If you’re looking for what games this week might better the team’s chances at retaining its first-round pick this offseason, you’ve come to the right place.
The Sixers have just two games this week before the All-Star break. They seem to have resorted back to their losing ways in February after a four-game winning streak in late January. In case you weren’t paying attention to the lottery standings, the two games the Sixers play this week are rather important ones for their chances at retaining their top-six protected first-round pick. Here’s a look at the schedules of all the teams surrounding the Sixers in the lottery:
Toronto (16-37), 5th in lottery standings
Schedule this week: @ PHI Tuesday, vs. CLE Wednesday
Brooklyn (19-34): 6th in lottery standings.
Schedule this week: Win vs. CHA Monday, @PHI Wednesday
Philadelphia (20-32): 7th in lottery standings
Schedule this week: vs TOR Tuesday, vs. BKN Wednesday
Chicago (22-31): 8th in lottery standings
Schedule this week: vs. DET Tuesday, vs. DET Wednesday
Portland (23-31): 9th in lottery standings
Schedule this week: Loss @ DEN Monday, @ DEN Wednesday
It’s pretty important that the Sixers finish at least sixth in the lottery standings if they want any real shot at retaining their pick, and even then, their chances would be just 46%. Jumping up to fifth in this lottery standings is where the needle would begin to seriously move as their chances of retaining the pick would increase to 64%. However, if they stay in the seventh slot, it’s just a 32% chance of retention.
The Toronto and Brooklyn games are a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday for the Sixers. If you’re fully on board with losing games in the season’s final two months, you can take solace in the fact that the team will likely be shorthanded at least one of the nights this week. With Brooklyn’s win on Monday night against Charlotte, a loss to the Nets on Wednesday night would have the Sixers either tied or within one game of the sixth lottery slot depending on the Toronto result.
However, a pair of wins against the Raptors and Nets would really do some damage to their chances at keeping the pick. In that scenario, they’re likely going into the All-Star break six games clear of Toronto in the win column and holding three more wins than the Nets. Bypassing Chicago for the final play-in tournament spot and the eighth position in the lottery standings would be more realistic at that point. In short, there’s a lot on the line in the next 48 hours concerning the team’s tanking fate.