Lakers News

Report: Mavericks beat out Lakers in tiebreaker to earn higher pick in 2021 NBA Draft

Published by
Brad Sullivan

The Los Angeles Lakers lost out to the Dallas Mavericks in a Tuesday tiebreaker related to the 2021 NBA Draft, with the Mavericks now holding 21st overall selection as a result.

The Lakers, Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers all finished with 42-30 records for the 2020-21 season, which necessitated a coin flip to determine the draft order.

In reality, there’s often little difference between the 21st and 22nd picks in any particular draft, with most of the focus directed on teams that have lottery selections.

Whichever player the Lakers do end up taking, if they choose to hold onto their pick, is likely to serve as depth for the team in the future.

Right now, the Lakers aren’t likely to put much of their focus on the results of this coin flip. That’s because they have an important Game 2 playoff matchup on Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns currently hold a 1-0 lead in the series, with the Lakers not looking to return to Los Angeles just two defeats from seeing their season come to an end.

Brad Sullivan

Brad is a freelance writer for LakersDaily.com, who can clearly recall watching Lakers games in 1972 as they captured the first of their 11 Los Angeles-based titles. The franchise's evolution into a beloved and iconic franchise among its fan base since that memorable year allows for a wider perspective to be a part of his writing about the team's current fortunes.

Published by
Brad Sullivan

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