The race to the bottom of the NBA standings has a few new twists this year.
Teams near the lower end of the league standings may have an eye on the scoreboard as they hope for better position in the upcoming NBA draft lottery, which will take place on May 14 during the playoffs. This year's lottery has new odds and an extra selection in 2019.
The NBA draft lottery, established in 1985, is designed to discourage teams from purposely losing games in order to obtain a better position in the draft. Since 1990, the NBA has used a weighted lottery system, giving the teams with the worst records the best chance at winning.