Category: Basketball

Steve Kerr avoids hypothetical about Steph Curry possibly playing in Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry has missed the Warriors’ last three Western Conference semifinals games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and if he misses another, Golden State’s season might end Wednesday.

Which is why everyone is wondering if Curry might push to play at Target Center.

Asked after the Warriors’ Game 4 loss if Curry would be allowed to play Wednesday if he told the medical staff he’s good to go, coach Steve Kerr danced around the hypothetical question.

“When are we giving the update?” Kerr asked, looking at Warriors PR personnel. “Wednesday, we’ll have an update.”

Curry sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in the first half of the Warriors’ Game 1 win over the Timberwolves. When his MRI results were announced, Golden State said the 37-year-old would be re-evaluated on May 14, the same day as Game 5.

Typically, re-evaluations lead to more time missed, so it’s unlikely Curry is ready to go Wednesday.

But longtime running mate Draymond Green shed light on the work Curry is doing to get back on the court before it’s too late.

“When you’re competing for championships, or trying to, the most important thing you can have on your side is health,” Green told reporters after Monday’s 117-110 loss. “You start getting a month, two and a half months longer into this already long season, and injuries are more likely to happen, so you try to do all that you can to prevent that. I send my love to [Jayson Tatum]. Never wish any injury on anybody; hoping that it’s not what everyone thinks it is. Such a great young talent in this league. Does everything the right way. So, hate to see him go down.

“As far as Steph, he’s working his tail off every day. You know, he’s in here eight, nine hours a day, working, doing what he can to try to get back. So, you know, his morale is great. Obviously, nobody’s excited right now, but he’s working to get back. That’s all you can do it at this point.”

Curry hasn’t spoken to the assembled media since May 8, but he talked to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears after Monday’s loss and tempered expectations that he might play Wednesday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week and reiterated Monday that a possible Game 6, scheduled for Sunday, May 18, is the earliest Curry could return.

Curry is itching to return, knowing that the Warriors’ season is hanging in the balance. But all signs point to the four-time NBA champion sitting out another game.

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The Nets have been awarded the eighth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

This was their first time participating in the lottery since they landed the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft -- which they ultimately used on big man Derrick Favors out of Georgia Tech.

Brooklyn entered the night with just a 9.0 percent chance of winning this year's lottery and the opportunity to select Duke star Cooper Flagg after finishing with the sixth-worst record in the league.

Instead, the eighth selection will headline their four first-rounders this year. As part of the Mikal Bridges deal with the Knicks they also have the 19th, 26th and 27th picks as well as the 36th pick coming in the second round.

It'll be interesting to see if GM Sean Marks keeps all of these picks for the rebuilding club or looks to package some of them in a deal for a superstar such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is said to be "open-minded" about leaving Milwaukee.

Some of the players in recent mock drafts around Brooklyn's pick include Duke's Kon Knueppel, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears, and Texas' Tre Johnson.

This year's draft takes place on June 25 and 26 at Barclays Center.

Here's how the rest of the lottery shaped out:

BREAKING — NBA Draft Lottery Results

1.) Mavs
2.) Spurs
3.) Sixers
4.) Hornets
5.) Utah
6.) Wizards
7.) Pelicans
8.) Nets
9.) Raptors
10.) Rockets
11.) Blazers
12.) Bulls
13.) Hawks
14.) Spurs

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 12, 2025

Players, fans react to Tatum's scary leg injury in Game 4 vs. Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics lost a pivotal Game 4 to the New York Knicks on Monday night to fall into a 3-1 series hole. Even worse, they may have lost their superstar for an extended period.

Jayson Tatum went down with an apparent lower right leg injury during the fourth quarter of Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. He stayed on the floor writhing in pain before Celtics trainers helped him into the locker room. He did not put any weight on his right leg and was helped into a wheelchair.

