Standings Watch: Thunder making late run at top pick

Oklahoma City is sliding hard and fast, and could make a late run at the coveted top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft

The Oklahoma City Thunder haven't won a game in April.

A nine-game losing streak wasn't imaginable when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was averaging 27.4 points in a nine-game stretch from late February to early March, or when a starting lineup of Darius Bazley, Kenrich Williams, Justin Jackson, Luguentz Dort and Al Horford were beating Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks by five points.

But whether the streak is by design or incidental matters not, the Thunder are sliding hard and fast.

Oklahoma City currently holds sole possession of the fifth worst record in the league, and the once thought of as an unimaginable top pick is now within range.

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With the updated lottery rules, the Thunder won't need to have the worst record to have the best chance at No. 1. Instead, they'll need to own one of the worst three records to own a 14 percent share at it.

The Thunder are within shouting distance of that spot, just three games back from Detroit with 16 games left to play. They're two games removed from snagging the fourth-worst record from Orlando.

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Here are the current lottery odds:

1. Houston Rockets (14-42)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (15-42)
3. Detroit Pistons (17-39)
4. Orlando Magic (18-38)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (20-36)
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-35)
7. Sacramento Kings (22-34)
8. Washington Wizards (22-33)
9. Chicago Bulls (22-33)
10. Toronto Raptors (23-34)

Oklahoma City won't have the toughest upcoming schedule, playing the struggling Raptors and Wizards in the next three of the next four games, but a five-game stretch against Philadelphia, Boston, New Orleans, Indiana and Phoenix should help their draft odds.