Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 31st, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Sixers lost (good) / Lakers won (good): The Sixers lost a “heartbreaker” in overtime against the Lakers, the Sixers 2nd loss to Los Angeles this month. Those losses have been crucial, as the Sixers now have 2 less wins than the Lakers with only 7 games left to play (9 left for the Lakers). I’m still not entirely comfortable, as weird things happen late in the season as  good teams rest starters, and the Sixers have some very winnable games coming up (Hornets, Knicks, Bucks, primarily), although the Lakers end their season with a game against Minnesota and two games against the Kings.
  • Minnesota lost (bad): Minnesota lost by 20 to Utah, their 4th loss in a row. The Wolves do have a crucial game against Orlando coming up, and also have the Lakers in their upcoming schedule. That being said, unless the Sixers drop their final 7 games of the season, I’m just not sure I see the Wolves winning enough to catch them.
  • Net rating over the last 10 games: Lakers -3.7, Sixers -4.0, Wolves -11.8, Knicks -17.6. The Wolves and Knicks are playing on a very different level of bad (horrid) than the Sixers and Lakers (just below average).

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Lakers won (good): The Lakers win pulls them to within 2 wins of 5th-slotted Orlando, who have lost 9 of their past 10 games. At this point, I think I’m rooting for the Lakers to beat the Wolves, as I think there’s a better chance of Los Angeles catching Orlando than there is of the Sixers catching Minnesota.
  • Net rating over their last 10 games: Lakers -3.7, Orlando -10.9.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Boston won (good) / Charlotte lost (good): Overall, this is a positive outcome, as Boston (1 win behind Miami) has a better chance of catching Miami than Charlotte does (3 wins behind, 3-7 in last 10), and the Sixers do need 2 of Charlotte / Indy / Utah / Boston to finish with a worse record than Miami. Besides Boston passing Miami, the Sixers could really use either Brooklyn (2 wins behind, but 7-3 over their last 10) or Indy (2 wins behind, 3-7 in last 10) to catch Miami. I think it’s going to have to be Boston and Brooklyn (note: Utah is also only a win behind Miami. If Utah passes Miami but 2 of Boston/Brooklyn/Indy don’t, then Utah passing them is worthless. However, if 2 if Boston/Brooklyn/Indy do, and Utah does as well, then the 3rd team from that Eastern Conference trio absolutely cannot pass Miami, so Indy struggling isn’t the worst thing in the world. For this reason, I’m going to hope Utah stumbles to give the Sixers some cushion, as they could be the crucial difference between 11th and 10th).
  • Milwaukee lost (bad): Milwaukee lost, keeping them only 1.5 games ahead of Miami in 17th. Milwaukee’s only 2-8 in their last 10 with a -6.1 net rating. They’re a real threat to pass Miami.
  • Utah won (bad): My reasoning for this being bad is explained above. It could very well end up being a positive outcome as long as Indy doesn’t go on an unexpected run.
  • Net rating over their last 10: Jazz +5.3, Boston +1.8, Brooklyn +1.5, Miami +0.5, Charlotte -4.4, Indy -6.1.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • Toronto won (bad): Toronto won, their 2nd in a row. The win puts Toronto 2 games up on OKC, making it more and more likely that OKC *must* stay ahead of Washington for the Sixers to get that pick.
  • Phoenix lost (bad): Phoenix lost their 4th in a row and are 4.5 games behind OKC. I really want one of Phoenix or New Orleans to keep the pressure on OKC, and it’s looking like that will have to be New Orleans, who is 2.5 games behind OKC. I’d like them to be a little bit closer, honestly.
  • Housekeeping: I removed Chicago (+3 on OKC) and Phoenix (-3.5) from the tracker.
  • Net rating over their last 10 games: N.O.: +3.7, Toronto +3.1, OKC: +0.9, Washington -1.1.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

Tonight’s games:

