Fear The Beard: James Harden on roll, revives Houston

• Pelicans vs. Rockets (8 ET, Tuesday on TNT)

HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden has been scoring at a pace not seen since Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s.

Naturally, he doesn’t want to discuss it. Whether things are going well or poorly, he always prefers to keep silent. However, his enjoyment is obvious as his scoring surge has coincided with Houston’s rise in the standings. After an early-season slump, they’re back amongst the top teams in the Western Conference.

“I adore hooping,” he expressed. “I relish just being out there and participating in the grind.”

• About Last Night: Harden’s streak rolls on

In Houston’s victory over Orlando on Sunday night, he racked up 40 points, prolonging his series of successive 30-point games to 23 – the fourth longest in NBA history, surpassed only by three streaks from Chamberlain. The previous season’s MVP is averaging 44.1 points in the 13 games he played this month. He has managed to score a minimum of 40 points in eight of January’s games, inclusive of two 50-point games and a franchise-record 61 points in a win against the Knicks.

“His scoring ability is extraordinary,” said his teammate, Eric Gordon. “I’ve had the privilege of playing with many exceptional players, but he is undoubtedly the best scorer I’ve ever encountered. His ease at doing so is a testament to his skill. He is one of the greatest scorers in history.”

Not only Harden’s teammates have been impressed by his work, but also J.B. Bickerstaff, the Memphis coach who previously worked for the Rockets from 2011-2016, who highly praised him.

“He was really good when we left here, but amazingly, he’s managed to improve even more,” he said. “He was the MVP last year, and now he’s even better. It’s a testament to his work ethic and the passion with which he plays the game.”

Last season, Harden topped the league in scoring for the first time, averaging 30.43 points per game. However, due to injuries to Chris Paul and Clint Capela this year, Harden has had to shoulder more responsibility, resulting in him averaging a league-best 36.33 points per game.

If he maintains this rhythm for the remainder of the season, he could be the premier player to average over 36 points per game since Michael Jordan’s average of 37.09 in the 1986-87 season. Were the season to conclude today, Harden would secure the seventh spot for the highest scoring average in NBA history, trailing the season by Jordan, which holds the fifth position, and five seasons by Chamberlain.

With an average of seven points higher than Steph Curry and Anthony Davis, who both tie for second place with 29.3 points a game, Harden stands out. However, his scoring prowess is not his only strength. Harden also excels in involving his teammates in the game, evident from his 8.2 assists per game, putting him at a tie for fourth place in the league.

Harden said, “I’m aware of the attention I attract on the court and how the defense focuses on me. So, I try to assist my teammates in getting their scoring opportunities, making it easier for them to score.”

As Harden continues to accumulate points, adversaries are on a quest to decelerate his momentum. He frequently receives inquiries about the diverse strategies teams have employed against him, and the assorted tactics seem to amuse him.

“He said, “In the past few weeks, I’ve been seeing double teams, triple teams, and zones. I’ve seen it all.”

More than one opposing coach has viewed it as an achievement to restrict Harden to under 40 points during this streak.

Kenneth Faried, who recently signed with Houston, has previously had the responsibility of defending Harden and shared the mentality he adopted when confronted with that challenge.

“Mark my words, he’s poised to score 30,” Faried declared. “That’s inevitable. But our goal is to ensure he doesn’t hit the 60-point mark.”

In the days after his 61-point performance at Madison Square Garden, the Beard was questioned whether he feels like he’s currently impossible to guard.

“With a sly smile and a laugh, he said, “I mean, I’ve always had that feeling. I’m not sure about now, but it’s just confidence. That’s all it is.”

Paul returned to Houston over the weekend after missing 17 games in which Houston managed a record of 12-5. This helped the Rockets secure three consecutive victories, improving their standing to 29-20 and placing them fifth in the Western Conference. Despite this improvement from a poor start that left them near the conference’s bottom, both Harden and the rest of the Houston team understand that they must significantly improve if they aspire to secure the team’s first title since 1995.

Harden states that his high scoring is not a topic he enjoys discussing, and those close to him are aware that it should not be brought up.

He said, “No one is allowed to praise me. I don’t want my friends or close family discussing it. We still have a long way to go.”