Casual Scoreboard Watching Friday: Reviewing The Week In 2015 Sixers Draft Picks

Welcome to the newest feature at Liberty Ballers, focusing on the scores of other teams around the league. The Sixers have a lot of 2015 draft picks, but in order to make those draft picks as awesome as they could possibly be, the Sixers need for things to happen. And by things to happen I mean they will be keeping tabs on every other basketball game this season.*

*slight exaggeration, emphasis on the word slight.

In the interest of (relative) brevity, I'll run down the 17 teams Mike highlighted in a general sense for week-in-review before delving into all the specific games you should be keeping an eye on in the week ahead.

As always, check out the latest up to date standings at TANKATHON. And for more, check out nba.DerekBodner.com for detailed, daily updates.

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

Brooklyn Nets: The Brooklyn Nets played three games this past week, defeating the Lakers and the Nuggets, while losing to the Pelicans. The Sixers want three of Brooklyn, Charlotte, Detroit, and Indiana to pass Miami and get into the playoffs, but if all four pass them, it is draft lottery disaster for the Sixers. I want Brooklyn to be one of the teams passing Miami so badly because Billy King experiencing any modicum of success is always guaranteed laughs for fans of not Billy King.

Charlotte Hornets:  The Charlotte Hornets also played thrice this week, losing to OKC and Dallas before knocking off a Rose-less Bulls. Realistically, this is the team most likely to falter and not pass the Bosh-less Heat. Idealistically, I want that team to be someone else....

Denver Nuggets:  Lost at Milwaukee, lost at OKC, lost at Billy King's House Of Fun And Regrettable Transactions, lost in the Valley Of Logo Re-designs. Lose some more, please.

Detroit Pistons:  Beat the Bulls, defeated the Wizards, and lost to the Cavs. Realistically, they we should be rooting for them to pass the Heat, but cynically, I want them to be the ones to falter because Stan Van Gundy and internet pondscum share Sixers opinions.

Indiana Pacers:  Beat the Sixers, beat the Warriors, lost to OKC. Despite a loss to OKC, the Pacers feel like a given to pass the Heat.

Los Angeles Lakers:  Lost to Brooklyn, defeated (!!!) the Celtics, defeated (!!!) the Jazz. Win you Swaggy bastards win! If the season ended today, the Sixers would have a 17.2% chance of conveying, with the added caveat that two teams jumping the Lakers could mean the Lakers pick conveys to the detriment of the Sixers' own pick.

Miami Heat:  Defeated the Knicks, lost to the Pelicans, beat the Sixers, knocked off the Magic. The Heat need to win some games, but  they also need to lose some games as well. This has been another edition of Riveting Analysis With Justin. I'll be signing autographs with Reggie Miller next time he's in town. If the season ended today, this pick would convey at 16th overall.

Milwaukee Bucks:  Defeated the Nuggets, lost to the Hawks, went to Chicago and got taken by the horns, beat the Sixers. Though Sixers fans largely want to see the Bucks lose in order to see the Thunder pick convey, it is good for the Sixers pick that the Bucks demolished them.

Minnesota Timberwolves:  Defeated Phoenix, lost at Houston, won verse Washington. As long as the Wolves do not overtake the Lakers, these wins are good, and great when Minnesota beats the Wiz because that helps the Sixers out with the OKC pick as well.

New Orleans Pelicans:  Lost to the Magic, won at Miami, won verse Toronto, hosted Brooklyn and came out on top. It's hard to root for Pellies losses given everything, but it would be bad if they passed OKC, a feasible task given they are only two games behind them but not all that likely given the Thunder's superior team.

New York Knicks:  The Knicks have not won a game since February 1. The Sixers obviously need them to win, but rooting for Knicks wins is like hoping Deadspin writes a rational Sixers take.

Oklahoma City Thunder:  The Thunder had not lost a game since February 6 until they lost late in overtime last night to the Suns. But the Durant-less Thunder have been trending up amd it may be only a matter of time where we begin rooting for Thunder losses in order to get the pick back down around 19. They are now only a half game behind Milwaukee and a full game behind Washington for 19th place.  But if the season ended today, this pick would not convey.

Philadelphia 76ers:  They're the Sixers! You already know what they did this week! If the season ended today, the Sixers would have a 19.9% chance of picking 1st overall.

