A promising 2024-25 campaign for the Clippers has hit a speed bump, having lost three straight games. Currently sixth in the Western Conference, every matchup is crucial for Los Angeles to avoid the play-in. If the team is going to break their recent cold stretch, they’ll need James Harden at his best. LA is 22-10 this season when The Beard scores at least 20 points.
The Clippers enter tonight’s contest as 9.5-point favorites vs. the Bulls, with the over/under set at 228 points. Here’s the best Harden prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Wednesday’s game tips off.
James Harden best prop bet for February 26
As previously mentioned, Harden’s success is crucial for any Los Angeles victory. A large workload has lessened with Kawhi Leonard back, but the point guard is still the team’s lead ball handler. To no one’s surprise, the former MVP has accumulated terrific counting stats this season. Through 54 games, Harden has averaged 21.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 8.6 assists. However, inconsistent shooting (39.2 FG%) has made it tough to trust the 35-year-old on a daily basis.
On paper, this is an ideal matchup for any guard. The Bulls give up buckets at a massive rate, allowing the second-most points per game to opponents (121.0). To make matters worse, Chicago has surrendered the second-most rebounds (55.3) and second-most assists (29.0) per game. When these squads last met on January 20th, Harden recorded 17 points, five rebounds and ten assists.
Harden’s inefficiency makes him a tough bet as a scorer. Therefore, the best play for the veteran on most nights is as a playmaker. The 11-time All-Star has been quite productive recently, clearing 16 assists + rebounds in six of his last seven outings. He’s reached that total in 26 of his 54 appearances this season (48.1%).
The Bulls, while poor defensively, also play at the NBA’s third-fastest pace on offense (103.05). That leads to a number of extra possessions for both sides. A shootout is the perfect environment for Los Angeles’ stat-stuffing point guard to thrive in. Given Chicago’s notable weaknesses defending the pass and boxing out, it’s impossible to pick just one area that Harden can exploit. So why not two? The future Hall of Famer is poised for a vintage all-around performance on Wednesday night.
