Last season, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers engaged in an incredible seven-game series in the first round. Both looked like contenders in the West this year after big offseasons. But as the Nuggets continue to surge, the Clippers are flailing. It leaves James Harden to try to rescue their season, one big performance after another.
The Nuggets are 4.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -192 on the moneyline, while the Clippers are +160 underdogs. The total for this game is set at 225.5 points. Let’s get into my favorite James Harden prop bet for this Nuggets vs. Clippers showdown.
Best James Harden Player Props
The workload that James Harden has been shouldering recently is absurd. It’s nothing new for him, but this isn’t prime Houston Harden anymore; he’s 36 years old and being relied on for all of the offense. Kawhi has been a no-show this season, Norman Powell is gone, and now Bradley Beal is gone.
Harden has played in four of their last five games, all of which were losses, and has put up a ton of usage. Uno is averaging 25.5 PPG and 9.5 APG while taking 17.5 field goal attempts per game, making 5.8 free throws per game, and committing 4.5 turnovers per game. You have to take the good with the bad when he’s doing this kind of heavy lifting.
He’s in trouble against a Denver defense that, according to Cleaning the Glass, has the second-best half-court defensive rating. They have some good defensive guards to throw at him, capable helpers, and don’t give up many second-chance opportunities. It’s not the night to back James Harden’s productivity, even with his incredible offensive burden. This is a brutal matchup for Uno.
Best James Harden Prop Bet: Under 39.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-113)
