Houston guard James Harden has previously enjoyed stretches of utter brilliance like the one he is riding during the Rockets' seven-game winning streak, but that doesn't diminish the awe his current level of play is inspiring.

The Rockets will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday seeking to extend their winning streak to eight games while searching for another flash of exceptional play from Harden, who is averaging 43 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 2.3 steals during the streak.

With the Rockets missing four of their top five scorers and playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back Saturday at Minnesota, Harden poured in 49 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out six assists to carry Houston to a 125-105 victory. Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni described Harden as a "bazooka" following the performance and, on a grander scale, Houston displayed the desire needed to win nightly in an ultra-competitive Western Conference.