Kawhi Leonard & Paul George Props for 2019-20 Season After Both Join Clippers
- Kawhi Leonard averaged 26.6 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season
- Paul George finished second in scoring last season with 28.0 points per game
- George should get over the 22.5 point-per-game total that’s been set by sportsbooks
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George teaming up with the Los Angeles Clippers has sent shock waves through the NBA landscape.
As a result, the Clippers are now the favorites to win the NBA Championship and now sportsbooks have posted a number of performance props on the two stars. Let’s take a closer look:
Kawhi Leonard Props
| 2019-20 Stat | Line | Over Odds | Under Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points Per Game | 24.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 6.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Assists Per Game | 3 | -115 | -115 |
*All odds taken July 6
Will Another Superstar Teammate Eat Into Kawhi’s Numbers?
Leonard is coming off a season with the Toronto Raptors where he played in 60 games and averaged 26.6 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
He was an absolute monster in the playoffs, averaging 30.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists. The question in Los Angeles is whether the environment will be the same.
Although the Raptors didn’t have a second superstar, Pascal Siakam did average 16.9 points per game last season. George, of course, was the NBA’s second-leading scorer, so that probably takes a bite out of what Leonard averages.
That’s why his scoring total is lower than what he averaged last season.
Beyond that, the Clippers actually have plenty of sources for points as Patrick Beverley is back, Lou Williams is a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and Montrezl Harrell – an overlooked forward – averaged 16.6 points per outing last year.
From Leonard’s props, I would bet that he does more facilitating next season and less scoring. That being the case, I’d go under on the points per game and over for assists.
Paul George Props
| 2019-20 Stat | Line | Over Odds | Under Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points Per Game | 22.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 6.5 | -115 | -115 |
| Assists Per Game | 3.5 | -115 | -115 |
Points Per Game Set Too Low for George
George has been freed as he clearly didn’t want to go through another season with Russell Westbrook beside him.
Getting George is nothing short of a coupe as he finished second in the NBA in scoring last season and third in MVP voting. George, like Leonard, is also one of the best defenders in the game.
George is faced with a smaller point total of just 22.5 per game and the over seems like a gift. He scored 28.0 points per game last season, 21.9 in his first season with Oklahoma City, and surpassed the 23-point mark in each of the two previous seasons.
The Clippers scored 115.1 points per game last season and even if Williams averages 20.0, Harrell scores 16.6 and Landry Shamet adds 10.9, that leaves 67.5 points per game for Leonard and George. Of course, Beverley and others will be in there but George should be the primary scorer on this team.
In terms of the other stats, I’d also consider betting the under for his rebounds. He did pull in 8.2 rebounds per game last season but prior to that, averaged 5.7, 6.6, 7.0, 3.7 and 6.8 in the years prior.
He’ll be around that figure but when you consider that the Clippers have some good rebounders in Ivica Zubac (7.7 last season), Harrell (6.5), Beverley (5.0) and Leonard, the Clips may not need George to hit the glass as hard.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