While Tatum’s status remains unclear, the outlook doesn’t look ideal. As the NBA world speculates about the injury’s severity, players on both teams, other athletes, and fans are sharing their stunned, empathetic reactions to one of the game’s biggest stars going down.

Knicks star Jalen Brunson immediately addressed Tatum’s injury during his postgame press conference.

“Prayers out to JT, man,” he said. “I just wanted to say that, first and foremost. Thoughts and prayers with him. Just praying for the best.”

Mitchell Robinson also shared his reaction immediately after the game.

“I’ve been dealing with injuries my whole career. You don’t want to see a guy go through stuff like that,” Robinson said.

Josh Hart shared similar sentiments.

“Hate that it happened. The NBA is a brotherhood, praying for him,” he said.

Karl-Anthony Towns joined his Knicks teammates in sending well-wishes to Tatum.

“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf,” Towns said, per CLNS’ Bobby Manning. “If you saw, I just walked up, obviously respectful of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God to put protection over him and comfort, whatever the injury may be. I hope it’s minor.”

Celtics veteran big man Al Horford has his longtime teammate on his mind after the defeat.

“The loss is the loss. More importantly it’s just Tatum that I’m worried about,” he said. “Just making sure I’m here for him. That’s my priority.”

Tatum’s co-star Jaylen Brown was at a loss for words.

“It’s tough,” he said. “Not really a lot to say.”

Tatum will get an MRI on Tuesday, according to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. The C’s will almost certainly be without him with their backs against the wall in Wednesday’s do-or-die Game 5.

Here’s how other noteworthy personalities reacted to Tatum’s injury:

Knicks defeat Celtics to move within one win of Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jalen Brunson had 39 points and 12 assists, and the New York Knicks moved a win away from their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years and pushed the defending champion Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination with a 121-113 victory Monday night in Game 4.

The Celtics will have to make the NBA’s 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit to extend their title reign and may have to do it without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who was carried off the court with a right leg injury with 2:58 left.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston. If not, they would come back to Madison Square Garden to try to do it Friday night.

Tatum scored 42 points, his high in these playoffs, before he was hurt when the Celtics turned the ball over and his leg gave out as he tried to lunge forward toward the loose ball.

The Knicks had taken control just before that in front of a delirious crowd of fans who haven’t seen them play in the conference finals since they lost to Indiana in 2000.

Nobody has come from 3-1 down since Denver did it twice in 2020 at the Walt Disney World resort. It hasn’t happened when a team had to win a true road game since Cleveland rallied past Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals.

After leading by at least 20 points in the first three games — but blowing the first two of them in Boston — the Celtics had another double-digit lead less than five minutes into this game.

They led 62-51 at halftime, but the Knicks played their starters the entire way in a desperate third quarter in which they outscored the Celtics 37-23 to set up a thrilling final period.

Tatum’s three-point play tied it for the final time at 102-all before Anunoby hit a 3-pointer and the Knicks later put it away for good with an 11-0 burst that made it 116-104.

Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown had 20.

“We have to turn that page quickly and do our first job, which is win on Wednesday. That’s the mindset,” Celtics veteran Al Horford said. “As a group, we just have to rally together because obviously we’ve lost our leader, the guy that gets us going.”

Has a city with an NBA and WNBA team won the draft lottery in the same year? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Dallas basketball has the potential to be set up for the foreseeable future.

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery delivered a twist, predictable or not, that saw the three worst teams in the league — the Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards — not rewarded for their failures.

Instead, the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks surpassed them to form the top three. In the end, Dallas landed the first pick and the chance to take Duke star prospect Cooper Flagg, a versatile forward who can change any team for the better.

The Mavericks’ luck — conspiracy theories and all — timed well with its WNBA counterpart. The Dallas Wings had also won the draft lottery earlier in the year, putting them in pole position to take UConn star Paige Bueckers, which they did.

Following the NBA and WNBA lotteries, Dallas is set to be the second city to draft first overall in the same year. Of course, the Mavericks could still trade the pick, but that won’t be known until late June when the draft is held.

