NBA Draft tiebreaker rules: Why coin flip determines whether Knicks, Lakers, more get higher draft pick

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Ties are a wretched word in sports. Three of the four major U.S.-based leagues reject the result's existence outright, while the fourth -- the NFL -- only permits its emergence after space and time itself has been exhausted (but only in regular-season games).

And yet, ties are an inevitable part of the sporting calendar. In the NBA, every team plays 82 games. There are bound to be some teams whose entire campaign comprises of ties.

To make things sharper: every year, spectators are presented with two teams that finish the year with matching records. The draft order is the easiest way to see that carnage unfold. In 2025, the Suns and Trail Blazers posted identical 36-46 records. Yet, when the draft was read out, Phoenix -- whose pick initially belonged to the Rockets due to a prior trade -- held a better draft position than Portland.

That ordering was decided by tiebreakers, a proverbial "coin flip" that sees team's standing in the draft order decided far from glistening hardwood.

With that, here's what you need to know about the set of tiebreakers set to be decided ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.

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NBA Draft tiebreakers, explained

Six sets of team finished the regular season with identical records. While tiebreaker scenarios exist to dictate how the playoff bracket shakes out, the draft order takes on a different approach. The NBA teams up with Ernst & Young, one of the world's largest consultancy firms.

As insider Marc Stein notes, the "coin flip" is actually a random drawing. Sides with identical records see their ties broken by the process of random drawings.

In 2025, five ties were separated via the system. No tie proved more consequential than the one between the Mavericks and the Bulls, both of whom finished with 39-43 records. Dallas won the random drawing, taking ownership of the 10th-best odds to land the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery. Chicago, meanwhile, sulked to 11th-best odds.

The Mavericks ended up winning the lottery, setting the stage for the franchise to select teenage phenom Cooper Flagg. The Bulls, meanwhile, fell to No. 12, selecting French forward Noa Essengue.

Here's a look at the ties set to be decided in Secaucus, New Jersey on Monday afternoon:

  • Utah Jazz (22-60) vs. Sacramento Kings (22-60)
  • Atlanta Hawks, via New Orleans Pelicans (26-56) vs. Dallas Mavericks (26-56)
  • Memphis Grizzlies, via Orlando Magic (45-37) vs. Charlotte Hornets, via Phoenix Suns (45-37) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, via Philadelphia 76ers (45-37)
  • San Antonio Spurs, via Atlanta Hawks (46-36) vs. Toronto Raptors (46-36)
  • Atlanta Hawks, via Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30) vs. Philadelphia 76ers, via Houston Rockets (52-30)
  • New York Knicks (53-29) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (53-29)

NBA Draft order

Here's a look at the first round draft order based solely on regular-season record:

RoundPickOverallTeamRecord111Washington Wizards17-65122Indiana Pacers19-63133Brooklyn Nets20-62144Utah Jazz22-60155Sacramento Kings22-60166Memphis Grizzlies25-57177Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans)26-56188Dallas Mavericks26-56199Chicago Bulls31-5111010Milwaukee Bucks32-5011111Golden State Warriors37-4511212Oklahoma City Thunder (from Los Angeles)42-4011313Miami Heat43-3911414Charlotte Hornets44-3811515Chicago Bulls (from Portland)42-4011616Memphis Grizzlies (from Orlando)45-3711717Charlotte Hornets (from Phoenix)45-3711818Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia)45-3711919San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta)46-3612020Toronto Raptors46-3612121Detroit Pistons (from Minnesota)49-3312222Atlanta Hawks (from Cleveland)52-3012323Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston)52-3012424New York Knicks53-2912525Los Angeles Lakers53-2912626Denver Nuggets54-2812727Boston Celtics56-2612828Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit)60-2212929Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio)62-2013030Dallas Mavericks (from Oklahoma City)64-18

H3: NBA Draft Lottery odds

Here's a look at the odds of landing the No. 1 pick for each of the 14 sides slated to take part in next month's draft lottery.

No. 1 Pick OddsTeamRecord14.0%Wizards17-6514.0%Pacers19-6314.0%Nets20-6211.5%Jazz22-6011.5%Kings22-609.0%Grizzlies25-576.8%Hawks (via Pelicans)26-566.7%Mavericks26-564.5%Bulls31-513.0%Bucks32-502.0%Warriors37-451.5%Thunder (via Clippers)42-401.0%Heat43-390.5%Hornets44-38

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