Predict the top 3 order of the lottery

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Here's mine:

1) Boston - because the NBA needs Boston to be back in the spotlight in the Eastern Conference. They'll take Oden and try to revitalize their franchise.

2) Charlotte - they'll get it because Jordan is part of their organization now. What better way to repay him for growing the popularity of the NBA in the late 80s and throughout the 90s, by giving him the #2 pick, so that he can take Durant.

3) Memphis - usually the team that has the best chance overall, doesn't fall out of the top 3 once the lottery results come out. Memphis has been in this position before, and has never landed the #1 pick. Do they take Hibbert to add a center to their roster? Or do they take a big gamble, and take Conley at #3, so that they can truly play the uptempo style that they want to play? I say they go with Conley.

[jezmund]

For our sakes I pray that Charlotte doesn't get a top 2 pick. I don't mind Oden going to Memphis being a Wester Conference team. I can deal with Durant in Boston.

[NJHAWK]

I dont think the lottery has been fixed since that Patrick Ewing fiasco. I'll predict a repeat of a couplre years back where them Bucks get pick #1 and we get #2. Then I guess Memphis gets #3. I wonder who Mil would take since they need scoring and already have Bogot. I would hope they take Oden so we can get a hold of Durant.

[DrReality]

The West has been so dominant over the East and it would seem to me that the NBA would not want Phx to get the top three pick. That being said . . . . I think we will land in the number three spot. That's the good news, but the bad news is it puts BK in another difficult situation about who to pick. There is no clear cut number three.

Boston/Memphis 1-2

Atl: 3

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

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Here's mine:

1) Boston

- because the NBA needs Boston to be back in the spotlight in the Eastern Conference. They'll take Oden and try to revitalize their franchise.

2) Charlotte

- they'll get it because Jordan is part of their organization now. What better way to repay him for growing the popularity of the NBA in the late 80s and throughout the 90s, by giving him the #2 pick, so that he can take Durant.

3) Memphis

- usually the team that has the best chance overall, doesn't fall out of the top 3 once the lottery results come out. Memphis has been in this position before, and has never landed the #1 pick. Do they take Hibbert to add a center to their roster? Or do they take a big gamble, and take Conley at #3, so that they can truly play the uptempo style that they want to play? I say they go with Conley.

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I actually think you're absolutely right with all of these.

Except possibly Memphis and Charlotte swap.

Maybe they give Memphis Durant so they can be yet another strong team in the West to competed with the powerhouses.

[Diesel]

1. Seattle, Seattle is in the midst of renovations, they have a strong fanbase. If they were to get Oden in Seattle, they can maintain that team and town. The question is what would Seattle do with it's sea of bigs? Probably trade to another struggling franchise like Atlanta.

2. Indiana - Stern would just love to screw Atlanta one more time. Also, this would give the Pacer a player to build a championship with and allow a mainstay like NY or LAL to get stronger with the addition of JO. Stern Needs one of his two major Markets to be in the championship hunt and this move could facilitate that.

3. Memphis - Just get lucky to keep it looking like it was clean. Boston won't win it. Stern hates Boston. Milwaukee won it a few years ago. No need to reward them again. Stern has a mandate to keep Memphis afloat because he basically brokered their move. So he can't totally screwjob Memphis even though he might want to because they tanked.

[Devon]

Does anyone else out there see Greg Oden as more of a Tim Duncan/David Robinson player as opposed to a freak of Nature like Shaquille O'Neal?

Not that I am knocking Duncan or The Admiral, as they are both NBA Greats, but we can all basically agree that Shaquille has been an absolute beast, the likes of which has never been duplicated.

I think Oden is going to be a 19pts/9rebs/3blk type of player; maybe pushing into the low-mid 20's in a few years (much like Duncan); but I don't see him becoming the 30+/12+/4+ type player that Shaquille was.

I only ask because I see Durant being a 22/10 guy from day one... So my question becomes...

Who is the TRUE #1 or does it depend on who gets the pick?

As to the theory that we get #3 I would only IMPLORE the Hawks' to TRADE DOWN!!!

We need to build this team and rid our roster of the non-NBA talent currently taking up space (Ivey, Batista, Speedy).

This team needs to build around JJ and a #3 pick + One of the Joshes may be enough to lure the Pacers into a S&T for J. O'Neal; prolly wishful thinking but it could work...

thoughts?

