NBA Reverse Standings: Race for Top Odds Heating Up

The race for the top picks in the 2022 NBA Draft is heating up.

With a highly lauded 2021 class performing well this season, teams are likely itching to secure the best odds they can ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft.

The bottom four teams have been locked into their spots for awhile now, but things are getting interesting in the late stretch of the season.

Oklahoma City, who has held the reverse four seed for months now, is just 1.0 game back from the Pistons for the third-worst record, and 1.5 games back from Orlando for the second-worst.

Wednesday night’s matchup between OKC and Orlando was pivotal, as Orlando succumbed to the Thunder’s G-League squad by double digits to thrust themselves back into the reverse two-seed.

Alonzo Adams/USA TODAY Sports

With a loss, Oklahoma City would have moved into a tie for the reverse two-seed with Detroit, but has now stayed pat.

One and a half games ahead of their nearest competitor, it will be hard to dethrone the Houston Rockets from the top odds. They’ll have around a 14 percent chance at landing the No. 1 pick, and won’t go lower than No. 5 should things not fall their way.

While fending off Oklahoma City for now, Orlando and Detroit are both 4-6 in their last 10 games, with the Thunder winning their first game in 11 tries over the Magic.

It won’t be easy, but with losses agains the Blazers and one more matchup versus Detroit, OKC could still gain better positioning in the late-stretch of the season.

For now, at least, the Thunder have escaped any teams looking to advance further than four, being a full four games ahead of Indiana.

Here are the NBA’s full reverse standings:

Houston Rockets, 18-55

Orlando Magic, 20-54

Detroit Pistons, 20-53

Oklahoma City Thunder, 21-52

Indiana Pacers, 25-48

Sacramento Kings, 26-48

Portland Trailblazers, 27-45

San Antonio Spurs, 29-44

New Orleans Pelicans, 30-42

Washington Wizards, 30-41

New York Knicks, 31-42

LA Lakers, 31-42

LA Clippers, 36-38

Atlanta Hawks, 36-37

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