NBA Title Odds 2023: Lakers Move Up After LeBron James' Return from Foot Injury
LeBron James' return to action Sunday led to a shake-up in the potential playoff and championship picture, as the Lakers' odds to win the title improved slightly. They now have the 10th-best odds in the entire league, improving from +4200 to +3500, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Los Angeles was previously tied with the Dallas Mavericks but now have the sixth-best odds to win the Finals out of any team in the Western Conference.
They trail the Phoenix Suns (+700), Denver Nuggets (+800), Golden State Warriors (+1200), Memphis Grizzlies (+1300) and Los Angeles Clippers (+2700).
The Lakers are in the midst of of a three-game winning streak and reached a .500 record for the first time this year at 37-37. They sit in the No. 8 seed and are just 1.5 games out of the No. 6 seed, which would keep them safe from the play-in tournament.
James' return will be a huge boost for the organization, as he's missed the last 13 games with a foot injury that he suffered in a win against the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 26. The Lakers have gone 8-5 in that span.
He was in the middle of another tremendous season when we went out, averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game.
Odds, lines and betting splits refresh periodically and are subject to change. 21+ and present in AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA (permitted parishes only), MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, KS, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY.
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