  • Pacers @ Nets: At this point, you really have to decide who you think has a better chance of catching Miami, either Indy (2 wins back, 3-7 over their last 10) or Brooklyn (2 wins back, 7-3 in their last 10). 2 weeks ago I would have said Indy, no contest. Now? I think I’m rooting for Brooklyn. Either one is a positive, but I think Brooklyn is playing better ball right now.
  • Spurs @ Heat: Go Spurs. Again, I’d really, really, really like 11th or 12th rather than 16th. With the Pacers playing the Nets (one must lose), a Miami loss isn’t as risky.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 28th, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Sixers lost (good): The Sixers got destroyed by the Clippers. The Sixers still have the 3rd worst record, 4 wins more than the Knicks, 2 wins more than the Wolves, and 1 win less than the Lakers with 9 left to play.
  • Orlando lost (bad): Orlando lost their 3rd straight, and the Sixers are still 4 games behind 5th-slotted Orlando. With 9 games left, that should be enough.
  • Knicks lost (bad): The Knicks lost. This is not news. They’re 4-16 since I started this tracker.
  • Lakers lost (bad): The Lakers fell to the Raptors and still have only one more win than the Sixers.
  • Minnesota lost (bad): I’m not convinced that either the Knicks or Wolves will win again this season. KG, Kevin Martin, Ricky Rubio, Shabazz Muhammad, and Nikola Pekovic all didn’t play last night.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Orlando lost (good): While the Orlando loss keeps them close to the Sixers, it also keeps them “only” 3 games up on the Lakers. Orlando is now 1-9 in their last 10. If there were 25 games remaining, the Lakers might have a shot, but with only 11 games left in the Lakers season this is becoming more and more of a longshot every day.
  • Lakers lost (bad): re: above. Running out of games to catch Orlando.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Charlotte lost (bad?): Charlotte lost. They now have the 9th worst record, but still only have 2 less wins than the Heat. Again, 2 of Boston, Brooklyn, Indy, and Charlotte need to win to get that pick down to the 12th area. At this point, I’ll take wins from pretty much any in that group, so the Hornets losing in double overtime was a bummer.
  • Miami lost (good): At this point, I want Miami to lose, as I really want that pick to fall into the 11-12 range, not the 16 that it currently is.
  • Brooklyn won (good): Same theory as Charlotte above. Brooklyn’s (surprising) win over Cleveland puts them 1.5 games behind Miami.
  • Boston won (good): Again, same logic as above. Boston is now a game behind Miami.
  • Utah lost (bad): Could end up being good if 3 Eastern Conference teams pass Miami, but bad if only 2 do.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • Washington won (bad): Washington beating Charlotte in double overtime pulls the Wizards to within a half game of idle OKC. Washington passing OKC, who will be without Durant for the rest of the season, would be bad.
  • Toronto won (bad): Toronto won, putting them 1.5 games ahead of OKC, making it more important that OKC stays in front of Washington.
  • New Orleans won (good): I do not want OKC resting Westbrook, so I’m happy New Orleans won. They’re still 3 games behind OKC, but I don’t want them falling back any more.
  • Phoenix lost (bad): Phoenix lost, keeping them 3.5 games behind OKC for that final playoff spot out West. Again, I’d like Phoenix to keep it close, like New Orleans, to keep the heat (but not the Heat) on OKC to keep playing Westbrook.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

Tonight’s games:

  • Atlanta @ Charlotte: Go Charlotte.
  • Knicks @ Bulls: A Knicks win is good (if unlikely to matter) for the Sixers pick, and a Chicago loss is good for the OKC pick.
  • Golden State @ Milwaukee: Go Milwaukee (don’t want Miami to pass Milwaukee).
  • OKC @ Utah: Definitely need OKC to win here. A Utah loss could be either good or bad, depending on what the rest of the Eastern Conference teams around Miami do, but an OKC win is definitely good.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 27th, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • No change here, as all of Philadelphia, New York, Minnesota, Los Angeles, and Orlando had the night off.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • No change here, as all of Los Angeles, Orlando, and Sacramento had the night off.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Pacers lost (bad) / Bucks won (good): I would have preferred this to go the other way. Finding 2 of Charlotte, Indy, and Boston to pass Miami is starting to become difficult. Indy is now 2.5 games behind Miami, and the Bucks 2.5 games up on Miami in 17th.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • I’ve added Phoenix to the list of teams to track, as they are now closer to the 8th playoff spot in the West than New Orleans is.
  • No change here, as all of OKC, Phoenix, New Orleans, Washington, Chicago, and Toronto had the night off.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

Tonight’s games:

