This week is the NBA’s Rivals Week, where historic rivals from across the association take to the hardwood in battles for glory. Tonight, there will be a Subway Series between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, and…the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Washington Wizards. Wait, what?
Okay, it’s only the nationally-televised games that are supposed to be rivalries, as scintillating as a Kyle Kuzma revenge game may be.
The Lakers probably won’t need him to win against the worst team in the league, but as usual, Los Angeles’ offense runs through LeBron James. The greatest 40-year-old in league history is averaging 23.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game this season.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Lakers are 13.5-point favorites and the point total is set to 228.5. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite prop bets centered around James.
Best LeBron James Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
LeBron James to Record a Triple-Double (+425)
Since the Lakers made a lineup change, inserting Max Christie into the starting five prior to the team’s December 8 win against the Portland Trail Blazers, James has recorded only one triple-double. His rebounds are down slightly, from 8.0 before the lineup change to 6.5 after, and his assists are down slightly as well, from 9.1 to 8.4. Still, his potential assists are up, and his rebound chances are only down slightly. I associate it more with luck than any lineup change that has contributed to James’ current triple-double drought.
The Wizards — owners of the league’s worst defensive rating — probably shouldn’t play at the league’s fourth-fastest pace, but I’m not head coach Brian Keefe. As is, Washington allows the most points, most rebounds, and fifth-most assists per game, so James should have as good of an opportunity as ever to record a triple-double. He probably won’t sit much, either, as the Lakers have struggled to blow anyone out, with an average winning margin of just 7.9 points. Despite how woeful the Wizards were last season, Los Angeles’ two wins were by just eight combined points.
LeBron James O1.5 Steals + Blocks (-105)
James’ defensive effort has been quite poor this season for the most part. His 0.1 defensive box plus-minus is his worst since his rookie season, and the Lakers are 9.4 points per 100 possessions better when he sits, the first time in his career that he has been a net-negative player. For context, the negative-5.4 net rating Los Angeles posts when he is on the court would be the seventh-worst in basketball. He has started to show flashes of his defensive aptitude in the past few games, though, recording two or more combined steals and blocks in each of his last four games.
Unsurprisingly, Washington’s offense is also bad at preventing blocks and steals. The Wizards allow 9.6 steals per game, the fourth-most of any team, and 5.6 blocks per game, the eighth-most in basketball.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
