NBA Lotto & Golf Update

Oh boy, it's that time of the year again where the NBA has to decide where they want to try and shift the balance of power and who they should reward with the top pick. My annual preview has been fairly accurate in the past, so let's see how the contenders stack up this year:

1) Woofs
Why do I think we have a slight chance at #1 this year? Well, the draft has been labeled as historically weak this season and a Duke PG is the projected #1. We have a good track record with those guys. Honestly, I really doubt we land #1, because we never move up and there is no reason for the NBA to give us any reason to watch this team for the foreseeable future.

2) CAVS without LEBRON
This squad is about the equal to the Woofies. If not for a great run down the stretch where they won a couple of their last 10 to pass up the Pups, this would have been the team with the 25% chance at #1. Will the league feel sorry for this club and reward them with the top pick to replace the gaping LBJ hole in the lineup. They couldn't hold on to a star from their own city, so why would the league have any thoughts about giving them another one.

3) TORONTO
I think the NBA regretted putting a franchise in TOR about 2 years after doing it. They still seem to be trying to find a way to dump them and relocate or contract, so no I do not think they have any chance at landing #1.

4) WASHINGTON
They had their chance last year with the great John Wall, no chance of hitting it again.

5) SACRAMENTO
A franchise in major need of some help, so I think the league has to decide if they want to keep this as a viable franchise or not. If so, then they have a great shot. If not...well, they gone.

6) UTAH
For some reason, I think the NBA still likes having Utah as a consistent winner and playoff team. For that reason, I think they have a good shot at winning this thing.

7) DETROIT
Dumars has pretty much run this thing into the ground, but it's a city with some NBA history so there may be a chance to do something here.

8) CHARLOTTE
They are still pretty terrible and I don't think that will change this year.

9) MILWAUKEE
No.

Anyone with a less than 1% chance I have eliminated from the running. So, here are my predictions:

These are the 6 that have a chance to get in the Top 3...MN, CLE, WAS, SAC, UT, DET.

I think the NBA decides to do this: Keep the people in CLE sane by giving them the #3 pick and a glimmer of hope for the future. I think they are going to realize that SAC is a viable NBA city and needs another player so they land #2. And at #1, I think they throw a bone to UTAH and give them a new star to build around.

So in summary: UTAH, SAC, CLE is my lotto prediction for 2011.


Quick golf update - looks like we are locked in with 9 guys. So it will be 4 teams, with one of them being a group of 3. I'm going to lock in the times in the next week or so, please let me know now if you cannot make it. Here's my list:

TIM R, CHRIS R, MIKE R, GREG R, JAMES R, JARED G, BOMB, LUKE, PETE