Philadelphia 76ers Win vs Warriors Has Major NBA Draft Impact

The Philadelphia 76ers' chances of landing a top draft pick dropped after Saturday's win over the Warriors.

Mar 1, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) scores past Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

At this point in the 2024-2025 NBA season, every game matters for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Any win has a major impact on the Sixers’ ability to potentially sneak into the NBA Play-In Tournament. Any future losses could put the Sixers in a position to potentially keep their first-round pick, which will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it falls beyond No. 6 overall.

Heading into Saturday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, the Sixers were sixth in the NBA Draft Lottery standings with a 20-38 record. Recently, Philadelphia dropped one spot in the Eastern Conference standings after taking on losses against the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and the Chicago Bulls.

When the Sixers paid a visit to the New York Knicks before Saturday’s action, they extended their losing streak to nine games in a row. While they nearly fell to 10, a shocking win against the Warriors had a major impact on the NBA Draft picture, as Philadelphia jumps Brooklyn in the standings.

Back in 11th place, the Sixers are sitting behind the Bulls with a 21-38 record. While they still trail a couple of games, a big week for Philly could have them earning a spot in the Play-In picture once again.

According to Tankathon, the Sixers’ current pick had a 32 percent chance of landing in the top four as of March 2. The chances of the pick going No. 1 overall dropped from nine to 7.5 percent after a Sixers victory and a Nets loss.

Mar 1, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) brings the ball around Florida State Seminoles guard Jamir Watkins (1) during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Blue Devils won 100-65. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

If the season ended today, with the lottery playing out exactly according to the standings, the Washington Wizards would have the top pick, which is expected to be spent on the Duke star, Cooper Flagg.

The Charlotte Hornets would secure the second pick, with the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto Raptors, and the Brooklyn Nets filling out the rest of the top six. Drawing seventh would send the Western Conference’s top team the Sixers’ first-rounder.

After a 126-119 victory against the Warriors, the Sixers are set to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night to open up a back-to-back set, which will conclude against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

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