Then rookie D.J. Kennedy sparked Erie to the D-League playoffs last season./Erie Times-News

The D-League is the testing board for the NBA.

Whether it’s bringing in the international goaltending rule, a 3-minute overtime or having top four seeds pick their first-round playoff opponents, the D-League has always experimented.

However, D-League has gone traditional for its upcoming draft next month – sort of.

Instead of having a lottery to determine a draft order, the league is basing it on last year’s records, meaning the playoff teams will pick after the teams that didn’t make the playoffs.

Eight of the 16 teams make the playoffs.

Now the NBA has a draft lottery, but it’s for the teams that don’t make the playoffs. What the D-League did in the past was have a lottery for every team regardless.

I understood the theory of it, though.

Since the rosters can drastically change from year to year, it gave everyone a fair shot to get the top picks in the draft.

On the other hand, it’s more logical to let  the worst team from a season ago pick first.

That’s how the NFL does it.

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Earlier today, Erie native Julian Blanks competed in an open tryout for the Erie BayHawks at Family First Sports Park in Erie, Pa.

An Cathedral Prep graduate, Blanks has played overseas as well as in other minor leagues like the D-League. The BayHawks are the hybrid affiliate of the New York Knicks.

Get it out of here.

After turning the ball over, former Erie BayHawks forward Ivan Johnson swatted away a dunk attempt by Nick Young of the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.

Johnson has become a key reserve for the Atlanta Hawks as they head into the NBA playoffs.

The top two D-League teams during the regular season will now meet to determine the best team in the league.

The top-seeded Los Angeles D-Fenders open the D-League Finals on Tuesday at Austin against the third-seeded Toros in a best-of-3 series. Game 2 and Game 3, if necessary, will be in Los Angeles. Game 2 is Thursday. If there is a Game 3, it will be Saturday.

Los Angeles was 2-0 against Austin this season, winning both games at home.

The D-Fenders (38-12) had the D-League’s best record while Austin (33-17) had the second-best record. The Toros were seeded third because Springfield won the East Conference to earn the second seed.

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D.J. Kennedy

Here’s an interview Erie BayHawks point guard D.J. Kennedy did the day he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

The Cavaliers will play their final home game Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards.

A 6-foot, 6-inch, 215-pound shooting guard out of St. John’s Kennedy joined BayHawks teammate Donald Sloan, who earlier this year signed with the Cavaliers for the rest of the season.

Cleveland also had BayHawks small forward Mychel Thompson at the start of this shortened 2011-12 season before waiving him in February.

Kennedy averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 44 regular-season games. In the playoffs, the Pittsburgh native averaged 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

The Cavaliers were once an NBA affiliate of the BayHawks before Erie became hybrid partners with the New York Knicks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers put Luke Harangody’s mind, body and spirit to the test – and Jay Larranaga loved it.

The Erie BayHawks coach applauded Harangody for playing four games in as many days with three being for the Canton Charge in the 2012 D-League playoffs.

“I think it’s awesome,” he said. “I think it’s a credit to Luke. The kind of player he is and the kind of professional he is that he was able to do that. That he played at a high level in all four games and helped his team get a win in three of the games including the game he played for the Cavs. The kid deserves so much credit.”

The Cavs recalled the former Notre Dame star up today before Cleveland plays the Philadelphia 76ers tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. In his game with Cleveland, Haranagody had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 99-89 home win against Washington.

The Cavs had recalled Harangody the second time April 14th and sent him back down the Charge the next day for Game 2 of their best-of-3 series at second-seeded Springfield.

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After closing out their respective best-of-3 first-round series Monday night, the Austin Toros and Canton Charge will face each other in Game 1 of the D-League semifinals Thursday night at 7:30 in Canton.

The expansion Charge, a seventh seed, won Game 3 at second-seeded Springfield 115-106 while the third-seeded Toros beat the fifth-seeded Erie BayHawks 99-85 in Game 3 in Austin.

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Two in. Two more to go.

Tonight, seventh-seeded Canton and second-seeded Springfield will settle their best-of-3 D-League first-round playoff series beginning at 7 in Springfield. The expansion Charge took Game 1, but the Armor stayed alive after winning Game 2 in overtime Sunday.

At 8:30 p.m., fifth-seeded Erie and third-seeded Austin will have their Game 3 at 8:30 p.m. in Austin. The BayHawks won Game 1 at home, but the Toros took Game 2 by 10 points Sunday.

The winner of these two series will face each other in the semifinals.

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D.J. Kennedy and New York Knicks rookie 7-footer Jerome Jordan each had 19 points to lead the Erie BayHawks to an 108-95 Game 1 win against the third-seeded Austin Toros on Thursday night at Tullio Arena.

It was the first-ever home playoff win for the BayHawks, who have made the playoffs in three of their four D-League seasons.

A fifth seed in this year’s playoffs, Erie scored 37 bench points in taking an 1-0 series in this best-of-3 series. Game 2 is Sunday in Austin.

Game 3, if necessary, will also be in Austin on Monday.

The fifth-seeded Erie BayHawks (28-22) should have their hands full for their best-of-3 D-League playoff series against the third-seeded Austin Toros (33-17) that begins with Thursday’s Game 1 at Tullio Arena.

After Wednesday’s practice, I caught up with Erie coach Jay Larranaga, New York Knicks rookie Jerome Jordan, Kyle Goldcamp and D.J. Kennedy and asked them about this series.

A key matchup will be Jordan against Austin big man Eric Dawson, who is second in the D-League in double-doubles with 23.