Harden drops 44 again as Rockets blow past Blazers

James Harden was on one Monday night, as has been the case far more often than not this season.

The Blazers never really had a chance, with Harden's Houston Rockets cruising to a 110-95 victory despite a low-scoring fourth quarter where the reserves tried their best to cough up a lead.

Playing through a minor hamstring ailment, Harden picked apart the Portland Trail Blazers' defense on his way to 44 points, matching a season-high he set less than two weeks ago. The bearded superstar shot 14-of-26 from the floor, 4-of-9 on threes and 12-of-13 from the charity stripe, adding seven assists and five steals for good measure.

In other words:

And so continues Harden's early case for MVP consideration, as his league-best scoring average rises to an even 27 points per game. While his shooting marks suffer some from the attention he receives, Harden's second home at the free throw line - he's taken 49 more freebies than anyone else in the league - still renders him an efficient offensive force.

How else would the Rockets, who have found themselves without three starters for large chunks of the season, sit at 20-7? 

Dwight Howard (16 points, 13 rebounds, four assists) and Patrick Beverley (11 points, five rebounds) have since returned and the team's added Corey Brewer (12 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals in his debut), and it's about time the Western Conference begins living in fear of this team. Another statement game comes Friday against Memphis.

The Blazers, who were playing without their starting frontcourt, can't really hang their heads about the tough road loss. They'll have to regroup quickly with a trip to Oklahoma on tap Tuesday.