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Minnesota Wins NBA Draft Lottery

By TIM REYNOLDS 2 min read
FILE - In this March 11, 2020, file photo, Georgia guard Anthony Edwards (5) drives against Mississippi's Breein Tyree (4) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. Edwards is expected to be a contender for the No. 1 draft pick in the NBA draft lottery Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

The NBA draft lottery was delayed three months. The Minnesota Timberwolves are certainly feeling like the wait was worthwhile.

The Timberwolves won the lottery Thursday night, giving them the No. 1 pick. The lottery was conducted virtually because of the pandemic, with NBA officials doing the actual draw in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Golden State holds the No. 2 pick, Charlotte got the No. 3 pick and Chicago will pick fourth. The Hornets and Bulls both bucked some odds to move into the upper echelon.

"We know with the No. 1 pick we have the opportunity to draft an impact player who could immediately complement our young, strong core," Timberwolves President Gersson Rosas said.

Chicago had a 32% chance of moving into the top four spots, Charlotte about a 26% chance. They leapfrogged four teams that had better top-four odds -- Cleveland, Atlanta, Detroit and New York.

Unlike a year ago, when Zion Williamson was clearly going to be the first selection, there is no consensus about the No. 1 pick. Top candidates include Georgia's Anthony Edwards, Memphis' James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball -- the brother of New Orleans guard Lonzo Ball.

Antetokounmpo, Bucks beat Magic in Game 2 to tie series

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points and 20 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks rode a fast start to beat the Orlando Magic 111-96 on Thursday and tie the Eastern Conference first-round series at a game apiece.

The Bucks boasted the NBA's best regular-season record at 56-17, but went 3-5 in the eight seeding games at Disney's Wide World of Sports and opened the playoffs by losing 122-110 to Orlando.

HEAT 109

PACERS 100

Duncan Robinson hit his first six shots, all from 3-point range, and finished with 24 points to help Miami beat Indiana and take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

ROCKETS 111 THUNDER 98

James Harden had 21 points and nine assists and Houston made 19 of an NBA-record 56 3-point attempts to beat Oklahoma City for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference series.

Starting at /week.