James Harden has been an absolute machine for the Houston Rockets this season and his 30-point streak is living proof of that. Last night in the team's 120-104 win against the Dallas Mavericks, Harden scored 31 points which extended his impressive streak to 30 games. It wasn't easy for Harden though. He suffered an injury against the Thunder on Saturday which had him struggling to shoot for the first part of the game, although he was able to turn it on late.
"I couldn't get the lift that I usually have for my shot, but that's no excuse," Harden said according to ESPN. "I'm just happy we won the game."
Wilt Chamberlain has the two longest 30-point streaks in the NBA at 31 games and 65 games. While 65 games might be a bit of a stretch, the 31-game stream is well within reach for last year's MVP. Although as Harden scored 10 points in the last three minutes of the game, the streak was the last thing on his mind.
"I was worried about winning," Harden explained. "They were making shots. They were coming back, cut the lead to 10 or nine points, something like that. So I just wanted to get the proper shots. Like I said, they put two on the ball and I got off it a few times, and we got some good opportunities."
The Rockets sit at a record of 33-23 and are tied for fourth place in the Western Conference.