  • Clippers @ Sixers: The Clippers have won 5 in a row and, despite being on the road, should be able to take care of the Sixers.
  • Pistons @ Magic: Still not letting go of the dream of the Lakers passing Orlando. Go Pistons!
  • Hornets @ Wizards: With how much the Pacers are struggling, I think I’m back to rooting for the Hornets. Optionality and all.
  • Heat @ Hawks: At this point, with 2 teams needing to pass the Heat, we need Miami losses.
  • Celtics @ Knicks: It pains me to say this, but the Sixers aren’t catching the Knicks. The Celtics, however, could catch Miami. Go Celtics.
  • Cleveland @ Brooklyn: Again, with how much the Pacers are struggling, and how much of a longshot making up 2.5+ games with ~10 games remaining is, I might just root for Brooklyn, just to give more options for teams that can pass Miami. Pretty much any team (besides maybe Boston and Utah) passing Miami would be a minor miracle. The Sixers need one of Indiana, Brooklyn, or Charlotte to do so.
  • Lakers @ Raptors: A Lakers win moves them closer to Orlando, and also keeps Toronto close to OKC as a backup plan to OKC staying in front of the Wizards.
  • Kings @ New Orleans: We want one of New Orleans or Phoenix to stay close to OKC so OKC continues to try / play Westbrook. Go New Orleans, I guess.
  • Minnesota @ Houston: Go Minnesota.
  • Utah @ Denver: Want teams that can pass Miami to start winning. Go Utah.
  • Portland @ Phoenix: Again, I want a team to stay close with OKC, so I’m hoping Phoenix pulls out a win here.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 26th, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Sixers won (bad): The Sixers snapped their 16 game road losing streak, giving them 2 wins more than the Wolves and 4 wins more than the Knicks. Catching either team, at this point, is very much a longshot.
  • Knicks lost (bad): The Knicks weren’t even remotely competitive against the Clippers, and have lost 5 in a row and remain at a league-worst 14 wins.
  • Orlando lost (bad): This shouldn’t matter, but with the Sixers win and the Magic loss Orlando is only 4 wins up on the Sixers in that 5th slot.
  • Lakers won (good) / Wolves lost (bad): The Lakers win is great, as it keeps them with 1 win more than the Sixers. The Wolves loss, however, keeps them at 16 wins, 2 less than the Sixers. It seems  as if the best (realistic) outcome will be the Sixers staying at 3.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Kings won (bad): The Kings won, keeping them 7 wins ahead of the Lakers in the 6th slot.
  • Orlando lost (good): Orlando keeps on losing and, at 22 wins, only has 3 more than the Lakers.
  • Lakers won (good): The Lakers won, pulling them to within 3 wins of the Magic with 12 left to play.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Indiana won (good): Indiana won, pulling them to within 2 games of Miami. Really want 2 of Indy/Boston/Charlotte to pass Miami, and Indy and Boston seem like the best bets. I think I’m confident enough in Charlotte not making up 2.5 games on Miami where Indy going on a little bit of a run be great.
  • Brooklyn won (bad) / Charlotte lost (good): If I had to choose, I’d probably want Charlotte to lose here. Both Charlotte and Brooklyn are now 2.5 games behind Miami, and would have to go on pretty good runs to catch the Heat. As long as those two teams stay behind Miami, the odds are the Sixers will get the Heat pick.
  • Miami won (bad) / Boston lost (bad): This one would have been really nice if it went the other way. The Miami win continues to put too much separation between the Heat and Boston / Indiana.
  • Utah lost (bad): Utah lost and is still 2 games behind Miami. As long as Charlotte doesn’t pass Miami, Utah passing them would be beneficial.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • Washington lost (good): Washington lost, keeping them a game behind OKC.
  • Chicago won (bad) / Toronto lost (good): Toronto fell again, and they remain only 1 game up on OKC as a backup plan to OKC staying in front of Washington. With the win and OKC loss Chicago is now 2.5 games up on OKC in 21st, and unlikely to be in play.
  • New Orleans lost (bad): Why bad? The loss keeps New Orleans 3.5 games behind OKC, keeping OKC comfortably in that last playoff spot out West. That comfort is my concern. I don’t want OKC resting Westbrook, thus potentially allowing Washington to pass them. We need the Pelicans to keep it close, but ultimately not pass OKC.
  • OKC lost (bad): OKC got destroyed by San Antonio and missed a chance to put another game of separation between them and Washington.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

