Celtics draft lottery primer

In a nice warmup to the main event (Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals) on Tuesday night, the NBA will be holding the NBA Draft Lottery this evening (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN). We've covered the ramifications of the Draft Lottery all season long here at Boston Sports Journal, but here is a guide to assist you with the watching experience as the C's try to add to their assortment of draft assets with either the No. 2 or No. 3 pick.

Q: What pick can the Celtics land tonight and why?

A: The Celtics own the Lakers pick if it falls in the 2-5 range. Otherwise, it stays with the Sixers per protections on the deal made between Boston and Philly last June. The Celtics have no chance of landing the 4th or 5th pick because the Lakers finished with the 10th worst record and only three teams are actually selected during the lottery process. Therefore, the pick can only land in the first, second, third or tenth (or lower) slots.

Q: What are the odds of the Celtics landing the No. 2 or No. 3 pick?

A: There is a 2.9 percent chance that the Celtics will snag one of those two spots. There is a 1.3 chance for the second pick and a 1.6 percent chance for the third pick.