Best NBA Prop Bets Today for Mavericks vs. Clippers Game 5 (How to Bet James Harden, Luka Doncic)

Will the stars shine bright in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks?

There is a ton at stake with the series tied 2-2, and we’ve seen Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Paul George and others have signature games in this series already. 

With Kawhi Leonard out, James Harden has put together some masterclasses scoring the basketball for the Clippers, but can he keep it up tonight? If he does, he’s a terrific value bet in the prop market (and I’ll explain why).

Plus, Dallas has needed an all-hands on deck approach on the glass in this series, but two players could be worth targeting in rebounding props, especially big man Dereck Lively II since his prop is set at plus money for him to go OVER. 

Let’s break down these prop plays for what should be a terrific Game 5 on Wednesday night: 

Mavericks vs. Clippers best NBA Prop Bets

• James Harden OVER 21.5 Points
• Luka Doncic OVER 9.5 Rebounds
• Dereck Lively II OVER 5.5 Rebounds

James Harden OVER 21.5 Points

In the two games that Leonard has missed, Harden has scored 28 points (8-for-17 shooting from the field) and 33 points (12-for-17 shooting). 

He’s seen more shots in both of the games that Leonard missed, which is a great sign for his floor since he’s put up 21 or more in every game in this series. 

The Clippers’ offense was heavily reliant on Harden and George in Game 4, and the former MVP has played nearly 40 minutes in every game in this series. 

I expect that to continue in Game 5, and if Harden takes 17 or more shots again, he should clear this threshold.  

Luka Doncic OVER 9.5 Rebounds

I mentioned that rebounding has been an “all hands on deck” approach for the Mavericks, but Doncic has clearly been the leader there, picking up 10 or more boards in three of the four games in this series. 

During the regular season, Luka averaged 9.2 rebounds per game, so he’s certainly capable of being around this number tonight. 

So far in the playoffs, Doncic is averaging 16.3 rebound chances per night. Since he rarely comes out of the game, Luka is a terrific target in this prop, especially since three of the four games in this series have gone UNDER the total, a sign that we’re seeing a lot of missed shots. 

Dereck Lively II OVER 5.5 Rebounds

This is my value play of the night in this matchup. 

Lively, a rookie, has split playing time with Daniel Gafford in this series, but he’s outrebounded the veteran, picking up four, nine, two and six boards across four games. The nine-rebound game did come in Game 2 when Gafford was injured, but Lively still cleared this number in Game 4 as well. 

The Mavs need someone to bang down low, and Gafford has the same rebound prop (5.5) but hasn’t cleared it once in this series. Despite playing less than 20 minutes per game, Lively is still averaging 11.3 rebound chances per contest. 

Asking him to pick up six boards isn’t crazy, and we’re getting some favorable odds for him to do so tonight.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.