Tonight’s games:

  • Pacers @ Bucks: Either team losing isn’t exactly optimal. A Pacers loss decreases the chances that they’ll pass Miami, but a Bucks loss pulls Miami closer to passing the 17th-slotted Bucks. I’m probably pulling for the Pacers here, as I really want them to pass Miami.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 25th, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

 

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Sixers lost (good) / Kings won (good): The Sixers threw a game away last night in Sacramento (literally, in the case of Noel’s pass), failing to execute down the stretch and losing their 16th straight on the road. The loss keeps the Sixers 1 win behind Minnesota and 3 behind New York.
  • Lakers lost (bad): The Lakers losing to OKC was about the only bad thing to happen last night, and even that helped the OKC pick. With the loss, the Lakers still only have one more win than the Sixers.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

 

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Lakers lost (bad): The Lakers lost, leaving htem 4 wins behind the Magic. The Lakers loss, combined with the Sacramento win, puts the Lakers 7 wins behind 6th-slotted Sacramento.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

 

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Heat lost (good) / Bucks won (good): Kris Middleton hit a crazy game winner to give the Bucks a win over the Heat. The Heat have now lost 2 in a row, and are only 1.5 games from the 11th slot. The Bucks win puts them 2.5 up on the Heat in 17th.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

 

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • OKC won (good): OKC won their 4th straight, which puts them a full game up on Washington and alone in the 19th slot.
  • Raptors lost (good): The Raptors lost. The loss, combined with OKC’s win, puts the Raptors only a game up on OKC in 20th. As long as OKC stays in front of Washington, that doesn’t matter, but it presents an option in case Washington goes on a run.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

 

Tonight’s games:

  • Sixers @ Nuggets: With only 11 games left, every game that the Sixers play has a huge impact on ping pong balls.
  • Clippers @ Knicks: Go Knicks.
  • Hawks @ Magic: The Magic are unlikely to matter at this stage, but I’m probably hoping that they lose. I can’t get the thought of the Lakers dropping to 5 out of my head.
  • Pacers @ Wizards: I think, at this point, I want the Pacers to win and pass Miami. A Washington loss is always important, as it keeps OKC in the critical 19th slot.
  • Chicago @ Toronto: Somebody has to lose! Toronto/Chicago are within a half-game of each other. Toronto has 1 less win than Chicago, so I’m probably pulling for Chicago to win here, which will keep Toronto close to OKC as a backup plan to staying in front of Washington.
  • Brooklyn @ Charlotte: Again, somebody has to lose. Brooklyn is still only 2.5 games behind Miami, so them winning isn’t really great. But Charlotte is still the team I count on stumbling down the stretch and not passing Miami, so I think I’m rooting for Brooklyn here.
  • Miami @ Boston: As long as Charlotte doesn’t pass Miami, Boston passing Miami isn’t a problem. I’m willing to play with fire a bit as I really want Miami’s pick to be 11th or 12th. A Boston win helps that happen.
  • Houston @ New Orleans: New Orleans is suddenly 3.5 games behind OKC for that last playoff spot out West, but, unless it impacts another team of consequence, I hope that they continue to lose. My only concern is OKC wrapping up playoff spot early then resting Westbrook, thus impacting their ability to stay ahead of Washington. In fact, I think I just talked myself into hoping New Orleans wins.
  • Lakers @ Minnesota: A Lakers win helps prevent the Lakers from catching the Sixers, but a Minnesota win helps the Sixers catch the Wolves. I don’t know. I guess go Wolves.
  • Portland @ Utah: I think I’m at the point where I’m confident enough in Miami holding off Charlotte that I’m rooting for Utah to pass Miami. I think.
  • OKC @ San Antonio: Still want OKC wins to keep them ahead of Washington and in that 19th slot.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 24th, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

 

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Knicks lost (bad): The Knicks lost, because that’s what they do. I wasn’t expecting a win against Memphis, but it would have been nice. The Knicks have 3 less wins than the Sixers with only 11 games left to play.
  • Minnesota won (good): Minnesota won! Zach LaVine hit a pair of 3’s in the last 25 seconds to send the game to overtime, where Minnesota was able to pull out the win over Utah. Minnesota now only has 1 less win than the Sixers.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