In 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Rockers became the first. The Cavs infamously took LeBron James, while the Rockers selected LaToya Thomas before folding operations the season after due to ownership issues.

The Mavericks endured a turbulent year full of injuries, but the main story involved Luka Doncic. Before the February trade deadline, Doncic was stunningly dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Dallas fans understandably had all sorts of feelings — sadness, anger, anguish and insert any other emotion here. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison held multiple press conferences — publicly and privately — to attempt to justify his decision.

Mavericks fans rightfully didn’t want to hear it after losing a drafted star they fell in love with, off the heels of an NBA Finals run, among other memories.

But Harrison now has the opportunity to take Flagg and form an intriguing trio with Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and more if the rest of the roster is filled out properly and health isn’t as unfavorable.

Whether Harrison is ever vindicated for the trade is unknown. Perhaps it could be if he’s still in the front office and Flagg helps deliver a championship.

Bueckers has the same opportunity on the women’s side, as the Wings are seeking a fourth championship having been on a drought since 2008. Their other two wins include 2003 and 2006.

Not many cities have the luxury of a young men’s and women’s basketball star embarking on parallel journeys. But after the seasons both the Wings and Mavericks had, at least the future is bright.

Has a city with an NBA and WNBA team won the draft lottery in the same year? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Dallas basketball has the potential to be set up for the foreseeable future.

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery delivered a twist, predictable or not, that saw the three worst teams in the league — the Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards — not rewarded for their failures.

Instead, the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks surpassed them to form the top three. In the end, Dallas landed the first pick and the chance to take Duke star prospect Cooper Flagg, a versatile forward who can change any team for the better.

The Mavericks’ luck — conspiracy theories and all — timed well with its WNBA counterpart. The Dallas Wings had also won the draft lottery earlier in the year, putting them in pole position to take UConn star Paige Bueckers, which they did.

Following the NBA and WNBA lotteries, Dallas is set to be the second city to draft first overall in the same year. Of course, the Mavericks could still trade the pick, but that won’t be known until late June when the draft is held.

In 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Rockers became the first. The Cavs infamously took LeBron James, while the Rockers selected LaToya Thomas before folding operations the season after due to ownership issues.

The Mavericks endured a turbulent year full of injuries, but the main story involved Luka Doncic. Before the February trade deadline, Doncic was stunningly dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Dallas fans understandably had all sorts of feelings — sadness, anger, anguish and insert any other emotion here. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison held multiple press conferences — publicly and privately — to attempt to justify his decision.

Mavericks fans rightfully didn’t want to hear it after losing a drafted star they fell in love with, off the heels of an NBA Finals run, among other memories.

But Harrison now has the opportunity to take Flagg and form an intriguing trio with Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and more if the rest of the roster is filled out properly and health isn’t as unfavorable.

Whether Harrison is ever vindicated for the trade is unknown. Perhaps it could be if he’s still in the front office and Flagg helps deliver a championship.

Bueckers has the same opportunity on the women’s side, as the Wings are seeking a fourth championship having been on a drought since 2008. Their other two wins include 2003 and 2006.

Not many cities have the luxury of a young men’s and women’s basketball star embarking on parallel journeys. But after the seasons both the Wings and Mavericks had, at least the future is bright.

What we learned as Jimmy Butler a non-factor in Warriors' Game 4 loss to Wolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – With an injured Steph Curry watching from the sidelines, the Warriors now are one loss away from their season coming to a close after a 117-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday night at Chase Center.

The Warriors now are in a three-games-to-one series deficit, and have lost three straight playoff games for the second time under Steve Kerr, and the first since blowing a 3-1 series lead in the 2016 NBA Finals

The score didn’t tell the real story, especially with how bad the third quarter was for the Warriors, who had a two-point lead at halftime, and then trailed by 20 points at the end of the third quarter.