[Swatguy]

Memphis

Atlanta

Boston

[Swatguy]

Quote:

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I only ask because I see Durant being a 22/10 guy from day one... So my question becomes...

We need to build this team and rid our roster of the non-NBA talent currently taking up space (Ivey, Batista, Speedy).

This team needs to build around JJ and a #3 pick + One of the Joshes may be enough to lure the Pacers into a S&T for J. O'Neal; prolly wishful thinking but it could work...

thoughts?

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I agree on Durant but that's it

A Healthy Speedy is our starter and a very good player.

The #3 pick and a Josh is way to much for an injury prone, declining Jermaine O'Neal. IMO

[Dejay]

This team is more accursed than Egypt was after Moses returned from the desert. I have ZERO confidence in Stern or anyone else helping them out of their self-imposed mess. While I would love to see the Hawks get into the top three, something tells me that Indy gets the lucky bounce and Nique has the look of being hit in the solar plexus with a folding chair wrapped in razor wire. No picks for the Hawks unless they trade off one of their forwards at less than where they were drafted (Smith being the exception).

1) Boston

2) Memphis

3) Indiana

Its so sad that our hopes for a decent season hinges on the bounce of ping-pong balls. This franchise should be much further along than it is right now.

[ncthompson11]

if charlotte gets a top 2 pick they will win the nba championship in 3 years. mark it down

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

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if charlotte gets a top 2 pick they will win the nba championship in 3 years. mark it down

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Felton

Gerald Wallace

Adam Morrison

Kevin Durant

Emeka Okafor

Or

Felton

Wallace

Morrison

Okafor

Oden

2nd one is a ridiculously good defensive team outside of MOrrison.

[ecc423]

1. ATLANTA HAWKS

2. MEMPHIS GRIZZLES

3. BOSTON CELTICS

[shug94]

1. Boston

2. Atlanta

3. Charlotte

This is what I think will happen. My worst case:

1. Memphis

2. Seattle

3. Sixers

[Diesel]

I see him as an Alonzo Mourning/Emeka Okafor type.

His offense is certainly not at a high level right now but he does have a great young body.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

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Does anyone else out there see Greg Oden as more of a Tim Duncan/David Robinson player as opposed to a freak of Nature like Shaquille O'Neal?

Not that I am knocking Duncan or The Admiral, as they are both NBA Greats, but we can all basically agree that Shaquille has been an absolute beast, the likes of which has never been duplicated.

I think Oden is going to be a 19pts/9rebs/3blk type of player; maybe pushing into the low-mid 20's in a few years (much like Duncan); but I don't see him becoming the 30+/12+/4+ type player that Shaquille was.

I only ask because I see Durant being a 22/10 guy from day one... So my question becomes...

Who is the TRUE #1 or does it depend on who gets the pick?

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If Greg Oden is the next Tim Duncan then it should be a no brainer who the #1 pick should be. Tim Duncan is the best player in the NBA since Jordan retired.

If Oden is that good, there is no way in hell Durant should be taken over him.

Durant has more potential offensively but interior defense and rebounding will get you a lot closer to a championship.

[Johnnybravo4]

The NBA needs us to be in the top 3. We are a bigger market than Charlotte and Memphis combined.

[b3bawla]

Alls I know is that we are gonna win the lottery. I can feel it in by bad knee.

[thescout5]

1.Boston - the NBA wants to see the Celtics become a power again and the Celtics have all that tradition.

2.Atlanta - oh well the Hawks have been doormats for years, fans don't care something has to be done to a big market outisde of LA,New York and Chicago so the Hawks get the 2nd pick.

3.Milwaukee - Milwaukee had there shot with bogut would serve them right for throwing games at the end of the year to get more ping pong balls and they finish out of the top

[BusBoyIsBack]

Quote:

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The NBA needs us to be in the top 3. We are a bigger market than Charlotte and Memphis combined.

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But Memphis is a team that is a Durant or Oden away from being another contender in the West which is the only conference that matters if you ask the media.

And Charlotte has Michael Jordan. What cooler way to payback MJ and create more hype by giving them a franchise player?

I think it would be a vote against us more than a vote for us.

They love us being the laughing stock of the league.

If we want to recover from that it's going to have to be with the players we have on this team now and maybe they will show us mercy and let us have the 11th pick.