Rebuilding Raptors Are No. 1 in Lottery

New General Manager Bryan Colangelo got a huge boost in his effort to rebuild the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night in Secaucus, N.J., winning the NBA lottery and the No. 1 pick in the June 28 draft.

The Raptors, who had the NBA’s fifth-worst record at 27-55, jumped four slots in winning the lottery for the first time.

The Chicago Bulls added to the New York Knicks’ season of misery by getting the second pick. The Knicks traded the pick to the Bulls in a preseason trade for center Eddy Curry.

Portland, which had the league’s worst record at 21-61, was the big loser, slipping to fourth.

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Dallas center DeSagana Diop suffered a broken nose when he caught an elbow from Tim Duncan in the Mavericks’ Game 7 victory over the San Antonio Spurs and will wear a face shield tonight for the opener of the Western Conference finals against the Phoenix Suns.

Meanwhile, Suns forward Kurt Thomas, who missed the last 29 games of the regular season and the first two playoff series because of a stress fracture in his right foot, will be a game-time decision, the team said.

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Bernie Bickerstaff, 61, who had considered stepping aside to concentrate on his role as general manager, will return as coach of the Charlotte Bobcats.

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NBA draft order

Order for the first round of the NBA draft, June 28 in New York:

*--* 1. Toronto 16. Chicago 2 . Chicago-a 17. Indiana 3. Charlotte 18. Washington 4. Portland 19. Sacramento 5. Atlanta 20. New York-c 6. Minnesota 21. Phoenix-d 7. Boston 22. New Jersey-e 8. Houston 23. New Jersey 9. Golden State 24. Memphis 10. Seattle 25. Cleveland 11. Orlando 26. Lakers-f 12. New Orleans 27. Phoenix 13. Philadelphia 28. Dallas 14. Utah 29. New York-g 15. New Orleans-b 30. Portland-h

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a-from New York; b-from Milwaukee; c-from Denver through Toronto and New Jersey; d-from Lakers through Atlanta and Boston; e-from Clippers through Denver and Orlando; f-from Miami; g-from San Antonio; h-from Detroit through Utah.