With 1 game left to play, the Sixers 2014 NBA Lottery spot was all but solidified at #2 by beating up on the Celtics again last night. It was a meaningless game for the Sixers. The Bucks were not going to win both of their remaining games.
So now it’s time to eagerly look ahead to Tuesday, May 20th, the day we’ve all been waiting for all year anyway… the 2014 NBA Lottery! #2 it is. 199 out of 1000 chances. Just about a 20% chance at that #1 pick. Depending on how you look at it, that’s either great news… or horrible news.
What do you mean horrible news? Well I hate to break it to you but going back over the last 10 years, the #2 team in the lottery averages a paltry 3.8th pick in the draft. That’s closer to #4 than #3 and not very close to #1 at all. Over the last 10 years, no #2 lottery seed has had their name pulled out of the “hat” first. All that tanking and hoping and wishing and praying all year… the odds are apparently not in our favor.
There is a silver lining to this all though as Philly fans can always attest to; if it hasn’t happened in 10 years, we’re simply due. Well that #2 spot is anyway. I mean, why can’t us? And this is a deep draft so all we really need is a top 2 pick. Oh, and then there’s that #10 lottery spot from New Orleans. And MCW most likely winning rookie of the year. And Nerlens Noel coming back hopefully very healthy and very much looking like the #1 pick he was supposed to be last year.
Oh, but back to that Celtics game… It meant nothing for the Sixers but it meant a great deal to the Celtics. That loss moved them 1 game ahead of the Lakers for that #5 lottery spot. Over the last 10 years, that 5th spot has drawn the #1 seed twice. That’s 2 more times than the #2 spot. On that note, maybe I don’t want 5/20 to come at all because if the Celtics stealing the #1 pick isn’t enough to make you feel sick, I don’t know what is. Boston has had enough steak at this point. After the last decade, you’re looking fat Boston, it’s time to try a diet.