The battle of Los Angeles gets a new wrinkle as the Clippers and Lakers meet on Friday at Crypto.com Arena. While Luka Doncic is a question mark for the Lakers after playing Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, James Harden looks to build on his strong post-All-Star break performances.
Harden is coming off a 30-point outing against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, where he erupted for 27 second-half points, including a dagger three-pointer in the final seconds. Harden’s scoring and playmaking remain critical for the Clippers.
Here’s the featured Harden prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s matchup against the Lakers.
Best James Harden Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
James Harden Over 31.5 Points + Assists (-115)
Harden has been on a tear since returning from the NBA All-Star break, averaging 25.8 points, 7.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds over his last four games. His increased aggression as a scorer has been evident, as he just poured in 30 points against Chicago, overcoming a slow start to dominate the second-half.
The Lakers’ defense has been impressive lately, despite trading Anthony Davis in the deal that brought Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. Over the last 10 games, the Lakers have the second-best defensive efficiency. However, an element of this success has been opponents’ inability to consistently convert to open looks despite Los Angels giving up many of them.
If Harden remains in attack mode, his combination of scoring and playmaking should allow him to clear this total.
Norman Powell is listed as questionable due to left patellar tendinopathy after missing the past four games. It remains to be seen if he’ll be available to play for the Clippers. If not, Harden will need even more aggressiveness to compensate.
Given Harden’s recent uptick in production and the high stakes of a Clippers-Lakers rivalry game, backing him to exceed 31.5 points and assists offers substantial value.
