Lottery contenders Raptors, Pelicans square off as projected No. 1 pick Flagg in action on TSN
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The Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans, two teams in the NBA Draft Lottery mix this season, go head-to-head Monday night while Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in this year's draft, and his Duke Blue Devils host the NC State Wolfpack in NCAA action from North Carolina.
Led by Scottie Barnes, the Raptors are playing the best ball of their season, winning three straight games, including one over the Orlando Magic and two against the Atlanta Hawks.
Toronto has actually won five of their past six contests, picking up a memorable win over Jayson Tatum and the NBA champion Boston Celtics on Jan. 15.
The 23-year-old Barnes is having a strong start to the calendar year, averaging 20.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists alongside a 48.5 field goal percentage over 12 games in January.
Toronto's recent strong play has pushed their record to 13-32, placing them 13th in the Eastern Conference. The Pelicans, meanwhile, are 12-34 on the season and sit second last in the Western Conference.
Following their matchup against the Pelicans, the Raptors have potential for more victories with games against the league-worst Washington Wizards (6-38) and mediocre Chicago Bulls (19-27).
Both squads are in the running to win the draft lottery this spring. The Pelicans currently own a 14 per cent of winning the lottery while the Raptors are at 10.5 per cent with plenty of games left to be played.
NBA Draft Lottery Odds (As of Jan. 27)
| Team (Record) | Odds for No. 1 Pick |
|---|---|
| Washington Wizards (6-38) | 14% |
| Utah Jazz (10-33) | 14% |
| New Orleans Pelicans (12-34) | 14% |
| Charlotte Hornets (12-30) | 12.5% |
| Toronto Raptors (13-32) | 10.5% |
| Brooklyn Nets (14-32) | 9% |
| Portland Trail Blazers (17-29) | 7.5% |
| Philadelphia 76ers (17-27) | 6.0% |
| Chicago Bulls (19-27) | 4.5% |
| San Antonio Spurs (20-23) | 3% |
| Atlanta Hawks (22-23) | 1.8% |
| Golden State Warriors (22-23) | 1.7% |
| Sacramento Kings (23-22) | 1.0% |
| Dallas Mavericks (24-22) | 0.5% |
After finishing the 2023-24 season with a 36-46 record and falling to the Bulls in the Play-In Tournament, the Hawks famously won last's year's NBA Draft Lottery despite only having a 3 per cent chance of doing so.
Atlanta used that pick to select French forward Zaccharie Risacher, who is averaging 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists with a 40.3 field goal percentage over 39 games in his rookie campaign.
All Eyes on Cooper Flagg
Many believe the winner of the Draft Lottery will select Duke guard Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick.
The 18-year-old from Newport, Maine made a name for himself during his high school career with Montverde Academy in Florida and hasn't missed a beat during his freshman season at the collegiate level.
Flagg, measuring at 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds, is averaging 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists with a 48.8 field goal percentage over 19 games with the Blue Devils.
Cooper Flagg's Full Stats
| Games | Points Per Game | Rebounds | Assists | FG% | FT% | 3P% | Blocks | Steals | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 19.5 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 48.8 | 80.7 | 33.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 31.5 |
Flagg had a career game earlier this month, scoring 42 points in a win over Notre Dame, setting a new Atlantic Coast Conference freshman single-game scoring record in the process.
The Blue Devils, winners of 13 straight games, own a 17-2 record on the season, including 9-0 in their conference, and are holding down top spot in the ACC.
NC State is 9-10 this season.
Rutgers freshman guard Ace Bailey is also expected to be selected within the top three picks and is averaging 19.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists over 18 games.