Despite our recent lack of postseason appearances, usually this thing's competitive all the way up until the end. This year, the Pacers are already mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. I'm stealing Nappy Seth's idea and making a reverse magic number thread, instead. We'll be looking at what combination of Pacers losses or other team's wins are needed for the Pacers to secure a top pick.
For now we won't be looking at tiebreakers and I'll be ignoring the lotto aspect entirely. We're just looking at unadjusted draft ranking.
Here are the current lotto standings (wins/losses/games left)
1. New Jersey (10/65/7)
2. Minnesota (15/60/7)
3. Golden State (22/53/7)
4. Washington (22/53/7)
5. Detroit (23/52/7)
6. Sacramento (24/52/6)
7. New York (26/49/7)
8. Philadelphia (26/50/6)
9. LA Clippers (27/48/7)
10. Indiana (28/48/6)
11. New Orleans (35/42/5)
12. Chicago (36/39/7)
13. Houston (38/37/7)
14. Toronto (38/37/7)
The Pacers have six games left... even if they win all of their remaining games, they won't have a good enough record to pass New Orleans, Chicago, Houston, or Toronto. So I'm taking those teams off the list right from the start. In addition, New Jersey and Minnesota have enough losses that even if they won the remainder of their games, they wouldn't be in danger of losing the pick to the Pacers. So they're gone as well.
Golden State has seven games left. If they lose all of those games they'll have 60 losses. Indy currently has 48 losses, meaning they'd have to lose 13 games to acquire more losses than GS. Indy's magic number is thus 13. Either a Golden State win or an Indy loss decreases that number by one.
Here, then, are the magic numbers:
3. Golden State - 13
4. Washington - 13
5. Detroit - 12
6. Sacramento - 11
7. New York - 9
8. Philadelphia - 9
9. LA Clippers - 8
10. Indiana
I'll update this tonight and every night until the end of the season. I don't have it in me to wish for my Pacers to lose, so I'll be rooting hardcore for the Clippers, Sixers, Knicks, and Kings.
For now we won't be looking at tiebreakers and I'll be ignoring the lotto aspect entirely. We're just looking at unadjusted draft ranking.
Here are the current lotto standings (wins/losses/games left)
1. New Jersey (10/65/7)
2. Minnesota (15/60/7)
3. Golden State (22/53/7)
4. Washington (22/53/7)
5. Detroit (23/52/7)
6. Sacramento (24/52/6)
7. New York (26/49/7)
8. Philadelphia (26/50/6)
9. LA Clippers (27/48/7)
10. Indiana (28/48/6)
11. New Orleans (35/42/5)
12. Chicago (36/39/7)
13. Houston (38/37/7)
14. Toronto (38/37/7)
The Pacers have six games left... even if they win all of their remaining games, they won't have a good enough record to pass New Orleans, Chicago, Houston, or Toronto. So I'm taking those teams off the list right from the start. In addition, New Jersey and Minnesota have enough losses that even if they won the remainder of their games, they wouldn't be in danger of losing the pick to the Pacers. So they're gone as well.
Golden State has seven games left. If they lose all of those games they'll have 60 losses. Indy currently has 48 losses, meaning they'd have to lose 13 games to acquire more losses than GS. Indy's magic number is thus 13. Either a Golden State win or an Indy loss decreases that number by one.
Here, then, are the magic numbers:
3. Golden State - 13
4. Washington - 13
5. Detroit - 12
6. Sacramento - 11
7. New York - 9
8. Philadelphia - 9
9. LA Clippers - 8
10. Indiana
I'll update this tonight and every night until the end of the season. I don't have it in me to wish for my Pacers to lose, so I'll be rooting hardcore for the Clippers, Sixers, Knicks, and Kings.
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