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Minnesota never has improved its draft slot in 11 appearances in the lottery. Tonight, the Wolves hope to reverse that trend.
Get used to disappointment.
That's a line from an old movie, but it could just as well serve as a slogan for the Timberwolves and their remaining faithful fans when it comes to the NBA's annual game of chance, the draft lottery.
Sixteen years ago, the Timberwolves finished with the league's worst record and selected Christian Laettner third overall in a 1992 draft that featured difference-makers Shaquille O'Neal first and Alonzo Mourning second.
Every time it seems, the Wolves select one rung down. Remember 1994, when Glenn Robinson, Jason Kidd and Grant Hill went 1-2-3 and the Wolves took Donyell Marshall fourth?
Given that this summer's draft offers Memphis freshman guard Derrick Rose and Kansas State freshman forward Michael Beasley as the two big prizes, long-suffering Wolves fans probably assume their team will pick third, or worse.
Never once have the Wolves beaten the odds. Six of 11 times, they have dropped anywhere from one to three selections lower than their regular-season finish. Of course, except for each lottery's first two teams chosen, every team has a better chance of moving down a slot or more than moving up.
"The lottery, if you're waiting on that," Wolves basketball boss Kevin McHale said. "... That's like going into the bingo parlor and putting your finger on B12 hoping that it hits."
JERRY ZGODA
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Featured comment
HAHAHA!!!!
Like I said before...the NBA is full of over paid felons and only the big market teams are in the finals...and now they get the best picks … read more in the draft....once again we pick third in a two horse draft....
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