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It will take an unlikely sequence of events to get there, but it's possible that the Nets could finish in a tie for third worst record in the league on the last day of the season. If on Thursday, the Nets lose to the Raptors, the Cavaliers beat the Bulls (or beat the Wizards Wednesday), the Hornets beat the Rockets, and the Kings beat the Lakers, New Jersey, Cleveland, New Orleans and Sacramento would all finish with records of 22-44. Only the Bobcats and Wizards would have worse records.
Under lottery rules,if four teams finish with the same record, each tied team receives the average of the total number of ping-pong balls shared by the four. However, if that number is uneven, and in this scenario that would be the case, there would be a coin flip to determine who gets the extra ping-pong ball. Best case scenario, the Nets would have 107 ping-pong balls or combinations, giving them a roughly one-in-nine chance to get the overall #1 and a one-in-three chance at a top three pick. If the Nets don't get a top three pick, their pick goes to the Trail Blazers.