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Celtics win NBA Draft lottery, Lakers and 76ers bump Suns out of top three
The 2017 NBA Draft lottery did not come as a shock as the Boston Celtics officially will pick first overall.
For the first time in modern draft history, the Boston Celtics took home the top pick after they won the 2017 NBA lottery.
Even though Boston are currently in the running for an NBA title as they prepare to face defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference finals, the Celtics had the best chance of landing the top lottery pick at 25 per cent after their 2013 blockbuster trade involving Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry going to the Brooklyn Nets.
In a slight twist on Tuesday, the Phoenix Suns dropped from an expected top-three pick to number four, and the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers rounded out the second and third spots in the draft order respectively.
Phoenix owned the second-highest odds for the top pick (19.9 per cent) and were 55.8 per cent sure to retain one of the top three picks.
That did not happen. Instead, the Lakers jumped the Suns for second overall and the 76ers moved from the fourth-best odds into the number three slot.
Had Los Angeles fallen out of the top three, it would have forfeited the pick to Philadelphia.
Fortunately for those in Los Angeles, that did not happen, and they are guaranteed the opportunity to draft one of Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball — the consensus top two prospects in the class – on June 22.
The rest of the 2017 NBA Draft lottery order is as follows:
1. Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets)
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Phoenix Suns
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Orlando Magic
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
8. New York Knicks
9. Dallas Mavericks
10. Sacramento Kings (via New Orleans Pelicans)
11. Charlotte Hornets
12. Detroit Pistons
13. Denver Nuggets
14. Miami Heat