Lottery Watch

[Casperian]

This thing about Ball going to LA is way overplayed.  That is, LA isn't going to pick Ball unless he is the best talent when they pick.  And that WON'T be at #1.

Hopefully it won't be at all. I'd much rather see Philly get wealthy and resume our rivalry with them than see the Lakers improve their chances to tie us in total titles.

Yes, screw the Lakers. It'd be nice to have a decade without them being a contender. They're also an inherently better franchise than the 76ers, who know how to handle their assets (at least they used to be). Philly can draft as many top prospects as they want, they'll all be injured or gone in five years, anyway.

Let's get some separation between us and them before we wish for a rekindled rivalry.

[JHTruth]

The Lottery CAN be rigged...the way the process is now.

The league assigns numbers to teams in NUMERICAL order--meaning, every combination of numbers the Celtics get tonight, will have at least one or two identical numbers.
in 2007, Wyc stated that all of our combinations had either the #1 or #2 in them.
This is a HUGE problem--because all they have to do is have heavier #1 or #2 balls--keeping teams from winning the lottery. (the balls blow upwards in the machine)

Why on earth do they do a practice drawing, THEN bring in this Locked Box with NEW Ping Pong Balls-?
Under the guise of security--but what if the weighted balls were in the locked box--?

They need to assign the numbers more randomly.

Not saying it is rigged--but it can be, if they wanted to--and nobody would know, not this accounting firm or the people in the room.

OF COURSE it can be rigged. You think people like Magic Johnson know what's really going on when there are a bunch of serious people in suits bringing out a whole bunch of balls representing numerical combinations and throwing out some combos because they don't meet the requirements then pulling more combos which represent teams, then pulling out those teams combos, and redrawing over and over again?

The system is intentionally complicated to make it riggable. Those poor saps in the back room couldn't catch the fraud if they were really trying..

[Boris Badenov]

The Lottery CAN be rigged...the way the process is now.

The league assigns numbers to teams in NUMERICAL order--meaning, every combination of numbers the Celtics get tonight, will have at least one or two identical numbers.
in 2007, Wyc stated that all of our combinations had either the #1 or #2 in them.
This is a HUGE problem--because all they have to do is have heavier #1 or #2 balls--keeping teams from winning the lottery. (the balls blow upwards in the machine)

Why on earth do they do a practice drawing, THEN bring in this Locked Box with NEW Ping Pong Balls-?
Under the guise of security--but what if the weighted balls were in the locked box--?

They need to assign the numbers more randomly.

Not saying it is rigged--but it can be, if they wanted to--and nobody would know, not this accounting firm or the people in the room.

Obviously the process can be rigged. I want to know why the NBA would risk rigging the lottery, if have the time they are gonna send franchise talents to Minnesota anyway.

Change the current process to end the suspicions.

I'm quite sure that any change in process would generate an entirely new set of "suspicions." That's sort of how conspiracy theories work.

[fairweatherfan]

Change the current process to end the suspicions.

There's absolutely no need to change anything just to appease a handful of crackpots.

Especially since they'd immediately take it as conclusive proof it was rigged, then use that as the basis for arguing the new process is also rigged.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Alright, can we please stop conjecturing and start worrying? I like to schedule my bouts of anxiety and the clock is ticking here, folks.

[jpotter33]

Does anyone else follow the list of teams from 14 down when they start? I was too nervous to do it last year, not that it mattered with the lottery staying in the same order.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Does anyone else follow the list of teams from 14 down when they start? I was too nervous to do it last year, not that it mattered with the lottery staying in the same order.

Nope.  Way too anxiety-provoking.  I hope there's a subreddit stream so that I can see us collect #3 live, though.  Idk why we torture ourselves so.

[Phantom255x]

Does anyone else follow the list of teams from 14 down when they start? I was too nervous to do it last year, not that it mattered with the lottery staying in the same order.

Best time to start following is around 8:45.

There's a great article on the front page here that explains the whole process/specific timings.

I usually don't follow when they start at 14.

[Somebody]

[dang]...I'm going to risk my phone getting confiscated again today...really hope that Red is watching over us...we've been screwed over for far too long in the lottery...

[Neurotic Guy]

I hate that the Lakers are part of this story -- it prevents an all-out root for the C's when part of my brain is tuned in to wanting the Lakers to miss out.  Way too much stress.  And Lakers undoubtedly will get to the top 2.

[Somebody]

I hate that the Lakers are part of this story -- it prevents an all-out root for the C's when part of my brain is tuned in to wanting the Lakers to miss out.  Way too much stress.  And Lakers undoubtedly will get to the top 2.

Don't care as long as we're in the top 2 as well, they're most likely picking Ball (I don't know why but Magic seems to be a guy who jives with LaVarr 2ppg man)

[Ilikesports17]

Ive tried to have a reasoned stance on the Celtics odds here. Ive tried to understand that Jackson and Tatum and Ball are great prospects and Ive tried to expect the 3rd or 4th pick.

HOwever, here we are. About an hour and a half from finalized results and I dont want anyone but Fultz.

I dont want Ball, I dont want Tatum, I dont want Jackson, I want Markelle Fultz.

This opinion is ridiculous. Jackson is an elite defender, an elite athlete, an elite passer, and a player with a monstrous bball iq and compete level.

Ball is a genius passer who can shoot threes.

Tatum is the most gifted scorer to come out of the draft since Jabari Parker.

Right now, Im unable to see that. I only want Fultz and any other result will be devestating.

[Somebody]

Ive tried to have a reasoned stance on the Celtics odds here. Ive tried to understand that Jackson and Tatum and Ball are great prospects and Ive tried to expect the 3rd or 4th pick.

HOwever, here we are. About an hour and a half from finalized results and I dont want anyone but Fultz.

I dont want Ball, I dont want Tatum, I dont want Jackson, I want Markelle Fultz.

This opinion is ridiculous. Jackson is an elite defender, an elite athlete, an elite passer, and a player with a monstrous bball iq and compete level.

Ball is a genius passer who can shoot threes.

Tatum is the most gifted scorer to come out of the draft since Jabari Parker.

Right now, Im unable to see that. I only want Fultz and any other result will be devestating.

Yeah...but the good thing is if we pick in the top 2 we'll still have a chance as long as the team getting first is the Lakers or Suns...but I'm still hoping for 1st

[fairweatherfan]

Does anyone else follow the list of teams from 14 down when they start? I was too nervous to do it last year, not that it mattered with the lottery staying in the same order.

I do. It's neat to see our chances go up incrementally as each team hits its projected slot.

[CelticSooner]

Ive tried to have a reasoned stance on the Celtics odds here. Ive tried to understand that Jackson and Tatum and Ball are great prospects and Ive tried to expect the 3rd or 4th pick.

HOwever, here we are. About an hour and a half from finalized results and I dont want anyone but Fultz.

I dont want Ball, I dont want Tatum, I dont want Jackson, I want Markelle Fultz.

This opinion is ridiculous. Jackson is an elite defender, an elite athlete, an elite passer, and a player with a monstrous bball iq and compete level.

Ball is a genius passer who can shoot threes.

Tatum is the most gifted scorer to come out of the draft since Jabari Parker.

Right now, Im unable to see that. I only want Fultz and any other result will be devestating.

Yes the C's will be fine regardless of what happens but Fultz is the prize.