News from April 18.

New York fired head coach Isiah Thomas.

The NBA Board of Governors approved the move of the Seattle Supersonics to
Oklahoma City by a vote of 28-2 (with Dallas and Portland voting against).
The team hopes to move in time for the 07-08 season, but the move is
dependent on a court trial regarding the last 2 years of their lease with
the Key Arena in Seattle (the team wants to buyout the last 2 years and
the city is trying to enforce the lease in having the Sonics remain in
Seattle) - the trial is scheduled for June 16.  The move of the team comes
with a fee of $30 million to the NBA.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (junior, UCLA, forward) and Chris Douglas-Roberts
(junior, Memphis, guard) declared themselves eligible for the NBA draft.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare themselves eligible for the
draft is April 27.

The NBA held the tiebreakers (random drawing) for the 8 teams that 
finished with the same record to determine the draft order and lottery 
chances.  Minnesota won the tiebreaker with Memphis (22-60 - 3rd worst 
record) and, thus, Minnesota will have 138 lottery chances and Memphis 
will have 137 lottery chances - if neither wins the lottery (#1, #2, #3 
draft picks determined by the lottery), Minnesota will draft before
Memphis.  New York won the tiebreaker with the LA Clippers (23-59 - 5th
worst record) and, thus, New York will have 76 lottery chances and the LA
Clippers will have 75 lottery chances - if neither wins the lottery, New 
York will draft before the Clippers.  Phoenix won the tiebreaker with
Houston (55-27) and, thus, Seattle (which owns Phoenix's pick via the Kurt
Thomas trade) will draft #24 and Houston will draft #25.  San Antonio won
the tiebreaker with New Orleans and, thus, San Antonio will draft #26 and
New Orleans will draft #27.

2008 Draft Lottery Chances and Order
Lottery Chances
Team           Chances (out of 1,000) 
Miami            250 
Seattle          199 
Minnesota        138 
Memphis          137 
New York          76 
LA Clippers       75 
Milwaukee         43 
Charlotte         28 
Chicago           17 
New Jersey        11 
Indiana            8 
Sacramento         7 
Portland           6 
Golden State       5 

First Round Order
15. Phoenix  (from Atlanta)
16. Philadelphia
17. Toronto
18. Washington
19. Cleveland
20. Denver
21. New Jersey  (from Dallas)
22. Orlando
23. Utah
24. Seattle  (from Phoenix)
25. Houston
26. San Antonio
27. New Orleans
28. Memphis  (from LA Lakers)
29. Detroit
30. Boston

Second Round
31. Minnesota  (from Miami via Boston)
32. Seattle
33/34. Portland  (from Memphis)
33/34. Minnesota  (may go to Detroit)
35/36. LA Clippers
35/36. Portland  (from New York)
37. Milwaukee
38. Charlotte
39. Chicago
40. New Jersey
41. Indiana
42. Sacramento
43. Seattle  (from Portland via Boston)
44. Golden State
45. Sacramento  (from Atlanta)
46. Utah  (from Philadelphia)
47. San Antonio  (from Toronto)
48. Washington
49. Phoenix  (from Cleveland)
50. Seattle  (from Denver)
51. Dallas
52. Miami  (from Orlando)
53. Utah
54. Houston
55. Portland  (from Phoenix via Indiana)
56. Seattle  (from New Orleans via Houston)
57. San Antonio
58. LA Lakers
59. Detroit
60. Boston


Playoff Standings
  1st Round            2nd Round         3rd Round          Finals
  (Best of 7)          (Best of 7)       (Best of 7)        (Best of 7)
1 LA Lakers (0) _ __
8 Denver (0)        |_              __
                     _                |
4 Utah (0)    ______|                 |_              __
5 Houston (0)                          _                |
                                      |                 |
2 New Orleans (0) __                  |                 |
7 Dallas (0)        |_              __|                 |
                     _                                  |
3 San Antonio (0) __|                                   |
6 Phoenix (0)                                           |_ 
                                                         _ 
                                                        |
1 Boston (0)  ______                                    |
8 Atlanta (0)       |_              __                  |
                     _                |                 |
4 Cleveland (0)  ___|                 |                 |
5 Washington (0)                      |_              __|
                                       _ 
2 Detroit (0)      _                  |
7 Philadelphia (0)  |_              __|
                     _ 
3 Orlando (0) ______|
6 Toronto (0)