NBA Lottery 2018: TV Schedule, Live Stream and Preview for Anticipated Event

The most anticipated 30 minutes of sports television on Tuesday evening won't come during a potential World Series preview between the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals or during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals featuring the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Rather, it will occur at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, when the order of the lottery portion of the NBA draft is revealed. Fans can also live-stream the show via WatchESPN.

It's incredible that the lottery reveal, which really only involves large envelopes being opened one by one, has become an entertaining phenomenon. However, it's an edge-of-your-seat thriller if you're a fan of a team in play for the No. 1 pick.

Here's a look at all the NBA draft lottery odds, per NBA.com, as well what to watch on Tuesday.

NBA Draft Lottery Odds for Top 3 and No. 1 Picks

1. Phoenix Suns: Top-three pick (64.2 percent), No. 1 pick (25.0 percent)

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Top-three pick (55.8 percent), No. 1 pick (19.9 percent)

3. Dallas Mavericks: Top-three pick (42.5 percent), No. 1 pick (13.8 percent)

4. Atlanta Hawks: Top-three pick (42.4 percent), No. 1 pick (13.7 percent)

5. Orlando Magic: Top-three pick (29.1 percent), No. 1 pick (8.8 percent)

6. Chicago Bulls: Top-three pick (18.3 percent), No. 1 pick (5.3 percent)

7. Sacramento Kings: Top-three pick (18.3 percent), No. 1 pick (5.3 percent)

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Top-three pick (10.0 percent), No. 1 pick (2.8 percent)

9. New York Knicks: Top-three pick (6.1 percent), No. 1 pick (1.7 percent)

10. Los Angeles Lakers (conveys to Philadelphia 76ers if top pick; conveys to Boston Celtics if No. 2 or 3 pick): No. 1 pick (1.1 percent), Nos. 2 or 3 pick (2.9 percent)

11. Charlotte Hornets: Top-three pick (2.9 percent), No. 1 pick (0.8 percent)

12. *Detroit Pistons: Top-three pick (2.5 percent), No. 1 pick (0.7 percent)

13. Los Angeles Clippers: Top-three pick (2.2 percent), No. 1 pick (0.6 percent)

14. Denver Nuggets: Top-three pick (1.8 percent), No. 1 pick (0.5 percent)

* conveyed to the Clippers if not in the top four

The Jump

It's important to pay attention to the pre-lottery draft order as the envelopes are being revealed. For example, if the New York Knicks are shown at No. 9 followed by the Sacramento Kings at No. 8, then you know that (a) the Kings got the raw end of the lottery deal and (b) the Cleveland Cavaliers moved into the top three of the NBA draft.

A quick explanation of why that is the case. First, the NBA lottery drawing uncovers the first three teams in the draft. After those pingpong balls are chosen, all of the other teams go in reverse order of the regular-season standings. In other words, the Phoenix Suns can't have a pick lower than fourth thanks to their league-worst 21-61 record.

Therefore, if you don't see a team take hold in its designated slot above, that means it has vaulted into a top-three selection.

Sometimes, you may even see a trio of teams outside of the top three in the pre-draft lottery phase jump into the top three post-lottery. It's unlikely, but it happened in 2007 when the Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics and Atlanta Hawks moved from outside of the top three to the inside. That draft featured Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

The Switch

Not all teams currently slotted in the lottery order are guaranteed to hold onto their picks. For example, the Philadelphia 76ers have to give up their 2018 selection to the Boston Celtics if it's No. 2 or No. 3 by virtue of a series of trades (see RealGM for more information). Therefore, if we don't hear the 76ers' name called at No. 10, then it makes the top-three revealing very interesting (see below in the final category).

The Los Angeles Clippers have two picks in this year's lottery. One was originally their own (the 13th overall), but the other (the 12th) was initially owned by the Detroit Pistons, who gave the Clips the selection in the Blake Griffin deal. However, that pick is protected for the top four this year, so Detroit could temporarily take that one back (per RealGM, the protections end in 2021).

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired the Brooklyn Nets' pick in the Kyrie Irving trade with the Boston Celtics, who got that pick in a blockbuster with the Nets that included Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. It's an unprotected pick, so there will be no switch with that one.

The Finish

Teams filling the fourth through 14th spots are revealed in reverse order, and then there's a pause before heading to the final three. That trio of picks could bring on added significance this year with the 76ers/Celtics scenario: If Los Angeles' name isn't called early on, then we know its pick has moved to the top three.

At that point, both teams will be on pins and needles hoping the selection falls on the right number. If it's No. 2 or No. 3, it goes to Boston, while Philadelphia keeps it at No. 1. Obviously, in that moment, a massive power shift in the Eastern Conference could be taking place, as the lucky team can either take an elite prospect or trade that pick for a veteran superstar.

Regardless of the circumstances, the finish is always very exciting, as first noted when the New York Knicks got the first overall pick in 1985 and had the chance to select the clear No. 1 prospect in the draft (Georgetown center Patrick Ewing).

There's one prospect who could be a cut above the rest this year (Arizona center Deandre Ayton), but it's not as clear-cut given how strong the very top of the class seems to be.