists and four rebounds over the 10 wins. The streak has helped Portland gain a 1 1/2 game lead for the 3rd seed in the Western Conference.

James was asked about Lillard’s play, which he says has been too obvious to ignore.

“What do I think? Is that like a real question? Nah, that’s not a real question. I think we all know how Damian Lillard has been playing as of late,” James said at Thursday’s shootaround in Portland. “I mean he’s playing at the All-Star level that he showed obviously when he was at the All-Star game. That guy’s a superstar in our league and he’s showing it right now. He’s leading the team obviously where I don’t think a lot of people thought they’d be at the beginning of the season. But him as the leader of the team he has them in position to fight in the West.”

One of the tropes of Lillard’s career is that he has been underappreciated. While James says he doesn’t believe Lillard is underappreciated, he likes the way Lillard uses things like that for fuel.

“He definitely uses that. I don’t think he is that. If you’re a true basketball mind, and there’s not a lot of true basketball people that understand the game, but for me I understand, it I know. Give me Damian Lillard, I’ll show you how appreciated he’ll be.”

James and the Cavaliers are currently a 1/2 game behind the Indiana Pacers for the third seed in the East. Thursday is their final regular season game on the west coast and it won’t be an easy one against one of the hottest players in the league.