2021 NBA Title Odds: LeBron James, Lakers Favored, Nets Rise in Latest Lines

It might just be the Los Angeles Lakers against the field for the NBA championship this season.

FanDuel released the latest odds for the 2021 title following the start to the season, and the reigning champions have the lowest total at +270 (bet $100 to win $270). They are followed by the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and L.A. Clippers:

• Los Angeles Lakers +270
• Brooklyn Nets +440
• Milwaukee Bucks +600
• L.A. Clippers +700
• Denver Nuggets +1,600
• Miami Heat +1,600
• Boston Celtics +2,100
• Philadelphia 76ers +2,100
• Dallas Mavericks +2,500

Perhaps the biggest question about the Lakers had nothing to do with their actual roster and whether they had the best team but, rather, if fatigue would be an issue since they won their championship less than three months ago inside the Walt Disney World Resort bubble.

That wasn't much time to recover, especially since LeBron James turns 36 years old on Wednesday and, in theory, will eventually slow down as he gets older. The Purple and Gold didn't look great in a season-opening loss to the Clippers, either.

Since then, they beat the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves by a combined 59 points and appear to be rounding into competitive form.

They also have more firepower and overall depth than they did during last season's championship run thanks to the additions of Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, Dennis Schroder and Wesley Matthews, which will take some of the pressure off James and Anthony Davis when it comes to carrying the team before the playoffs.

That, in turn, should keep James fresher for the important part of the 2020-21 campaign.

As for the Lakers' top competition, the Nets lost a key piece when they confirmed Spencer Dinwiddie suffered a partially torn right ACL and will miss the rest of the season. They still have Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert, but Dinwiddie was an important secondary option on a championship contender.

Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo is yet to reach the NBA Finals for the Bucks, and the Clippers will be defined by last season's second-round collapse against the Denver Nuggets until they change the narrative in the playoffs.

For now, it's the Lakers and everybody else in the race to the NBA title.

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