The Super Bowl is a time for football, food, and of course, betting.
Rocket fans can take a personal interest in the betting part this year. James Harden and Russell Westbrook are among athletes whose stat lines are part of cross-sport prop bets for the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
Here are a list of the five betting options on Sports Betting that include NBA players:
James Harden point total vs. Pelicans -7.5 (-130)
OR
Super Bowl First half total points +7.5 (-110)
Harden is averaging almost 36 points per game this season but he is coming off a thigh injury that caused him to miss two games and only score 18 in his return against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.
He has also come down to earth since the turn of the new year. From the beginning of the season through Dec. 31, Harden was averaging almost 39 points per game. In his eleven January games, he is averaging ten points fewer (but still an elite 28 PPG) and his shooting percentage has plummeted.
The Chiefs and 49ers are ranked first and fourth in the NFL in first-half points, respectively, combining for more than 33 points, according to TeamRanking.
San Francisco’s defense was second in the league in yards per game, though, and both teams were top-10 in points allowed; their respective defenses averaged less than 20 points per game.
Russell Westbrook points+rebounds+assists vs. Pelicans (-160)
OR
Patrick Mahomes pass attempts (+120)
Where Harden has struggled or missed time, Westbrook has stepped up. He is averaging more than 32 points and eight rebounds and assists apiece since the first game of January.
If he meets those averages, it would take Mahomes 48 pass attempts to match him. The Chiefs quarterback has only done that once this season.
The Niners pass defense has been suffocating this season, allowing an NFL-low 169.2 passing yards per game. The run defense ranks near the middle of the league.
Two things to consider: If Westbrook plays more like he did the first two months as Harden finds his groove, Mahomes would only need about 39 passes to match his stat line.
That brings us to point two — with the Super Bowl on the line, it would be unsurprising to see the Chiefs hand Mahomes the ball and tell him to go to work as many times as he wants.
Zion Williamson points+rebounds vs. Rockets -8.5 (-140)
OR
Jimmy Garoppolo pass completions +8.5 (+100)
There’s one more bet available for the Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Pelicans game.
With rookie Zion Williamson’s minutes ticking up as he gets acclimated to the league, Sports Betting put his points plus rebound total with a spread of -8.5 against Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s pass completions.
It’s tough to gauge Williamson based on his fluctuating (but increasing) minutes. His stat lines are strong, but 17 of his 72 points came in a three-minute stretch, which isn’t easily replicable.
Garoppolo, meanwhile, averaged 20.6 completions per game during the regular season but hasn’t even attempted 20 passes during the playoffs. He threw 19 passes against the Minnesota Vikings and just eight against the Green Bay Packers.
The 49ers have a very run-heavy offense and the Chiefs allowed the seventh-most rushing yards per game this season. That could lead to another extreme focus on rushing — though Tevin Coleman has been limited at practice all week.
If Garoppolo does have to throw to keep up with the Chiefs offense, there’s a solid chance he covers the spread.
Ben Simmons points+rebounds+assists vs. Celtics (-120)
OR
Tyreek Hill longest reception (-120)
Ben Simmons thrived in the nine games center Joel Embiid missed due to injury, averaging 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
Embiid’s returned Wednesday and Simmons did not come close to meeting those averages, but his 27 minutes were the fewest he’s played since Dec. 7 so that must be taken with a grain of salt.
What is more important: Over the first 36 games of the season, Simmons averaged 14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game.
Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill had six games this season with a reception of at least 39 yards.
The 49ers pass defense, which allowed just 169.2 passing yards per game this season, was the best in the league, but it has given up long receptions in both playoff games: Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs had a 41-yard reception and Packers receiver Davante Adams had one for 65 yards.
LeBron James + Anthony Davis points vs. Kings -3.5 (-120)
OR
Deebo Samuel receiving yards +3.5 (-120)
The Los Angeles Lakers’ away game against the Sacramento Kings is scheduled to be the second for Los Angeles since the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant. An emotional tribute dedicated to the battles of the teams’ early-2000s seasons would be unsurprising. Emotions will be high.
With that, the game itself is unpredictable.
James is averaging 25.3 points per game and Davis 26.5 this season.
Niners receiver Deebo Samuel has had a strong rookie campaign and posted at least 40 receiving yards in 11 of 17 games. He has five games with more than 75 yards.
His output will likely be dictated by the Niners’ game plan. If it’s another run-heavy game, Samuel might not see the targets to cover the spread.
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