2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Nuggets vs. Clippers in Game 3 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Denver Nuggets face the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 of the Western Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Nuggets at Clippers Game 3 Betting Picks

James Harden Over 8.5 Assists (-144)

In Game 2, James Harden finished with seven assists, snapping a six-game run of double-digit dimes. I think he bounces back in the assist column tonight.

Harden getting 10-plus assists in six straight games prior to Game 2 is notable. While only one of those contests was a playoff game, the five regular-season outings in that span were massive games for the Clips as LA desperately tried to avoid the Play-In Tournament. The Clips treated those as postseason games as Harden logged at least 37 minutes in four of the final five regular-season games, and he's played 43 and 39 minutes through two games in this series (with the 43 minutes coming in an OT game).

In short, minutes won't be much of a hindrance tonight.

Harden's seven-dime output last time out was mostly due to Kawhi Leonard. Harden started with three first-quarter assists, but as the game wore on and it became obvious that Leonard was in a special zone, the Clips moved Harden off the ball -- especially in the fourth quarter -- and let Kawhi cook. In the fourth, Harden had no assists and took only one shot in nearly eight minutes of playing time. He ended the game with a 25.6% usage rate, well below his 29.6% mark from the regular season (and his 29.2% usage from Game 1).

Assuming Harden's usage returns to normal tonight, he should have the ball plenty in the final period, and I like his chances to record at least nine assists. I also don't mind taking him to notch 10-plus assists at +106 odds.

Aaron Gordon Over 5.5 Rebounds (+110)

The Clippers run gobs of Harden-Ivica Zubac pick and rolls, and that's resulted in Nikola Jokic spending a lot of time away from the basket on defense, leading to Jokic averaging just 10.0 rebounds through two games.

That has opened the door for other Nuggets to get rebounds. Aaron Gordon is a prime example of that as he's totaled eight and six boards thus far, which puts me on the over on his rebounding prop tonight.

The minutes should be there as Gordon has played 38 and 46 (OT) minutes through two games. Our NBA player projections peg Gordon to get 6.3 rebounds in Game 3.

With other Nuggets needing to step up on the glass, Gordon to get at least six rebounds looks like a solid bet.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.