NBA Draft Lottery Standings 2013: Latest Records and Odds for All 14 Teams
While just over half of the league prepares for the NBA playoffs, the rest of the teams will turn their focus to the NBA draft.
The teams that were unable to qualify for the postseason will be entered into the draft lottery, with any one of them possibly earning the top pick (assuming it was not traded away). This is used in order to prevent tanking down the stretch, although it seems some teams did not get the memo.
Still, the worst team gets the best odds to win the lottery and the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. This will make the last few games of the regular season interesting for everyone involved.
Here are the latest odds based on records as of April 15 (percentages courtesy of ESPN).
1. Charlotte Bobcats (19-61): 25 percent
Over the past couple of weeks, the Bobcats have actually played better than they have for most of the year. While that is encouraging for next year, it is not good for the draft.
With only a one-game difference between it and the Orlando Magic, Charlotte has to make sure it loses its next two home games against the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers to secure the best odds.
2. Orlando Magic (20-60): 19.9 percent
After losing Dwight Howard prior to the season, Orlando would love a big-time prospect to replace him. Fortunately, it has pretty good odds to get the top pick as likely the second-worst team in the league.
The Magic still have a chance to overtake Charlotte for the top spot, but it is unlikely with only two games remaining on the schedule.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (24-56): 13.8 percent
If the Cavaliers and Suns remain tied as they are now, they will get nearly identical odds with a coin flip deciding who gets that extra chance out of 1,000 to win the lottery.
Cleveland was in an identical position last year after finishing tied with the New Orleans Hornets. The team ended up getting the third-best odds to win, but the Hornets were the ones who received the first pick in 2012.
4. Phoenix Suns (24-56): 13.7 percent
In the remaining two games, the Phoenix Suns played two playoffs teams with seeding still on the line (Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets). It is unlikely this squad would have won if it was trying its best, but it should accept losing at this point to help its odds in the lottery.
5. New Orleans Hornets (27-54): 8.8 percent
Last year's lottery winner did not see much improvement behind the play of top pick Anthony Davis. Fortunately, the soon-to-be Pelicans will get some more help at some point in the lottery this offseason.
With only one game left on the schedule, they will not be able to finish any higher on the list.
6. Detroit Pistons (28-52): 5.3 percent
If the sixth- and seventh-worst teams in the NBA tie, the two will be able to split the odds evenly, so no coin flip will be needed.
This would be the case between the Pistons and Kings if the records remain consistent over the final week of the season.
7. Sacramento Kings (28-52): 5.3 percent
The Kings are mired in uncertainty following this season, but a decent chance at a high draft pick should at least fix some of the concerns.
Dropping five of the last six games with two more playoff teams on the schedule is a good way to make sure they are drafting early.
8. Washington Wizards (29-51): 2.8 percent
Unlike other teams on this list, the Wizards have actually played very well over the second half of the season since John Wall returned.
Although the poor start prevented a trip to the postseason, grabbing a solid player in the lottery will make this team dangerous next season.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-50): 1.7 percent
Injuries prevented the Timberwolves from putting together the season that they were expecting. However, a healthy roster could make the team a playoff contender in the Western Conference.
The odds of winning the top overall pick are not good, but there should be a quality player available regardless of where Minnesota lands in the lottery.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-21): 1.1 percent
This is one to keep an eye on, because it affects multiple teams.
Oklahoma City acquired this pick from the Houston Rockets when it traded away James Harden, although it originally came from the Toronto Raptors in return for Kyle Lowry.
If this spot is selected as a top-three pick in the lottery, Toronto retains the rights. Otherwise, the Thunder get the pick, and one of the best teams in the NBA will get even better.
11. Philadelphia 76ers (33-47): 0.8 percent
Like in the Cavaliers example, the 76ers and Trail Blazers will get virtually equal odds if they finish tied, with one of them gaining a slight advantage after coin flip.
This is not the position Philadelphia expected to be in after trading for Andrew Bynum, but the unpredictability is what makes sports so much fun.
12. Portland Trail Blazers (33-47): 0.7 percent
Portland has been doing its best to drop down the standings over the past couple of weeks. The Trail Blazers have now lost 11 games in a row and show no signs of turning things around before the end of the year.
There is not much more room for changes, but finishing with the 10th-worst record is a possibility.
13. Dallas Mavericks (40-40): 0.6 percent
Drafting in the lottery is unfamiliar territory for the Mavericks after reaching the playoffs in each of the past 12 seasons. However, this is where the team finds itself, even with three more wins than the Milwaukee Bucks, who earned the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
14. Utah Jazz (42-38): 0.5 percent
This is the only spot in the lottery that has yet to be determined. The Utah Jazz still have a chance to catch the 44-37 Los Angeles Lakers, but they no longer control their own destiny.
It will take two more wins and a Lakers loss for these teams to switch places, and that seems unlikely at this point in the year.
