It is a loaded night across the NBA with all 30 teams set to suit up. The final matchup of the 15 games of action will be taking place between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers. James Harden and company will be facing the Western Conference second seed for the second time this season with the Clippers coming out on top in the first game.
James Harden deserves some significant credit for keeping this Clippers team afloat amid the injury struggles of Kawhi Leonard and the offseason loss of Paul George. Through the opening 49 games he has played this year, Harden is averaging 21.3 points, 8.6 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Kawhi Leonard is set to be active for this matchup and the Clippers will be almost entirely at full strength.
Memphis will provide a difficult challenge as they enter with a 36-17 record on the season. Injuries completely derailed their season last year but they have returned to their contending intentions.
The Clippers enter this game as 4.5-point favorites and -170 on the Moneyline. The Grizzlies hold +142 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook with the game total set at 237.5.
With the stage set, here are my favorite James Harden prop bets ahead of the Wednesday night matchup.
Best James Harden Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
James Harden’s props are listed at over/under 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 2.5 made three-pointers, and 38.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
James Harden Over 10.5 Assists (-110)
While his ability as a scorer has returned to the surface for stretches, James Harden’s most impressive skill as a basketball player at this stage of his career is as a playmaker. The two-time assist champion is averaging 8.6 assists per game on the season but has seen this number increase since Kawhi Leonard’s return. He is averaging 10.4 assists across the past 15 games and is coming off a 17-assist performance the last time he took the floor.
The Grizzlies’ record speaks for itself but the team has some vulnerabilities defensively. They rank 22nd in the NBA in opponents’ points allowed and are 17th in opponents’ assists per game. Harden had nine assists in the previous matchup with Memphis, but this occurred without Kawhi Leonard on the floor. The Grizzlies allowed nine assists to both Tyus Jones and Devin Booker in last night’s game and Harden is a greater tier of playmaker than either.
Harden has recorded over 10.5 assists in 14 games this season and will have his full arsenal of teammates around him for this matchup. Expect him to dictate the pace of the game and be at the epicenter of everything the Clippers do offensively- even if this is scaling back his impact as a scorer. Harden is rested after not playing since Saturday while the Grizzlies are on the backend of a back-to-back. Tired legs have been one of the causes of concern for the 35-year-old and this will not be an issue tonight. Expect him to have success picking apart Memphis in the pick-and-rolls and be prepared to have the offense running at full force. Count on Harden to record over 10.5 assists for the 15th time this season and second straight game.
James Harden to record 4+ Made Three-Pointers (+140)
At the top of the list of concerns for the Grizzlies’ defense is their struggles to stop opponents’ three-point production. They rank 28th in the league in opponents’ three-point attempts by giving up 39.6 per game.
Harden has lost some burst with the basketball which has impacted his ability to get downhill and attack the basket. But he is still plenty effective in getting to his step-back and creating space for his three-point shot. This season Harden is attempting 8.1 three-point attempts per game and connecting at a 34.2% rate. He is connecting on an average of 2.8 three-point attempts per game this season.
The standard three-point prop for James Harden is set at 2.5 with the over favored at -166 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. He has made three or more three-pointers in 25 of the 49 games he has played this year. However, he also has connected with four or more three-pointers in 10 games with as many as seven long-range makes in a game this year.
Harden’s scoring production has become dependent on getting to the free-throw line and connecting on three-pointers. Memphis’ struggles to prevent three-point shots will play in his favor. Look for him to play in attack mode with a couple of days of rest in his favor and for Harden to let in fly in this matchup. I like the +140 odds for the former MVP to connect on at least four three-pointers in this Western Conference battle tonight.
