Knicks slide to 4th pick in NBA draft lottery

NEW YORK - The New York Knicks sure didn't have the home-court advantage Tuesday at the NBA draft lottery. The Knicks, with the second-worst record, ended up getting the fourth overall pick, eliciting a collective groan throughout the city that never sleeps.

The slide to No. 4 was a major story at the New York Hilton, where the lottery was conducted.

Those visions of the draft's top two big men, Duke's Jahil Okafor and Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns, are likely now distant views for the Knicks.

Give Knicks general manager Steve Mills credit for retaining the stiffest of upper lips.

"We feel really good about this pick," Mills said with a straight face. "We felt that in this draft we could have gotten a good player with any pick on through five. We went into this very optimistic and we will remain that way."

After seeing the Knicks slide, the 76ers had to be happy to at least hold serve and end up with the draft's third pick for the second straight year. The Sixers (18-64) had the league's third-worst record.

Yet it couldn't be called a night of total victory for the Sixers. They owned the Los Angeles Lakers' first pick, but it was top-five protected. The Lakers, with the NBA's fourth-worst record, jumped up to No. 2 in the lottery. (The Sixers also owned Miami's top-10 protected pick and the Heat kept it by gaining the 10th slot).

Lakers coach Byron Scott, whose team finished 21-61, was asked how it felt not to lose the pick to the Sixers.

"It was just as important to get it as it was not to lose it," Scott said. "Obviously we were slated at four but jumped to two and it is a big jump for us."

As their record indicated, the Lakers are in need of a talent infusion, which would have been severely hampered had the Sixers gotten that first pick.

"There are a lot of very good basketball players in this draft and it is a nice, deep draft," Scott said. "For us to get the second, plus we have the 27th and 34th, I like where we are now."

The only team that likes where it is better is the Minnesota Timberwolves. For the first time in its less-than-stellar franchise history, the Wolves earned the top pick.

Minnesota (16-66) owned the NBA's worst record and thus had the best chance at the top pick (25 percent).

If the Wolves keep their pick, they will have the top overall selection from the last three drafts. They acquired Anthony Bennett (No. 1 in 2013) and Andrew Wiggins (No. 1 in 2014) in the Kevin Love trade last year with Cleveland.

"I am not only happy for myself but for the Minnesota fans who have been so loyal and patient," Wolves owner Glen Taylor said.

Towns, the Kentucky center from St. Joseph High in Metuchen, N.J., gave a predictable response when asked what it would be like to play for the Wolves if he was picked first.

"Anywhere I get a chance to play is great," Towns said. "I can't wait to get the chance to play."

He will find out June 25 at the NBA draft.

@sjnard