Timberwolves stars Anthony Edwards (30 points) and Julius Randle (31 points) were too much to handle. The duo combined to score 61 points on 22-of-42 shooting and were 10 of 19 on 3-pointers. Pure dominance. 

It was unfair to expect Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga to repeat their performances from Game 3 when they combined to score 63 points, which amounted to 65 percent of the Warriors’ overall points. Kuminga scored a team-high 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting in Game 4, but Butler only had 14 points and was a game-worst minus-30. 

The two didn’t receive much help from their teammates elsewhere.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ Game 4

Butler Goes Quiet

The 33 points Butler scored in Game 3 were his most in a playoff game since dropping 35 on the Boston Celtics to open the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. He played 43 minutes, and Butler looked gassed down the stretch. The Warriors’ offense crumbled, and Butler was just 1 of 7 in the fourth quarter. 

Jaden McDaniels made sure Butler didn’t get comfortable early, and the Warriors’ star never got going. Butler took one shot in the first quarter and had one point. At halftime, he had seven points on five shots. Yet the Warriors still led by two points, 60-58. 

Then the third quarter happened. Butler couldn’t find any extra juice, and McDaniels only made his life worse. The long and rangy but still twitchy all-world defender stuck to Butler’s every move. He manipulated screens and made the game as difficult as possible for Butler. 

As the Warriors were outscored 39-17 in the third quarter, Butler played all but eight seconds. Somehow, he was their leading scorer for the quarter with eight points. It was that bad. 

Butler only took nine shots all game, 17 fewer than Game 3.

Can’t Stop Kuminga

Even with several top defenders, the Timberwolves don’t have an answer for Kuminga. He isn’t aimlessly putting his head down and attacking the basket. Kuminga is assessing, and in a blink, he finds another gear that the Timberwolves can’t match.

Kuminga shook the Timberwolves’ defense in each of his two first-half stints. Through 13 minutes, Kuminga already was up to 16 points off the bench on 4-of-6 shooting and made all eight of his free throws. The only player on his level going into halftime was Julius Randle, who already had 19 points and five rebounds for the Timberwolves.

His eight free throws in the first half were Kuminga’s most for an entire game since Dec. 30, 2024, when he made 10.

Kuminga got to 20 points entering the fourth quarter, but the Warriors were trailing by 20 points. The 11 free throws he made, missing just once, tied a career high.

Trouble From Downtown

The 3-point line always looks a little different when Curry isn’t on the court. Once again, it became a major problem for the Warriors. 

A game after going 0 of 5 in the first half but finishing 10 of 23 on threes, the Warriors looked like the three-ball could be a strength. Draymond Green made his first two attempts, and the Warriors in these playoffs were 3-1 when he made multiple threes. They’re now 3-2, as Green missed his final four threes.

Buddy Hield, who scored just 13 points in 35 minutes, was the only other Warrior to make multiple threes. He was 2 of 6 from 3-point range and 4-of-11 shooting overall.

Brandin Podziemski took four threes and missed all four. He’s now 3 of 17 on threes this series. Butler missed his lone attempt, and Kuminga missed both of his two tries. At least Moses Moody and Quinten Post, two players now out of the rotation, made threes in garbage time.

The Warriors as a team were outscored by 24 points behind the 3-point line. The Timberwolves had four players make multiple threes and went 16 of 34 (47.1 percent), a stark contrast to the Warriors’ 8 of 27 (29.6 percent). While the Warriors couldn’t make shots, they often didn’t seem to want to take shots either.

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Latest on Tatum's scary leg injury late in Celtics' Game 4 loss to Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jayson Tatum’s brilliant performance at Madison Square Garden on Monday had a nightmare ending for the Boston Celtics.

Tatum suffered a painful right lower leg injury with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Boston’s Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. The injury was non-contact, as Tatum went down on his own while diving for a loose ball.

