Life's a lottery for NBA losers
NEW YORK: The NBA's biggest losers were to have a chance to reverse their fortunes oyesterday evening if they could pull off a triumph in the 14-team NBA Draft Lottery.
The Memphis Grizzlies, who finished a league-worst 22-60 this season, have the best odds of claiming the top pick, a 1-in-4 chance. The lottery decides who has the top three choices with picks 4-14 going in inverse order of record.
Since 1985, NBA clubs failing to reach the playoffs have all had a chance at claiming the number one choice in June's NBA Draft, the free agent entry system that allows weaker clubs the first chance at top US college and global talent.
This year, the top prizes are especially important with Ohio State big man Greg Oden and flashy Texas playmaker Kevin Durant among 58 underclassmen players leaving the US college ranks along with a solid senior class.
Most scouts have 7-footer Oden slotted for the top pick with Durant possibly working better for certain teams when player selections are made in the NBA Draft on June 28.
And while a third consecutive top pick from the international ranks is unlikely - Italy's Andrea Bargnani went to Toronto last year and Australian Andrew Bogut went to Milwaukee in 2005 - there are several new global hopefuls including China's Yi Jianlian.
After Memphis, the Boston Celtics have the best chance at landing the top pick, 19.9 percent, with Milwaukee next at 15.6 percent, Atlanta fourth at 11.9 percent and Seattle fifth with an 8.8 percent hope.
Portland and Minnesota each have a 5.3 percent chance while Chicago and New York have 1.9 percent odds, Sacramento 1.8 percent and Indiana, Philadelphia, New Orleans and the Los Angeles Clippers having less than a 1 percent hope.
A total of 1,000 table tennis balls are placed in a bin and drawn out to decide the top spots. The Clippers have only five balls in the tub.
Under the system, a team will select no worse than three positions below where it finished in the final overall regular-season order. Thus Memphis will pick no worse than fourth and would be unusually unlucky to fare that badly.
AFP
(China Daily 05/23/2007 page24)
