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.

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