 

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Nothing happened here, as the Lakers, Orlando, and Sacramento all had the night off.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

 

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Pacers lost (bad?): The Pacers lost (again), their 6th straight. I was counting on them to pass Miami, but they’re now 2 wins (and 2.5 games) back.
  • Brooklyn lost (good) / Boston won (good): Brooklyn lost, keeping them 3 wins behind Miami, which is crucial. Boston won, which pulls them to within 1 win of Miami. Sixers need Boston and one more of Charlotte or Indy to pass Miami.
  • Charlotte lost (good): Going back and forth on whether to cheer for Charlotte or not. If Indy gets their game back, then Charlotte losing is good. Charlotte is 2 wins back of Miami and in the 12th slot.
  • Utah lost (good?): Again, what I want Utah to do largely depends on what Indy does. If all of Indy, Charlotte, and Boston pass Miami, then Utah becomes the Sixers last hope to realistically keep that Miami pick. But if 2 of them *don’t* pass Miami, then Utah finishing with a better record doens’t have an impact on the draft pick, since Miami would be in the playoffs and Utah the lottery. So I’m hoping Utah stumbles just as a backup plan, but right now all 3 of Boston/Indy/Charlotte passing Miami seems unlikely.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

 

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • Chicago won (bad): Chicago won, which puts them 2 games (3 wins) up on OKC as a backup plan to OKC passing Washington. But that becomes meaningless if …
  • Washington lost (good): Washington lost, which puts them a half-game behind OKC, putting OKC in that 19th slot by themselves. If the season ended today, the Sixers would have 3 first round picks (and a 17% chance at the Lakers).

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

 

Tonight’s games:

  • Sixers @ Kings: Go Kings (it hurts the Lakers chances of catching the Kings, but that’s not happening anyway). Sixers have lost 15 straight on the road.
  • Raptors @ Detroit: Go Detroit (backup plan to OKC passing Washington).
  • Miami @ Milwaukee: Big game. A Milwaukee win pushes them to 2.5 games up on Miami in the 17th slot, and could push Miami closer to falling back into the lottery.
  • Lakers @ OKC: Another huge game. An OKC win would help cement their status as the 19th slot, but a Lakers win helps both the Sixers pick and the (small) chances of getting the Lakers pick. I’m more concerned with the Sixers passing the Lakers than I am of Washington passing the Thunder, so go Lakers.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 23rd, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

 

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Sixers lost (good) / Lakers won (great): The Sixers lost their 15th straight road game, and boy was it clutch. The Sixers loss (combined with Lakers win) has them a win up on Los Angeles in the race for the 3rd most ping-pong balls. The Sixers are still 2 wins away from Minnesota and 3 away from catching New York.
  • New York lost (bad): New York lost to Toronto and remains at 14 wins, 3 less than the Sixers and the worst record in the NBA.
  • Minnesota lost (bad): Minnesota had a big lead early against Charlotte but got outscored by 16 in the second half. Minnesota has lost 8 of their last 10 and have 2 less wins than the Sixers.
  • Orlando lost (bad): Orlando lost, which keeps them at 5 more wins than the Sixers. Would be an incredible long shot for the Sixers to pass Orlando, but disasters do happen, so I’m keeping them here to keep an eye on.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

 

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Lakers won (good): The Lakers win pulls Los Angeles to within 4 wins of Orlando. Again, absolute long shot (and the more important part was the game of space between the Sixers and LA), but miracles do happen, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.
  • Orlando lost (good): While the loss keeps Orlando from pulling away from the Sixers, it also (along with the Lakers win) puts the Lakers one closer to maybe pulling out of that 4th slot. The Lakers have 4 less wins than Orlando with 14 left to play.
  • Sacramento won (bad): Sacramento won, putting them 6 wins up on the Lakers. I’m about to remove them from the tracker.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

 

