Celtics came surprisingly close to top four pick in NBA Draft Lottery

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Luck plays a huge factor in life, and pro sports are no different.

The Boston Celtics have enjoyed a ton of luck in their storied history, and they nearly defied the odds during Tuesday night's 2019 NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago.

Boston came surprisingly close to jumping up in the lottery and securing a top four pick via the Sacrmento Kings, but it ultimately ended up remaining at pick No. 14, which was the most likely spot (95 percent chance).

The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach breaks it down:

The Celtics entered the lottery with a 4.8 percent chance of a top four pick. Moving up always was a longshot for the C's, and it probably hurts the team a little more to learn how close it came to pulling off an upset.

It's important to remember the lottery is only for the first four picks. After that, selections No. 5 through No. 14 are based on record. Bleacher Report's Howard Beck revealed Wednesday how the draws went:

Himmelsbach writes the Celtics needed a 10, 12 or 14 to be one of the balls in the final draw of the lottery. A No. 7 ball instead popped up, giving the Los Angeles Lakers the No. 4 pick (a jump of seven spots from their most likely slot).

While the Celtics weren't among the lucky teams at the lottery, it wasn't a disastrous night for them, either. The New York Knicks and Lakers, two teams that could compete with Boston for Anthony Davis and/or Kyrie Irving this summer, did not win the lottery. The Memphis Grizzlies owed their pick to Boston if it was outside the top eight, which it was not (No. 2 overall). The C's now receive the Grizzlies' 2020 first-round pick (top-six protected) or their 2021 unprotected first-rounder.

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