Orlando Magic:  Defeated the Pelicans, beat the Sixers, lost to the Heat. With it being almost impossible for the Sixers to pass the Magic in the standings, the more the Magic lose the better especially with the Lakers sudden winning streak.

Phoenix Suns:  Lost to Minnesota, lost to the Bulls, lost to the Celtics, beat the Nuggets, beat the Thunder. As Mike put it, the Suns are burning out. I don't see them passing the Thunder. Not every night is last night.

Sacramento Kings:  Defeated the Celtics, lost to the Clippers, defeated the Grizzlies. The Kings have won two of their last three, which is not all that ideal. Kings losses could really help convey the Lakers pick this year.

Utah Jazz:  Defeated Portland, defeated San Antonio, lost to the Lakers. There is no typo in the preceding sentence, much to the joy and dismay of Sixers fans. The Jazz losing to the Lakers is great. The Jazz beating the Spurs is not. Seriously, they beat the Spurs and lost to the Lakers.

Washington Wizards:  Lost to the Cavs, lost to the Pistons, lost to the Warriors, lost to the Timberwolves. The Wizards are making it way too easy for the Thunder to catch them. The Wiz are getting cold at just the right time for Sixers fans and people who thanks to Dan Snyder hate all Washington teams by default.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Believe it or not, I filtered out games that have no Sixers draft pick ramifications whatsoever. CAPS represent first round draft picks the Sixers own, though the Nuggets are included in this list as they are real bad and the Sixers own their second round pick.

Tonight's Games
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers   7:00 (League Pass)
Washington Wizards vs. SIXERS  7:00 (CSN)
Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks  7:30 (League Pass)
Charlotte Hornets vs. Boston Celtics  7:30 (League Pass)
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons  7:30 (League Pass)
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Chicago Bulls  8:00 (League Pass)
Brooklyn Nets vs. Houston Rockets 8:00 (League Pass)
HEAT vs. New Orleans Pelicans  8:00 (ESPN)
Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets  9:00 (League Pass)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings  10:00 (League Pass)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. LAKERS  10:30 (League Pass)
THUNDER vs. Portland Trail Blazers 10:30 (ESPN)

Saturday's Games
Detroit Pistons vs. Washington Wizards  7:00 (League Pass)
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat  7:30 (League Pass)
Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks  7:30 (League Pass)
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves  8:00 (League Pass)
Brooklyn Nets vs. Dallas Mavericks 8:30 (League Pass)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns  9:00 (NBA TV)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Utah Jazz  9:00 (League Pass)

Sunday's Games
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Sacramento Kings  6:00 (League Pass)
SIXERS vs. Indiana Pacers  6:00 (CSN)
Charlotte Hornets vs. Orlando Magic  6:00 (League Pass)
THUNDER vs. LAKERS  6:30 (ESPN)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Denver Nuggets  8:00 (League Pass)

Monday's Games
Toronto Raptors vs. SIXERS  7:00 (CSN)
Golden State Warriors vs. Brooklyn Nets  7:30 (League Pass)
Phoenix Suns vs. HEAT  7:30 (NBA TV)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves  8:00 (League Pass)
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks  8:30 (League Pass)

Tuesday's Games
Sacramento Kings vs. New York Knicks  7:00 (League Pass)
LAKERS vs. Charlotte Hornets  7:00 (League Pass)
Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls  8:00 (League Pass)
Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies  8:00 (League Pass)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Denver Nuggets  9:00 (League Pass)

Wednesday's Games
New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers  7:00 (League Pass)
Phoenix Suns vs. Orlando Magic  7:00 (League Pass)
Utah Jazz vs. Boston Celtics  7:30 (League Pass)
Charlotte Hornets vs. Brooklyn Nets  7:30 (League Pass)
Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves  8:00 (League Pass)
Detroit Pistons vs. New Orleans Pelicans  8:00 (League Pass)
SIXERS vs. THUNDER  8:00 (CSN)
LAKERS vs. HEAT  8:00 (ESPN)
Sacramento Kings vs. San Antonio Spurs  8:30 (League Pass)
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Golden State Warriors  10:30 (League Pass)

Thursday's Games
THUNDER vs. Chicago Bulls  8:00 (TNT)