Re: LOTTERY SYSTEM SUCKS!

[lamphier@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp (Marc Lamphier)]

>ate: Sun, 18 May 1997 17:19:45 -0500
>From: Colin Hall <colin@inet-direct.com>
>Subject: LOTTERY SYSTEM SUCKS!
>
>I cannot believe that with the highest percentage available we still only
>got a freakin #3 pick. Duncan and Mercer will almost certainly be gone.  I
>am very pissed.
>
>Why does the NBA use this system?  Why not just assign the team with the
>worst record the #1 pick, the team with the 2nd worst record the #2 pick and
>so on?  I am sure the NBA has their reasoning, but whatever it is I wish
>they would look again. 

The reasoning is that it is too great an incentive for teams to tank it.
The NBA does not want to see the spectacle of its professional teams
competiting with one another in losing as many games as possible. Not that
it doesn't happen to some extent now -- I am pretty sure both the Celts and
the Spurs made a number of decisions this past year (e.g. keeping Robinson
on IR) knowing they would result in a poorer record.

This is all disappointing, but its hard to get angry at what is essentially
the roll of the dice; something over which no one has any control. I can't
believe some people are actually blaming ML Carr ! or claiming the Celts
are now jinxed like the Sox. Geez, a few ping pong balls in the right place
and the same folks would be calling ML a genius. 

- -Marc