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Milwaukee lost (bad): I’ve moved Milwaukee down from the OKC section (they’re 6 wins behind OKC in 17th) and down to the Heat section (they’re only 1.5 games up on the Heat). Milwaukee has lost 6 straight and could very realistically fall below Miami in the standings.
  • Miami lost (good): With Milwaukee falling, getting Miami back down to 11th or 12th seems to be the priority. They’re now 1.5 games up on Charlotte, 1 up on Utah (which only comes into play if Miami falls into the lottery), 2 up on both Boston and Indy, and 2.5 up on Brooklyn, who has suddenly won 2 in a row. Every time I try to predict this section of the standings I fail miserably.
  • Boston lost (bad?): Boston lost, keeping them 2 games behind Miami. We really want 2 Eastern Conference teams to pass  Miami (and Milwaukee to stay ahead), and Boston seems likely, so I’m marking this down as bad.
  • Charlotte won (bad): Charlotte coming back to beat Minnesota was one of the few disappointing things to happen last night. The Charlotte win keeps them 1.5 games behind Miami.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

 

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 19th):

  • OKC won (good): OKC beating Miami not only helped the Miami pick, but also helped OKC, who has now won 3 in a row even without Durant and Ibaka. OKC is now 6 games up on 17th-slotted Milwaukee and 3 games up on New Orleans for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. They need to pass one of Washington (tied), Chicago (1.5 behind) or Toronto (2 behind) to convey the pick to the Sixers.
  • New Orleans lost (good): New Orleans has now lost 3 in a row, giving the Thunder a crucial 3 game cushion on that last playoff spot out West.
  • Toronto won (bad): The one bad outcome for the Thunder pick, Toronto beat New York. It was a long shot, but a Toronto loss would have been incredible here. Still, 2 games with 12 remaining isn’t completely out of the question, and it is only a fallback plan to OKC finishing with a worse record than both Washington and Chicago.
  • Washington lost (good): Another great outcome, as Washington fell to the lowly Kings. The loss (combined with OKC win) puts the Thunder and Wizards in a tie for that crucial 19th slot.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

 

Tonight’s games:

  • Houston @ Pacers: Want 2 of Boston, Charlotte, and Indy to pass Miami, so go Pacers.
  • Celtics @ Brooklyn: A Celtics win pushes them closer to Miami, and keep Brooklyn (2.5 back from Miami at 9th) away. Brooklyn cannot pass Miami.
  • Memphis @ Knicks: Go Knicks. Please.
  • Charlotte @ Chicago: Either team losing here helps. I still haven’t bought into Charlotte, so they’re the team I’m counting on to finish with a worse record than Miami down the stretch. Still, if Charlotte does pull this out, it keeps Chicago (1.5 up on OKC) close as a fallback plan to OKC passing Washington.
  • Minnesota @ Utah: Utah passing Miami is nice, but only if all 3 of Indy/Boston/Charlotte don’t. Minnesota winning would pull the Sixers to within 1 of the 2nd worst record. Go Wolves.
  • Washington @ Golden State: Washington losses help cement OKC’s positioning in the 19th slot. Go Golden State.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 22nd, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

 

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • No change here, as all of the top 6 teams in the lottery had the night off.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

 

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • No change here, as all of the top 6 teams in the lottery had the night off.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

 

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Nets won (bad) / Pacers lost (bad?): We are back in the “I don’t know whether to categorize these as good or bad” mode. Nets winning is bad, as we don’t need another team in the mix, and keeping them at 9th is the best option. But the Pacers? It seemed like it was virtually a foregone conclusion before that they would pass the Heat, so I was hoping they won. Even with their 5 game losing streak, I still think they pull it together and pass Miami, who is currently 2.5 games up on Indy. Ideal scenario? At least 2 of Charlotte (2.5 back from Miami), Indy (2.5 back), and Boston (2 back) pass Miami to knock them out of the Eastern Conference playoffs. If all 3 of those teams pass Miami, then Utah (1.5 back) can’t. If only 2 of those 3 pass Miami, then Utah passing Miami would bump them from 12th to 11th. In the end, Utah passing Miami is less important than 2 EC teams doing so (even though I think Utah is the most likely).
  • Utah lost (bad?): Again, Utah passing Miami is good as long as all of Charlotte, Indy, and Boston don’t. If all 3 do, Utah can’t. If your head hurts, so does mine. I think Utah eventually passes Miami regardless, but keeping them as an option just in case all 3 EC teams pass Miami as well isn’t the worst thing in the world. In the end, Utah passing Miami has less chance to significantly help the Miami pick (only moves one spot), but getting that 2nd EC team to pass could improve the pick by 3. So, I would say hope that Utah stumbles and start rooting for Indy/Charlotte/Boston to go on a run (even if I don’t think that’s how it will play out).
  • Note: I am now changing my rooting interest at the top, changing Miami to hoping they lose, Utah to lose, and Boston and Indy to win. With 2-3 games of separation, any more and I start to worry about the Miami pick being 15-16 rather than 11-12. At this point, rooting interest is probably based on how averse you are to risks. If you want to maximize the chances of the Sixers getting the pick, hope Miami wins and Indy and Boston continue to lose as well. I’m also removing Detroit from the list of teams to watch.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

