NBA teams
Ian Begley, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

NBA to hold random drawings to break pre-lottery draft standings

NBA, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs

Random drawings by the NBA on Friday afternoon will break several significant ties in the pre-lottery NBA draft standings.

The Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks finished the season tied with the third-worst record in the league Wednesday. Whichever team wins the tiebreaker will have the third pre-lottery position and a 13.7 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. 

The loser will fall to fourth in the pre-lottery standings and have a 13.6 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick.

The Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls finished the season in a tie for the sixth-worst record in the NBA. The tiebreaker Friday will give the winner the sixth spot in the pre-lottery standings. Both teams will have a 5.3 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The New York Knicks' win over the Cleveland Cavaliers coupled with the Brooklyn Nets' loss to the Boston Celtics left the Nets with the eighth-worst record in the league.

Brooklyn has a 2.2 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The Cavs will receive the Nets' first-round pick. All non-playoff teams will take part in the NBA draft lottery. Perhaps the most significant tiebreaker among playoff teams is between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat.

If the Heat win Friday's tiebreaker, the Bucks' first-round pick would go to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns would then have their own top pick and the No. 16 (via Milwaukee) and No. 17 pick (via the Heat) in the first round. If Milwaukee wins the tiebreaker, the Heat will send their pick to Phoenix, and Milwaukee keeps its own first-round pick.

The Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz all finished 48-34. The Thunder pick goes to the Timberwolves via trade, and the Pelicans' pick will be traded to Chicago. The San Antonio Spurs and Timberwolves also finished tied. Regardless of what happens with the tiebreaker, the Timberwolves' first-round pick will be sent to the Atlanta Hawks as it was lottery-protected.

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