The Celtics star appeared to be in significant pain and couldn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the floor. ESPN’s cameras showed Tatum being transported through the MSG tunnel in a wheelchair.

Tatum will get an MRI on his right leg Tuesday, according to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who called Tatum’s ailment a “lower body injury” after the game.

“Obviously you’re always worried about someone’s health, so the fact that he had to be carried off — he’s the type of guy that gets right up,” Mazzulla told reporters. “He didn’t, and we’ll know tomorrow exactly what it is, but it’s tough to watch a guy like him get carried off like that.”

The injury put a damper on a terrific night for Tatum, who contributed 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks in nearly 40 minutes of play.

In the short term, the Celtics face a 3-1 series deficit and will have to win Game 5 at TD Garden on Wednesday without their best player to keep their season alive. But Tatum’s injury, if it’s as severe as it looked, could have significant long-term ramifications for a Celtics team that’s already deep in the luxury tax.

Wednesday’s Game 5 is set for 7 p.m. ET, and in the meantime, all eyes will be on Tatum as the team awaits the results of his MRI on Tuesday.

Latest on Tatum's scary leg injury late in Celtics' Game 4 loss to Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jayson Tatum’s brilliant performance at Madison Square Garden on Monday had a nightmare ending for the Boston Celtics.

Tatum suffered a painful right lower leg injury with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Boston’s Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. The injury was non-contact, as Tatum went down on his own while diving for a loose ball.

The Celtics star appeared to be in significant pain and couldn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the floor. ESPN’s cameras showed Tatum being transported through the MSG tunnel in a wheelchair.

Tatum will get an MRI on his right leg Tuesday, according to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who called Tatum’s ailment a “lower body injury” after the game.

“Obviously you’re always worried about someone’s health, so the fact that he had to be carried off — he’s the type of guy that gets right up,” Mazzulla told reporters. “He didn’t, and we’ll know tomorrow exactly what it is, but it’s tough to watch a guy like him get carried off like that.”

The injury put a damper on a terrific night for Tatum, who contributed 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks in nearly 40 minutes of play.

In the short term, the Celtics face a 3-1 series deficit and will have to win Game 5 at TD Garden on Wednesday without their best player to keep their season alive. But Tatum’s injury, if it’s as severe as it looked, could have significant long-term ramifications for a Celtics team that’s already deep in the luxury tax.

Wednesday’s Game 5 is set for 7 p.m. ET, and in the meantime, all eyes will be on Tatum as the team awaits the results of his MRI on Tuesday.

‘Rigged': NBA fans react to Mavericks winning draft lottery, Cooper Flagg originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

From trading away a franchise cornerstone in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks have been rewarded.

In a stunning moment, the Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery Monday despite having just a 1.8% chance at doing so…the fourth-worst odds. Dallas now has first dibs at Duke star Cooper Flagg, the best prospect in the class.

The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets all had the best odds for having the worst records in the campaign, but none of them got within the top three. Charlotte at No. 4 was the closest.

Jumping was the Philadelphia 76ers to No. 3, but Flagg will not form a triumvirate with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The San Antonio Spurs also rose once again to No. 2, but Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and Co. will also not have Flagg.

Instead, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison gets an instant shot at redemption by pairing Flagg with Anthony Davis and potentially Kyrie Irving.

Here are some of the best reactions on social media following the reveal:

‘Rigged': NBA fans react to Mavericks winning draft lottery, Cooper Flagg originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

From trading away a franchise cornerstone in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks have been rewarded.

In a stunning moment, the Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery Monday despite having just a 1.8% chance at doing so…the fourth-worst odds. Dallas now has first dibs at Duke star Cooper Flagg, the best prospect in the class.

The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets all had the best odds for having the worst records in the campaign, but none of them got within the top three. Charlotte at No. 4 was the closest.

Jumping was the Philadelphia 76ers to No. 3, but Flagg will not form a triumvirate with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The San Antonio Spurs also rose once again to No. 2, but Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and Co. will also not have Flagg.

