Top Lottery Pick Is a Longshot for Clippers

The Clippers think it would be nice if they ended up with the No. 1 pick in today’s NBA draft lottery, but they sure aren’t counting on it. That’s because their 31-51 record was only the eighth-worst in the league during the regular season, which gives them only a 2.9% chance of landing the top overall selection when the lottery is conducted at the headquarters of NBA Entertainment at Secaucus, N.J.

Coach Alvin Gentry will represent the Clippers.

The lottery will use 14 Ping-Pong balls and there are 1,001 possible team-ball combinations but because the lottery is weighted in favor of the weaker teams, Chicago has the best chance--25%--of ending up with the No. 1 pick because the Bulls’ 15-67 record was the worst.

If the Clippers do not get one of the top three picks, they will draft eighth, ninth or 10th, according to lottery rules. They have a 3.38% chance of getting the second pick and a 4.03% chance of getting the third selection.

The Clippers have been in 12 of the 17 lotteries the NBA has held but based on their strong finish last spring, they are hoping that their lottery appearances will soon be memories.

“We feel as a team that we are in a better place than in previous years,” said Jeff Weltman, director of player personnel. “[It doesn’t matter which pick the Clippers get] because it is going to be a lot harder for the player to crack our starting lineup or get significant minutes.”

The Clippers have a league-high nine top-five draft choices since the NBA went to a lottery system in 1985. Last year, they got the No. 3 pick and drafted Darius Miles. In 1999, they got the fourth pick and selected Lamar Odom. Both ultimately became first team all-rookie selections.

“We know that the odds of us picking in the same territory as we have over the last few years are against us,” Weltman said. “But we’re happy to be moving down. We hope to not be in the lottery at all soon.”