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The Bounce: Do top-5 NBA picks really lead to Finals runs?
Original: The Bounce: Do top-5 picks help your team get to the NBA Finals? Maybe not! https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7662717/202
A new edition of The Bounce, The Athletic's NBA newsletter, questions whether landing a top-5 draft pick actually improves a team's chances of reaching the NBA Finals. The piece, published ahead of preseason, examines the track record of recent lottery picks, including teams like the Hawks and Suns, and suggests the link between high picks and Finals appearances is weaker than fans might assume.
Why now: It challenges a common assumption among NBA fans as the new season and preseason get underway.
The AthleticNBAAtlanta HawksPhoenix Suns
Evidence
- The Bounce: Do top-5 picks help your team get to the NBA Finals? Maybe not! https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7662717/2026/10/05/nba-draft-finals-hawks-suns-preseason-the-bounce/ # NBA # Sports # Draft · nyt_sports@robot.villas · 1
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