Instead, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison gets an instant shot at redemption by pairing Flagg with Anthony Davis and potentially Kyrie Irving.

Here are some of the best reactions on social media following the reveal:

Mavericks win NBA Draft Lottery and Cooper Flagg sweepstakes with 1.8% odds originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Dallas Mavericks have hit the post-Luka Doncic jackpot.

They’ll have their chance to draft Doncic’s potential successor — Duke star Cooper Flagg — as the new face of the franchise after winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery on Monday despite entering with just a 1.8% chance of doing so.

Flagg — a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his lone season with the Blue Devils — is the consensus No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.

The 18-year-old from Maine is expected to be join a Dallas team that had a tumultuous season. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison orchestrated one of the most stunning trades in NBA history by dealing Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and other pieces. Davis then suffered an injury in his first game with Dallas, causing him to miss the majority of the regular season. The team then lost Kyrie Irving for the season after he suffered a torn ACL.

The Mavs finished 39-43 and were eliminated in the play-in tournament.

The ping-pong balls then bounced the Mavericks way in stunning fashion as they won the lottery for the first time in franchise history.

The Mavs winning the lottery drew a wide range of reactions on social media, including LeBron James posting a laughing emoji. Others complained of NBA conspiracy theories, with some joking about Harrison and the Mavs trading the pick to the Lakers for Bronny James.

The Jazz, Wizards and Hornets entered with the best odds of winning the lottery, each with a 14% chance. That was followed by the New Orleans Pelicans (12.5%), Philadelphia 76ers (10.5%) and Brooklyn Nets (9%).

The San Antonio Spurs — already with back-to-back rookies of the year in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle — landed the second pick in the draft and are likely to add Rutgers guard Dylan Harper.

The Sixers, whose pick was top-six protected as part of a previous trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, got the No. 3 pick in the draft. The Hornets dropped to fourth, the Jazz to fifth and the Wizards to sixth.

Those teams will likely select from a group of top-five projected prospects that includes Ace Bailey of Rutgers, V.J. Edgecombe of Baylor and Tre Johnson of Texas.

The NBA draft will be held on June 25 in New York.

What is the NBA draft order?

Here is the full draft order for the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft:

1. Dallas

2. San Antonio

3. Philadelphia

4. Charlotte

5. Utah

6. Washington

7. New Orleans

8. Brooklyn

9. Toronto

10. Houston

11. Portland

12. Chicago

13. Atlanta (via Sacramento)

14. San Antonio (via Atlanta)

15. Oklahoma City (via Miami)

16. Orlando

17. Minnesota (via Detroit)

18. Washington (via Memphis)

19. Brooklyn (via Milwaukee)

20. Miami (via Golden State)

21. Utah (via Minnesota)

22. Atlanta (via Los Angeles Lakers)

23. Indiana

24. Oklahoma City (via Los Angeles Clippers)

25. Orlando (via Denver)

26. Brooklyn (via New York)

27. Brooklyn (via Houston)

28. Boston

29. Phoenix (via Cleveland)

30. Los Angeles Clippers (via Oklahoma City)

How does the NBA draft lottery work?

Teams in the lottery need more than just a lucky bounce to get the top pick. They need four lucky bounces.

A series of 1,000 four-numeral lottery combinations are divided among the 14 teams that failed to qualify for the postseason, including those who were eliminated during the play-in tournament.

Each team is assigned a collection of four-number combinations, with the teams owing the three worst regular-season records in the league receiving the most with 140 each. The number of combinations assigned to the remaining lottery teams decreases gradually based on record.

Those combinations are used to determine the first four picks in the draft during the lottery. The remaining lottery picks (5 through 14) are then assigned in inverse order based on regular-season records, meaning the team with the worst record in the league can pick no later than fifth.    

Sixers get some light at end of tunnel, land No. 3 pick in draft lottery  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

There’s suddenly some light at the end of the Sixers’ tunnel.

