Lottery question - ties?

[The One]

Right now, four teams have the exact same record.

Celtics, Lakers, Jazz, and Kings.

So if the season ends like that...how is the tie broken?

[staticcc]

Winning percentage in games between tied teams first then conference record I think. That "winning" team will be higher up in the standings, and will have lower odds for the lottery.

[Donoghus]

Each team gets the average of the total combinations for each draft position occupied. 

[Lucky17]

Dons is right:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nba_draft_lottery#1990.E2.80.93present:_Weighted_lottery_system

In the event that teams finish with the same record, each tied team receives the average of the total number of combinations for the positions that they occupy. In 2007, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Portland Trail Blazers tied for the sixth worst record. The average of the 6th and 7th positions in the lottery was taken, resulting in each team getting 53 combinations (the average of 63 and 43). Should the average number not be an integer, a coin flip is then used to determine which team or teams receive the extra combination(s). The result of the coin flip is also used to determine who receives the earlier pick in the event that neither of the tied teams wins one of the first three picks via the lottery.

[footey]

so if we end up with the same record as the Lakers, the fact that they beat us twice is irrelevant, it comes down to a coin flip to set the seeding after the top 3. Dang.

[Lucky17]

so if we end up with the same record as the Lakers, the fact that they beat us twice is irrelevant, it comes down to a coin flip to set the seeding after the top 3. Dang.

Celtics have the better conference record by a country mile, so they gain something too.

[kozlodoev]

so if we end up with the same record as the Lakers, the fact that they beat us twice is irrelevant, it comes down to a coin flip to set the seeding after the top 3. Dang.

No. The coin flip is only relevant for a small fraction of the odds that cannot be divided equally between teams tied. In the case of a 4-way tie, that fraction of the odds is no more than 0.3%.

[Donoghus]

so if we end up with the same record as the Lakers, the fact that they beat us twice is irrelevant, it comes down to a coin flip to set the seeding after the top 3. Dang.

No. The coin flip is only relevant for a small fraction of the odds that cannot be divided equally between teams tied. In the case of a 4-way tie, that fraction of the odds is no more than 0.3%.

It's also relevant as it determines who would pick fourth & fifth in the event neither team cracks the top 3.