The NBA Draft Lottery will air tonight at 8ET on ESPN. This annual event will serve as a pre-game appetizer for game two of the Eastern Conference Finals. As a TV spectacle the NBA Draft Lottery falls a little short. Every year on a TV set full of team executives and players who show up from around the country to New York City (New Jersey in previous years) and awkwardly sit and watch the drama unfold. The Draft Lottery is indeed an awkward time for execs and players who's team performed poorly in the regular season and missed out on a playoff birth. It can have you asking yourself, "this guy flew all the way out here for this?"
The NBA Draft Lottery has given us special moments (not really) and after tonight we can all begin to debate who should go where in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Lotto Notes:
University of Kentucky "big man" Anthony Davis is this years top prize in June's draft. Everyone still here?
With a 25% chance of winning the lottery the Charlotte Bobcats have the best play at landing Davis. The Wizards, Cavaliers, Hornets, and Kings round out the top five list of teams who have the best percentage of taking the number one pick in next months draft.
The Portland Trail Blazers have a lot to gain in this lottery. They already have a lottery pick guaranteed because they missed the playoffs this year. They currently are expected to get the 11th pick based on their odds. However, the Brooklyn Nets who are currently projected to get the sixth pick, owe that pick to Portland due to the Gerald Wallace trade that sent Wallace to the Nets this past season. The Nets' pick is top three protected meaning they will maintain their pick if the ping pong balls land them in the top three.
The Utah Jazz could find themselves with a lottery pick at the end of the night. The Golden State Warriors have been trying to make a trade to keep this happening, but the Jazz could get a top 10 pick if the Warriors stay out of the top seven in the lottery. This scenario is possible due to a previous trade that also involved the Nets.
So prior to game two tonight, picks 1-14 that makeup the lottery will be decided and the real drama can begin.
For more on the odds; NBA.com has it broken down nicely: http://www.nba.com/news/2012-draft-order/index.html
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