Following an injury-ruined, 24-58 season, the Sixers snagged the No. 3 pick in Monday night’s NBA draft lottery. The Spurs got the No. 2 pick and the Mavs have No. 1. 

The Sixers entered the lottery with a 63.9 percent chance of keeping a top-six pick and a 10.6 percent chance of landing at No. 3. 

Any selection below No. 6 would have conveyed to the Thunder as a condition of the Sixers’ 2020 trade with Oklahoma City. The Sixers’ first-rounder will now be top-four protected for 2026 and, if necessary, 2027. In the unlikely event the Sixers have not conveyed a first-round pick to OKC by 2027, they’ll owe the Thunder their second-rounder that year. 

In addition to No. 3, the Sixers hold the No. 35 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

No one expected a tense, meaningful lottery night for the Sixers at the start of the 2024-25 season. Led by three All-Stars the prior year in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, the Sixers believed a championship was possible. They set an all-time NBA record by using 54 different starting lineups. 

Who might the Sixers take at No. 3? While Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are widely projected to be the first two picks, there’s much less agreement among experts after that. 

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s philosophy is to draft the best player available, though it would be surprising if the team selected a center with superstar big man Joel Embiid on the team. It’s also notable that, if the Sixers re-sign Quentin Grimes in restricted free agency, the team will have several guards 6-foot-4 or under in key roles. One of them is 21-year-old Jared McCain, who represented the Sixers at the lottery. 

At the moment, Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe, Rutgers wing Ace Bailey, Texas guard Tre Johnson, Duke wing Kon Knueppel and Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis are prospects generally viewed in the No. 3 through No. 10 range.

The Sixers have not held a lottery pick since 2018. The team drafted Mikal Bridges at No. 10 but traded him to the Suns in exchange for No. 16 pick Zhaire Smith and a 2021 first-rounder. 

Has a city with an NBA and WNBA team won the draft lottery in the same year? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Dallas basketball has the potential to be set up for the foreseeable future.

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery delivered a twist, predictable or not, that saw the three worst teams in the league — the Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards — not rewarded for their failures.

Instead, the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks surpassed them to form the top three. In the end, Dallas landed the first pick and the chance to take Duke star prospect Cooper Flagg, a versatile forward who can change any team for the better.

The Mavericks’ luck — conspiracy theories and all — timed well with its WNBA counterpart. The Dallas Wings had also won the draft lottery earlier in the year, putting them in pole position to take UConn star Paige Bueckers, which they did.

Following the NBA and WNBA lotteries, Dallas is set to be the second city to draft first overall in the same year. Of course, the Mavericks could still trade the pick, but that won’t be known until late June when the draft is held.

In 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Rockers became the first. The Cavs infamously took LeBron James, while the Rockers selected LaToya Thomas before folding operations the season after due to ownership issues.

The Mavericks endured a turbulent year full of injuries, but the main story involved Luka Doncic. Before the February trade deadline, Doncic was stunningly dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

Dallas fans understandably had all sorts of feelings — sadness, anger, anguish and insert any other emotion here. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison held multiple press conferences — publicly and privately — to attempt to justify his decision.

Mavericks fans rightfully didn’t want to hear it after losing a drafted star they fell in love with, off the heels of an NBA Finals run, among other memories.

But Harrison now has the opportunity to take Flagg and form an intriguing trio with Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and more if the rest of the roster is filled out properly and health isn’t as unfavorable.

Whether Harrison is ever vindicated for the trade is unknown. Perhaps it could be if he’s still in the front office and Flagg helps deliver a championship.

Bueckers has the same opportunity on the women’s side, as the Wings are seeking a fourth championship having been on a drought since 2008. Their other two wins include 2003 and 2006.

Not many cities have the luxury of a young men’s and women’s basketball star embarking on parallel journeys. But after the seasons both the Wings and Mavericks had, at least the future is bright.