Surging inter-conference squads collide on Saturday night, as the Los Angeles Clippers host the Boston Celtics at the Intuit Dome.
The Celtics (21–12, 3rd East) have won six of their last seven, capped by a 14-point rout of the Kings on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Clippers (12–21, 11th West) have won six straight — their first unbeaten streak since the second and third games of the season — and have seemingly reversed their fortunes heading into the new year.
The teams first met on Nov. 16 in Boston, where the Celtics edged out a 121–118 victory behind a pair of 30-point performances from Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard.
Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET. Los Angeles enters as a slight 1.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Boston is listed at -102. The game’s total is set at 219.5 points.
Let’s dig into the top player prop bets for Saturday’s matchup between the Celtics and Clippers.
Celtics vs. Clippers Best Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kawhi Leonard 30+ Points (+105)
The Clippers have been the top team in basketball during their six-game hot streak, boasting the NBA’s top offensive, defensive, and net rating during that span. The catalyst? Kawhi Leonard.
The two-time NBA champ is averaging 39 points, 8.5 rebounds, and four assists per game over his last six, highlighted by career-high 55-point explosion against the tenacious Pistons on Dec. 28. Leonard poured in 45 points against the Jazz on New Year’s Day, and all signs point to him dropping at least 30 on Saturday night.
James Harden Under 4.5 Rebounds (-139)
Former triple-double machine James Harden has largely faded from the rebounding department as he enters the late stages of his career. He’s averaging just 4.9 boards per game this season, his lowest mark since the 2013–14 campaign.
Harden’s rebounding numbers have dipped even further since the calendar flipped to December, clearing 4.5 rebounds just once all month — a five-board effort against the Timberwolves on Dec. 6. Don’t expect that trend to shift against Boston, which allows the NBA’s eighth-fewest opponent rebounds per game.
Payton Pritchard Under 2.5 Threes (+122)
Facing LA for the first time on Nov. 16, Celtics sharpshooter Payton Pritchard dropped 30 points while setting a season high with eight threes on just 13 attempts (62%). But he’ll face a far different Clippers team Saturday night — one that has turned one of its biggest weaknesses into arguably its greatest strength.
The Clippers have looked completely rejuvenated on the defensive end during their six-game surge. Since Dec. 20, LA boasts the NBA’s top defensive rating and is the only team allowing fewer than 100 points per game.
They’ve been especially pesky around the perimeter, holding opponents to just 8.8 made threes per game on 27.9% efficiency — both the best marks in the league. Don’t expect the Clippers to let Pritchard fool them again.
SGP Odds: +625
