Lakers, Knicks close out worst seasons in franchise history

LOS ANGELES -- The 2014-15 season is officially the worst in Lakersfranchise history. The team set that mark with Wednesday's 122-99 loss in their season finale to the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center, giving the Lakers a 21-61 record.

Their .256 winning percentage this season is the lowest in franchise history. The previous low was the .264 winning percentage set by the 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers, who finished 19-53.

"It obviously doesn't sit with me well," Lakers coach Byron Scott said after the game. "Don't like the sound of that. But I also think it makes for a very remarkable story when we turn this thing around as well."

The Lakers were not alone in their unprecedented misery Wednesday.The New York Knicksfinished the season at 17-65 -- the second-worst record in the NBA and the worst in franchise history. New York is guaranteed to land a top-fivepick in the NBA draft and also will have a 19.9 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.

This season marks the second straight in which the Lakers will miss the playoffs, a rarity since the team has reached the playoffs 60 times over their 67-season history.

The Lakers also set a franchise record for most losses in a season, topping last season's mark of 27-55.

"I'm not going to remember that I was a part of the worst team in Lakers history," forwardEd Davissaid. "Obviously we don't want it to happen, but you've got to move on and take the good out of the bad."

This season, the Lakers clinched the league's fourth-worst record. They'll enter the May 19 draft lottery with a 37.9 percent chance of vaulting into the top three picks in June's NBA draft, and an 11.9 percent chance of landing the top overall pick.

However, the Lakers could lose their lottery pick if it falls outside the first five slots, in which case it would then go to the Philadelphia 76ers, as per the protection rules assigned to the pick. The 76ers acquired that pick from the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline; the Suns acquired it through the 2012 Lakers trade for Steve Nash.

As it stands, the Lakers have an 82.8 percent chance of retaining their top-five pick this season.

Injuries have also contributed to the Lakers' back-to-back historically bad seasons.

For the second consecutive season, the Lakers led the NBA in most games lost due to injury. Their players 339 missed games, topping last season's league-leading mark of 319.

All told, the Lakers lost eight guards to injury or retirement this season: Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Nick Young, Jeremy Lin, Ronnie Price, Xavier Henry, Dwight Buycks and Wayne Ellington.

They also had only eight available players Wednesday, with Jordan Clarkson and Wesley Johnson each missing the game with sprained left ankles.

Meanwhile, the Knicks will find out where they select on May 19 when the NBA conducts its draft lottery.

For much of the season, it seemed as if New York would finish with the league's worst record and obtain the best odds to land the top pick.

But the Knicks won two of their final three games to close out the season, allowing Minnesota (16-66) to finish with sole possession of the NBA's worst mark.

The Timberwolves are guaranteed to pick no lower than fourth and will have a 25 percent chance of landing the top pick.

Information from ESPN.com's Ian Begley contributed to this report.