Tweet
It's tonight, but only a few people will actually see the lottery take place.
The ping pong ball drawing will take place in a backstage conference room and will be conducted by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young, with league officials and representatives from each of the non-playoff teams in attendance.
A very complex system of drawing numbered ping pong balls that will then match sequences which have been previously assigned to the Lottery Teams in advance based on their final W-L records, will determine the first three picks.
The remaining lottery teams that are not selected in the first three picks are then assigned in reverse order of their final W-L records. Since the Bulls own the Knicks' pick, which is the 2nd worst record, then the worst the Bulls can do is get the 5th pick, assuming that three teams with better records all get the top 3 picks.
Here is a brief discussion of the ping pong ball system:
" Fourteen Ping-Pong balls numbered 1 through 14 will be placed in a hopper similar to those used for state lotteries.
When four balls are drawn, there are 1,001 possible number combinations, and 1,000 of them are assigned to the lottery teams based on record. The team with the worst record (in this case the Portland Trail Blazers) has a 25 percent chance of landing the top pick.
Four balls will be drawn to determine the No. 1 pick, then the process will be repeated for the second and third selections. After the top three are determined, the rest of the draft order will be set by placing the remaining teams according to record."
Statistically, the Blazers have the best chance of winning and getting the top pick (a one in four chance). The Bulls (via the Eddie Curry trade) have the 2nd best statistical chance of getting the top pick.
Charlotte has the third-best chance of winning. It is followed by Atlanta, Toronto, Minnesota, Boston, Houston, Golden State, Seattle, Orlando, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Utah.
Only three times since 1990 has the team with the BEST chances won the lottery.
Last year's lottery winner, Milwaukee had a 6.3% chance of winning.
The Knicks, as bad as they are, and as high as their payroll is, have no chance of improving in this lottery.
Of the teams in the lottery, here are the odds of each team getting the top pick. Remember, the Blazers have a 25% chance, or 3-1 odds...
2006 NBA LOTTERY - TEAM TO WIN THE FIRST PICK
---------------------------------------------
Portland Blazers ................ 3-1
Chicago Bulls (via New York) 4-1
Charlotte BobCats ............. 13-2
Atlanta Hawks .................. 13-2
Toronto Raptors ................ 11-1
Minnesota T-Wolves .......... 16-1
Boston Celtics ................... 16-1
Houston Rockets ................ 40-1
Golden State Warriors.......... 45-1
Seattle Sonics ................... 90-1
Orlando Magic .................... 125-1
New Orleans Hornets........... 140-1
Philadelphia 76ers ............... 170-1
Utah Jazz .......................... 200-1
The ping pong ball drawing will take place in a backstage conference room and will be conducted by the accounting firm of Ernst & Young, with league officials and representatives from each of the non-playoff teams in attendance.
A very complex system of drawing numbered ping pong balls that will then match sequences which have been previously assigned to the Lottery Teams in advance based on their final W-L records, will determine the first three picks.
The remaining lottery teams that are not selected in the first three picks are then assigned in reverse order of their final W-L records. Since the Bulls own the Knicks' pick, which is the 2nd worst record, then the worst the Bulls can do is get the 5th pick, assuming that three teams with better records all get the top 3 picks.
Here is a brief discussion of the ping pong ball system:
" Fourteen Ping-Pong balls numbered 1 through 14 will be placed in a hopper similar to those used for state lotteries.
When four balls are drawn, there are 1,001 possible number combinations, and 1,000 of them are assigned to the lottery teams based on record. The team with the worst record (in this case the Portland Trail Blazers) has a 25 percent chance of landing the top pick.
Four balls will be drawn to determine the No. 1 pick, then the process will be repeated for the second and third selections. After the top three are determined, the rest of the draft order will be set by placing the remaining teams according to record."
Statistically, the Blazers have the best chance of winning and getting the top pick (a one in four chance). The Bulls (via the Eddie Curry trade) have the 2nd best statistical chance of getting the top pick.
Charlotte has the third-best chance of winning. It is followed by Atlanta, Toronto, Minnesota, Boston, Houston, Golden State, Seattle, Orlando, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Utah.
Only three times since 1990 has the team with the BEST chances won the lottery.
Last year's lottery winner, Milwaukee had a 6.3% chance of winning.
The Knicks, as bad as they are, and as high as their payroll is, have no chance of improving in this lottery.
Of the teams in the lottery, here are the odds of each team getting the top pick. Remember, the Blazers have a 25% chance, or 3-1 odds...
2006 NBA LOTTERY - TEAM TO WIN THE FIRST PICK
---------------------------------------------
Portland Blazers ................ 3-1
Chicago Bulls (via New York) 4-1
Charlotte BobCats ............. 13-2
Atlanta Hawks .................. 13-2
Toronto Raptors ................ 11-1
Minnesota T-Wolves .......... 16-1
Boston Celtics ................... 16-1
Houston Rockets ................ 40-1
Golden State Warriors.......... 45-1
Seattle Sonics ................... 90-1
Orlando Magic .................... 125-1
New Orleans Hornets........... 140-1
Philadelphia 76ers ............... 170-1
Utah Jazz .......................... 200-1
Comment