The emergence of college standouts Greg Oden and Kevin Durant has led to rampant speculation around the NBA surrounding which team will secure the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and how they will secure them.

The term “tanking” has been increasingly used in recent years with this season’s frequency reaching an unofficial all-time high. That talk should only escalate with less than a month remaining in the season.

Memphis, Boston, Charlotte, Milwaukee and Philadelphia have been in a race for the top two slots in the draft throughout much of the season. The question remains, have these teams cashed in their chips in hopes of attaining the top pick? And if so, is it really worth it?

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Let’s take one question at a time. First, numbers and personnel decisions point to neither team proactively tanking its season. Neither team is any good, but neither is historically bad either. Memphis currently owns the NBA’s worst record at 17-50, good enough for a three-game “lead” on Boston, which is 20-47.

The Grizzlies easily could have gone into full tank mode and sent star Pau Gasol packing at the trade deadline for draft picks and expiring contracts. But they didn’t, deciding instead to keep Gasol. The winning hasn’t exactly increased but it could have been a lot worse.

Boston, a team which seems to be in a never-ending rebuilding mode, has actually showed some spunk in recent weeks. The Celtics have gone 6-6 SU and 9-3 ATS (4-1 ATS on the road) in their last 12 outings, including impressive outright road wins at Houston and San Antonio. General Manager Danny Ainge’s recent “coincidental” seating assignment next to Durant’s mom suggests Boston is definitely interested in the freshman’s services but the numbers suggest it is not losing at all costs to attain them.

Charlotte’s issues have been due more to its abundance of youthful inexperience than full-on tanking. The Bobcat roster features seven players 25 or younger with five of those players receiving significant minutes. But Charlotte has proven to be a giant-killer this season, posting wins over the Lakers (twice), Detroit (twice), San Antonio, Utah, Cleveland and Chicago. The Bobcats seem to play their best basketball against better competition and could play the role of spoiler down the stretch.

The Bucks’ losing season can largely be attributed to injuries and coaching issues. This team has suffered a myriad of injuries throughout the season but is now just about as healthy as it has been all season. The recent firing of head coach Terry Stotts and promotion of assistant coach Larry Krystkowiak has given the Bucks a boost of energy and could make them a dangerous team down the stretch. Milwaukee was showing signs of improved play even before the coaching change, going 6-4-1 ATS in its last 11 games under Stotts.

Finally, Philadelphia has seen a major turnaround since the trade of Allen Iverson. The 76ers have gone 15-11 SU and 14-10-2 ATS since Jan. 23 and 7-3 SU and 6-2-2 ATS over their last 10 outings. Philly is a legitimate threat right now and should be monitored.

As for the second question, a poor record will increase a team’s chances at earning the top pick but will not guarantee it. The team with the league’s worst record has just a 25 percent chance of winning the draft lottery. Over the last 10 years, only once has the team with the league’s worst record secured the top pick in the draft. That year was 2004 when Orlando turned a 21-61 season into Dwight Howard.

But does owning the first pick in the draft automatically lead to an instant turnaround? Here’s a look at how the last 10 first overall draft picks have affected their team’s fortunes: