News from April 22. USA Basketball named Tim Duncan (SA) and Tim Hardaway (Mia) as the final two members of the 1998 USA Men's World Championship team. The two join Vin Baker (Sea), Terrell Brandon (Mil), Kevin Garnett (Min), Tom Gugliotta (Min), Grant Hill (Det), Allan Houston (NY), Christian Laettner (Atl), Gary Payton (Sea), Glen Rice (Cha), and Chris Webber (Was) to compete in 1998 FIBA Men's World Championship in Athens, Greece this summer. The team will be coached by Rudy Tomjanovich (Hou). The playoffs start tonight (Thursday)! Let the games begin!! Golden State won the draw with Vancouver and, thus, Golden State will receive 105 chances and Vancouver will receive 104 chances out of 1001 for the lottery (and if neither wins in the lottery, Golden State will draft before Vancouver). Golden State and Vancouver finished with a record of 19-63. If Golden State "wins" the lottery (gets pick #1, 2, or 3), the pick then goes to Orlando from the Anfernee Hardaway-Chris Webber trade; else Golden State keeps the pick. Milwaukee won the draw with Boston and, thus, Milwaukee will receive 15 chances and Boston will receive 14 chances out of 1001 for the lottery (and if neither wins in the lottery, Milwaukee will draft before Boston). Milwaukee and Boston finished with a record of 36-46. Denver won the draw with San Antonio and, thus, Denver will select #23 in the draft and San Antonio will selected #24 in the draft. Phoenix, whose draft pick Denver owns per the Antonio McDyess trade, and San Antonio finished with a record of 56-26. The LA Lakers won the draw with Seattle and, thus, the Lakers will select #26 and Seattle will select #27 in the draft. The Lakers and Seattle finished with a record of 61-21. Chicago won the draw with Utah and, thus, Chicago will select #28 and Utah will select #29 in the draft. Chicago and Utah finished with a recod of 62-20. The lottery chances (out of 1001 - 1 is not assigned): Denver 250 Toronto 200 LA Clippers 157 Golden State 105 (pick may go to Orlando or Utah) Vancouver 104 (Vancouver has option to send pick to Detroit; if Detroit receives pick, it may go to Philadelphia) Dallas 64 Sacramento 44 Philadelphia 29 Milwaukee 15 (pick may go to Denver) Boston 14 Detroit 7 (Detroit may have option to send pick to Philly) Orlando 6 (pick may go to Golden State or Utah) Washington 5 (pick will go to Golden State, Orlando or Utah) The lottery, which decides who selects #1, #2, and #3 with the order of the rest of the picks being according to record, will take place during halftime of a playoff game on NBC May 17. Due to the expansion rules, Vancouver or Toronto can not receive the #1 pick (if their number is drawn first, then they receive the #2 pick and the #1 pick is drawn again). Playoff Standings 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Finals (Best of 5) (Best of 7) (Best of 7) (Best of 7) 1 Utah (0) _____ 8 Houston (0) |_ _____________ _____ _ _____________ | 4 Phoenix (0) _| |_ _____________ _ 5 San Antonio (0) _ _____________ | | | 2 Seattle (0) ___ | | 7 Minnesota (0) |_ _____________ _____| | _ _____________ | 3 LA Lakers (0) ___| | 6 Portland (0) |_ ___________ _ ___________ | 1 Chicago (0) __ | 8 New Jersey (0) |_ _____________ ____ | _ _____________ | | 4 Charlotte (0) ___| | | 5 Atlanta (0) |_ _____________ _| _ _____________ 2 Miami (0) ____ | 7 New York (0) |_ _____________ _____| _ _____________ 3 Indiana (0) ___| 6 Cleveland (0)