Each week, we will take a look at the NBA and the standings–particularly the bottom of them, to rank teams based on their odds to land the number one pick in the draft. They are not necessarily ranked by who is making the most or who should tank the most, but rather the highest odds of landing the top draft pick in the lottery, based on lottery odds.
TANK Power Rankings (based on chances to finish with No. 1 lottery odds)
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Philadelphia 76ers
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New Orleans Pelicans
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Brooklyn Nets*
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Los Angeles Lakers (would keep pick if they finish 1-3 in the lottery)
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Portland Trail Blazers
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Sacramento Kings
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Charlotte Hornets
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New York Knicks
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Minnesota Timberwolves*
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Milwaukee Bucks
** = Does not have a first round pick
Notes:
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In one of the surprises of the season, the Houston Rockets are 4-7. They are coming off a game in which they flat-out quit in the third quarter against Boston and have been very sluggish. However, I believe in their roster too much to consider them among consideration for the top draft choice, as their bottom-6 record would suggest.
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Philadelphia, for the first time in this report, is the only winless team.
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There are a handful of teams hovering around the .500 mark that could easily bottom out and be amongst the “tankers” with a big stretch or injury. The Magic, Pistons, Hornets, Nuggets and Timberwolves would be among these teams.
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Portland has really fallen on some hard times, having lost their last 6. They have some legitimate talent on their roster, but it’s hard to imagine them actually competing in the vicious west.