 

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 18th):

  • Chicago lost (good): Chicago lost, keeping them only 3 win (2 games overall) up on OKC as a backup plan to OKC catching Washington.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

 

Tonight’s games:

  • Sixers @ Lakers: The winner of this will sit in 3rd place in the lottery standings. Go Lakers.
  • Cavs @ Bucks: Bucks losses, while mostly irrelevant, help keep them away from OKC.
  • Miami @ OKC: I’m glad that Miami went on a little bit of a run because now there’s not much question on who I’m rooting for. An OKC win could get them into that 19th slot, and a Miami loss increases the chance that 2 Eastern Conference teams pass them.
  • New Orleans @ Clippers: New Orleans losses help to keep OKC in the playoffs. Go Clippers.
  • Knicks @ Raptors: Go Knicks. NYK wins help the Sixers pick, and Toronto losses help give OKC another option to passing Washington.
  • Detroit @ Boston: Go Celtics? Yeah, go Celtics. I guess. Need two of Boston, Charlotte, and Indy to pass Miami, and Boston and Indy are the two most likely. Charlotte winning could really throw a wrench into this, though.
  • Denver @ Orlando. This is legitimately tough. This, by and large, depends on the outcome of the Sixers vs Lakers game(s). Right now, I’m saying go Orlando, because I’m more worried about the Sixers catching Orlando than I am hopeful that the Lakers can catch Orlando(5 wins between the Sixers/Lakers and Orlando).
  • Wizards @ Kings: I’ve given up on the Lakers catching the Kings, so go Kings. A Washington loss and OKC win could put OKC back into that 19th slot, thus conveying their pick to the Sixers.
  • Charlotte @ Minnesota: Big game. Big big big big big game. A Minnesota win would be huge here, as a Minnesota win not only helps the Sixers (2 more wins than the Wolves) catch them for the 2nd worst record, but also pushes Charlotte (10th slot) away from Miami. If Charlotte stumbles, it doesn’t matter how many of Boston / Indiana / Utah pass Miami (in fact, the more the merrier). If Charlotte starts winning, this gets very tricky. So go Wolves.

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker – March 21st, 2015

Overview:

Sixers Draft Pick Tracker

Pick
Currently
Protection
Chance to get
Sixers3rdn/aGuaranteed
Lakers4thTop 517.2% chance the Sixers get it.
Heat10thTop 109.1% chance the Sixers get it
Thunder14thTop 18Pick will not convey
(A + next to a team name means I'm hoping they win, a - next to a team means I'm hoping that they lose)
(last updated March April 15th, 2015)

 

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

  • Knicks lost (bad) / Sixers won (bad): Nerlens Noel (23 points, 14 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 blocks) was just too much for the Knicks. The win puts the Sixers at 17 wins, tied with the Lakers, 2 more than Minnesota, and 3 more than New York.
  • Magic won (good): The Magic make an appearance in this section of the draft tracker now, as they have only 5 more wins than the Sixers. It should be unlikely that the Sixers catch the Magic, but a few wins here and there from Orlando would slow my panic down a little bit. Beating Portland was a nice surprise.

2015 Top-of-Draft Standings

Team
Record
GB
Last 10
Remaining:
Wolves16-65--0-10Thunder
Knicks17-641.03-7Detroit
Sixers18-632.01-9Heat
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

 

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

  • Sacramento won (bad): Sacramento won, has 6 more wins than both the Sixers and the Lakers. The Lakers aren’t catching them.
  • Orlando won (bad): Again, Orlando’s victory, while good for the Sixers, is bad for the Lakers pick. That being said, I think there’s a better chance that the Sixers catch Orlando than the Lakers do, so I think this is a net-positive at this point.

