Overview:

Sixers pick (currently 3rd):

• New York lost (bad): New York lost, and has 3 wins less than the Sixers with 3 games left to play.
• Minnesota lost (bad): Minnesota lost, keeping the Wolves at 2 less wins than the Sixers with 3 games remaining.
• Lakers won (good): On the positive side, the Lakers beating the Wolves puts the Lakers at 3 more wins than the Sixers with the Sixers only having 3 games left to play. Any 1 Sixers loss or 1 Lakers win guarantees the Sixers no worse than the 3rd worst record.

Lakers pick (top 5 protected, currently 4th)

• The Lakers have no chance of moving down from 4, and are currently 1 Sixers loss or 1 Lakers win away from being locked into that #4 spot.

Heat pick (top 10 protected, currently 10th):

• Charlotte lost (good): Charlotte fell to Atlanta, putting them 2 wins behind Miami in the 9th slot. At the very least, it appears Miami will not fall further than 10th.
• Boston won (bad): Be angry at Cleveland for a half-hearted effort. The win, in Cleveland, puts Boston 2 wins up on Miami, all but eliminating them as an option.
• Indianapolis won (bad): Indy pulled out a close one against Detroit, putting the a full game up on Miami, tied with Utah at 11/12.
• Brooklyn won (bad): Brooklyn demolished Washington, who were playing without John Wall. Washington briefly looked like they were making a comeback, then GOT OUTSCORED 42-18 IN THE 4TH QUARTER. Like Boston, Brooklyn is 2 games up on Miami and all but removed as an option. The good news: Miami making the playoffs would be extremely tough, and the Heat pick would be in the 11/12 range if the Sixers do get it. The bad news: Miami still has to pass one of Utah or Indy (both 1 game up), and with the chances of the playoffs fading and the chance to prevent losing their pick, who knows how much effort they’ll give in these last few games. There could be an epidemic of injuries in South Beach.
• Utah lost (good): Utah lost in the closing seconds to Memphis, pulling them to within a game of Miami. With Miami’s easy schedule, and Utah’s tough schedule, they’re probably Sixers fans best hope, and that loss last night was huge.

Oklahoma City Thunder pick (top 18 protected, currently 18th):

• Raptors won (bad): The Raptors win puts them 4 wins up with 3 OKC games remaining, thus removing them as an option for OKC to pass. If the Sixers want the OKC pick this year, OKC is going to have to pass Washington (while staying in front of New Orleans).
• Washington lost (good): At the very least, Washington’s loss to Brooklyn keeps the Sixers chances of getting the OKC pick alive. OKC is now 2 games back of Washington. With John Wall not playing and the Wizards having a relatively tough schedule (Hawks, @Pacers, @Cavs), the dream is still alive.
• New Orleans won (bad): This is good in that it forces OKC to continue to try, but with only 3 games remaining, we don’t really have to worry about OKC clinching a playoff spot anymore, and I wouldn’t mind a little bit of separation now, especially with Jrue Holiday returning for the Pelicans.
• OKC won (good): The OKC win keeps them tied with New Orleans for the last playoff spot out West and moves them to within 2 of Washington.

Tonight’s games:

• New York @ Orlando: The Knicks have to win out for the Sixers to have a shot at catching them. In other words, hope the Knicks win here, but it’s not likely to matter.
• Raptors @ Miami: Need a Miami win here in the worst way. Every game, at this point, is huge, and with Miami unlikely to catch Boston or Brooklyn there’s not much of a consequence to Miami winning. If Miami is eliminated from the playoffs, all hope might die with that.
• Sixers @ Chicago: A Sixers loss locks them in as no worse than the 3rd worst record.
• Utah @ Portland: Utah losing is the best hope for the Sixers getting that Miami pick. Good news: Utah is traveling on the tail end of a back-to-back. Bad news: Aldridge isn’t playing for Portland.
• Minnesota @ Golden State: There’s very little shot of the Sixers catching Minnesota, but go Wolves anyway.