NBA Draft Odds: Magic Has Real Chance at No. 1 Pick?
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The Orlando Magic refuses to finish in losing fashion as they've won two consecutive games and remain in contention for the tenth and final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference. However, in the event that the season ends as is, the Magic has a viable shot at winning the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery later this spring.
At 32-43, the Magic is the fifth-worst team in the league. Orlando is in competition with the 32-42 Portland Trail Blazers for the final spot in the bottom-five.
Here's a look at every team's odds for the No. 1 pick.
Team 1 > 14.0%
Team 2 > 14.0%
Team 3 > 14.0%
Team 4 > 12.5%
Team 5 > 10.5%
Team 6 > 9.0%
Team 7 > 7.5%
Team 8 > 4.5%
Team 9 > 4.5%
Team 10 > 4.5%
Team 11 > 1.8%
Team 12 > 1.7%
Team 13 > 1.0%
Team 14 > 0.5%
The Magic is currently slated for a 10.5 percent chance at coming out victorious. While the team can only win a maximum of 39 games and only 10 teams around the association have 40 or more victories, Orlando is near-locks to qualify for the lottery.
Last season, Orlando finished as the second-worst team in the league and lucked out with the top selection, taking Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall. Having said that, the last time a team outside of the bottom-three won the lottery was in 2019, when the 33-49 New Orleans Pelicans finished No. 23 overall and earned the right to take Zion Williamson ahead of the pack.
While not impossible, fortune favors the terrible, and the Magic has been just a step above that. Nonetheless, Orlando still have a mathematical chance of being usurped by the Charlotte Hornets in the standings, should the team lose the remainder of its games and Charlotte wins out.
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