Lottery Odds - Lakers Pick

(Meaning, if the Lakers end up with the 4th worst record, there's a 17.2% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
1st or 2nd0%
3rd4%
4th17.2%
5h44.8%
6th78.5%

 

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 16th):

  • Indy lost (bad): Indy lost their 4th game in a row, albeit this time having played Cleveland tough on the road. I still think Indy ends up passing Miami, but I would like them to get off the schneid.
  • Miami won (good): Are we at the point where I’m back to rooting for Miami losses? Close. Charlotte’s 3 game losing streak has Miami 2.5 games ahead of them. It’s not just that, though: the Heat are now 2 games up on the Celtics and Pacers as well. The Sixers don’t need Miami to stay in front of all of them, just one of them, so this is looking much better than it was just a few days ago.
  • Brooklyn won (bad): File this in the “somebody had to win” category. Brooklyn won a 3OT game against the struggling Milwaukee Bucks. The Nets are still 3.5 games behind Miami in that 9th slot.
  • Boston lost (good): Another good outcome. I still think Boston ends up passing Miami, but they’ve now lost 2 in a row, giving the Heat a backup option in case Charlotte goes on a run.
  • Charlotte lost (good): Speaking of Charlotte, they’ve now lost 3 in a row, and are 2.5 games behind Miami in that 10th slot. As long as they stay there, the Sixers are in a great spot with that Heat pick. The Hornets have a relatively tough schedule to finish out the season, so this is the Sixers best bet, in m opinion.

Standings - Miami Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (on Miami)
Last 10
Remaining
9thHornets33-48-3.03-7@Raptors
10thHeat36-45--3-7@Philadelphia
11thNets37-44+1.06-4Orlando
15thPacers38-43+2.06-4@Memphis
(last updated April 15th, 2015)

Lottery Odds - Heat Pick

(Meaning, if the Heat end up with the 11th worst record, there's a 97.1% chance that the Sixers will get the pick after the lottery).
Finish
% Chance the Sixers get it
8th~0.01%
9th0.4%
10th9.1%
11th97.1%
12th97.4%

 

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 18th):

  • Milwaukee lost (good): Milwaukee’s now 5 games back and still playing horrible basketball. It’s to the point where I might not even track them anymore. They’re not passing OKC (and if they do, OKC fell off of a cliff enough that New Orleans will pass them anyway).
  • Raptors lost (good) / Chicago won (bad): One team had to win, but the Raptors loss and OKC win puts the Raptors only 2 wins up on OKC as a backup plan to the Thunder catching Washington. Chicago is at 42 wins and 3 up on OKC.
  • OKC won (good): OKC pulled out a big win over Atlanta, and are now 2 games up on New Orleans for that last spot in the West, 1 game behind Washington, and 2 behind Toronto. They just need to pass one of Washington or Toronto.
  • New Orleans lost (good): New Orleans fell to Golden State, their 2nd loss in a row, dropping them to 2 games behind OKC for that final Western Conference playoff spot.
  • Washington lost (good): Washington lost to the Clippers, and are now only 1 game up on OKC in that 19th spot.

Standings - Thunder Pick

Slot
Team
Record
GB (OKC)
Last 10
14thPelicans43-36--6-4
Remaining:@Rockets, @Wolves, Spurs
18thThunder43-36--4-6
Remaining:@Pacers, Blazers, @Wolves
19thWizards45-34+2.05-5
Remaining:Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs
20thRaptors47-32+4.06-4
Remaining:@Heat, @Celtics, Hornets
(last updated April 11th, 2015)

 

Tonight’s games:

  • Nets @ Pacers: Go Pacers. Helps Indy pass Miami and keeps Brooklyn away from Miami.
  • Bulls @ Pistons: A Pistons win keeps Chicago only 3 wins up on OKC.
  • Jazz @ Warriors: Go Jazz, I guess. At this point I’m confident enough in Charlotte falling that I may start rooting for the Jazz to win. Also, I have so little confidence in the Jazz finishing with a worse record than Miami that it doesn’t really matter.