The headline matchup of the nine-game NBA slate will take place between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James and company will travel to play at Madison Square Garden for the first time this season.
Los Angeles sits in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 27-19 record but is battling some injuries in this matchup. Anthony Davis headlines the list of injuries and will continue to miss time due to an abdominal strain. Cam Reddish, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Christian Wood will also miss tonight’s game. LeBron James, Dorian Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura are each listed as probable.
The New York Knicks are in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 32-16 record on the season. They enter this game on a five-game winning streak and a cleaner bill of health. Josh Hart is listed as questionable while Mitchell Robinson and Pacome Dadiet are set to miss the game, but the Knicks are otherwise healthy.
The Knicks enter this game as 11-point favorites and -500 on the Moneyline. The Lakers hold +380 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 226.
With the stage set, here are my favorite LeBron James prop bets ahead of the Saturday night matchup.
Best LeBron James Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
James’ props are listed at over/under 26.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.5 made three-pointers and 43.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
LeBron James Over 43.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists (-115)
The lone visit for LeBron James to Madison Square Garden this season marks the most expensive ticket of any game in the NBA so far this season. Expect the future Hall of Famer to make sure it is a show.
So far this season, James is averaging 23.8 points, 9.0 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. He has recorded over 43.5 combined points, rebounds and assists in 15 games already this season and will have more on his plate without Anthony Davis available. One of the notable changes to the Lakers this season has been how much the offense has run through Davis. The big man is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 blocks per game on the season. Expect an uptick in responsibility and production from James without Davis as his running mate.
Looking at the matchup, the Knicks have built an identity as a defensive-minded team. This season, they rank eighth in opponent points allowed, eighth in assists conceded and they allow the fewest rebounds to opponents per game. However, James’ combination of size and skill creates a unique challenge for any defense and he is still capable of proving this even at this stage of his career.
This will mark the second full game James will prepare to play without Davis since he suffered the abdominal strain. James finished with 31 points, nine assists and eight rebounds (48 PRA) in the game Davis left in the first quarter and tallied 24 points, 11 assists and three rebounds (38 PRA) in just 26:34 of game time in what turned out to be a 38-point victory last game.
James picks his spots more than he has at any other point of his career but he can still take over a game when needed. With the bright lights of Madison Square Garden on him and Davis not on the floor, expect him to impact the game in each area and record over 43.5 combined points, rebounds and assists against the Knicks tonight.
LeBron James 3+ Made Three-Pointers (+185)
While three-point attempts are being launched at an all-time high in the NBA, this has not been a significant part of LeBron James’ shot diet. The 20-time All-Star is taking 5.5 perimeter attempts per game this season and connecting at a 37.9% rate. This comes out to an average of 2.1 made three-pointers per game.
The standard three-point prop for James is set at 1.5, with the over favored at -160 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. While this is a number that I certainly like as well, taking James to knock down at least three perimeter shots at +185 odds is worth looking at tonight.
James has connected with at least two long-range shots in 23 of the 43 games he has played and made three or more three-pointers in 12 games. He has struggled from deep of late, shooting 33.3% or worse from beyond the arc in seven consecutive games entering this matchup. Look for this to change tonight with New York ranking dead last in opponent three-point percentage allowed this season at 37.7% overall.
Expect James to be at the epicenter of everything the Lakers do offensively tonight and show an increased willingness to shoot from the perimeter. There is a lengthy track record of what the four-time MVP can do as a shooter. Expect him to make the most of his lone trip to New York this season by connecting on at least three three-pointers tonight.
