For the first time in weeks, the Philadelphia 76ers had something to play for ahead of their matchup against the Atlanta Hawks — just not in the way that you'd expect. If Philadelphia lost to Atlanta, it would secure the fifth-worst record in the NBA. Seemingly locked onto the mission, the 76ers had only eight players available tonight and Jared Butler was the best of the bunch with a team-high 25 points tonight.
The Sixers' depth chart right now.
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However, throughout the first half, it appeared as if Atlanta was the team that was focused on the upcoming draft – not positioning in the Play-In Tournament. Philadelphia was up by as much as eight points in the second quarter. It wasn't until the fourth quarter where the Hawks cracked open a 13-point lead that the 76ers ultimately couldn't come back from. Still, in Philadelphia's case, this loss serves as a victory for its long-term plans.
What do the 76ers' lottery odds look like?
With a 124-110 defeat to the Hawks, the 76ers declined to 24-57, which clinched them the fifth-worst record in the NBA. Within the past month or so, Philadelphia and the Brooklyn Nets have participated in a neck-and-neck battle to bottom out of the Eastern Conference standings. Ahead of their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight, the Nets are 26-54 on the season. If the 76ers were victorious tonight, the race for the fifth-worst record could have come down to which team had a worse conference record – the third tie-breaker when determining seeding.
Philadelphia now has a 64% chance to retain its 2025 first-round pick, which is protected through selections one to six, but if it falls out of that range, it will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a part of a deal that was made between the two teams in November 2020. The 76ers also have a 42.1% chance of obtaining a top-four pick and a 10.5% probability of acquiring the first overall choice.
Philadelphia’s season finale is on Sunday when it will host the Chicago Bulls at 1:00 p.m. EST. Unfortunately for those involved, even if the 76ers record another loss, they’re locked into the fifth-worst record throughout the Eastern and Western Conference. The New Orleans Pelicans hold the title for the fourth-worst mark in the NBA with a 21-59 record and will certainly be a viable foe for Philadelphia when the ping-pong balls fall.
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 12th and depending on the outcome of this fateful day, the 76ers’ long-term vision can either be sky-high with a player such as Cooper Flagg in reach or come crashing down in despair and uncertainty that has plagued the organization and fans alike throughout this nightmarish season.