Lakers News: How LeBron James’ Return Improves LA’s West Finals Odds

The King's return shifts LA's title odds

Laker fans received some great news on Sunday morning as they learned superstar LeBron James made his return to the court. James suffered a right foot injury in late February against the Dallas Mavericks. 

Now that James is back on the court, the odds for LA to win the 2023 title have risen once again. NBA insider Shams Charania tweeted how far the odds have precisely risen. 

The Lakers now have moved to sixth-best odds of any team in the Western Conference to win the NBA Finals following LeBron James' return to action today, from +4200 to +3500, per @FDSportsbook.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 26, 2023

The King missed the last 13 games; however, the Lakers have stayed afloat, going 8-5 in those games. A team is always better with its best player, and that couldn't be more true with LeBron and the Lakers. 

Overall, the Lakers have the 10th best odds to win the title and are in the top six among Western Conference teams. The Suns, Nuggets, Warriors, Grizzlies, and Clippers all have better odds than the purple and gold. 

Still, the Lakers must secure a playoff spot before even considering making a championship run. The odds makers really like LA, but they must deliver on the court and stack up the wins.