NBL Finals

NBL Finals

Current season, competition or edition: 2020 NBL Finals
2014 NBL Finals logo
Sport	Basketball
Founded	1979
No. of teams	4
Most recent champion(s)	Perth Wildcats (9th title)
Most titles	Perth Wildcats (9 titles)
TV partner(s)	Australia: ESPN Australia SBS New Zealand: Sky Sport Online: Facebook Watch NBL TV SBS On Demand Twitch
Official website	NBL.com.au

The National Basketball League (NBL) Finals is a tournament held at the end of each NBL season to determine the league champions. The top four teams qualify for the finals based on the regular season results. The current finals format consists of two rounds: the best-of-three Semi Finals and best-of-five Grand Final series.

Format

1980–1984

	Semi Finals					Grand Final
	1
	4
	2
	3

1985

	Quarter Finals					Semi Final					Grand Final
						1
	4
	5
						2
	3
	6

1987

	Semi Finals							Grand Final
	1
	4
	2
	3

1992–1996

	Quarter Finals							Semi Finals							Grand Final
	1
	8
	4
	5
	3
	6
	2
	7

1999

The top six teams at the end of the regular season advance to the finals under this playoff system:

• The first round of the postseason sees the team that finishes in first place at the end of the regular season against the team that finishes sixth; second plays fifth, and third plays fourth.
• The three teams that win their respective best-of-three first-round series advances, and is joined in the semifinals by the highest-placed losing team from the first round.
• Teams are then seeded again for the best-of-three semifinal series. The three winning teams from the first round are seeded in order of their regular-season finishing positions, and the first-round loser automatically becomes the No. 4 seed.
• The two winning teams from the semifinals meet in a best-of-three Grand Final series to determine the champion.

2001–2003

The top six teams at the end of the regular season advance to the finals under this playoff system:

• The first round of the postseason sees the team that finishes in first place at the end of the regular season against the team that finishes sixth; second plays fifth, and third plays fourth.
• The three teams that win their respective best-of-three first-round series advances, and is joined in the semifinals by the highest-placed losing team from the first round.
• Teams are then seeded again for the best-of-three semifinal series. The three winning teams from the first round are seeded in order of their regular-season finishing positions, and the first-round loser automatically becomes the No. 4 seed.
• The two winning teams from the semifinals meet in a best-of-three Grand Final series to determine the champion.

2017–present

	Semi Finals							Grand Final
	1
	4
	2
	3

Finals appearances

Team	Appearances	Notes
Perth Wildcats	34	34 straight Finals appearances since 1987.
Adelaide 36ers	25	Formerly the Adelaide City Eagles (1982 only).
Brisbane Bullets	22
Melbourne Tigers	21	Team left the NBL in 2014, now in NBL1.
The Hawks	20	Only team to play all seasons since 1979.
North Melbourne Giants	15	Last season in 1998. Formed the Victoria Titans in 1998.
Sydney Kings	15	Formerly the Sydney Supersonics and the West Sydney Westars.
Canberra Cannons	11	Last season in 2003. Became the Hunter Pirates in the 2003–04 NBL season.
Townsville Crocodiles	10	Competed in the league for 24 seasons. Last season in 2016.
Cairns Taipans	8
Eastside Spectres	8	Last season in 1991. Formed the South East Melbourne Magic in 1992.
New Zealand Breakers	8
South East Melbourne Magic	7	Last season in 1998. Formed the Victoria Titans in 1998.
Newcastle Falcons	6	Competed in the league for 21 seasons. Last season in 1999.
Geelong Supercats	4	Last season in 1996. Now in NBL1.
Melbourne United	4	Team formed in 2014, and represents the whole of Melbourne.
Victoria Titans	4	Became the Victoria Giants in the 2002–03 NBL season.
West Adelaide Bearcats	4	Last season in 1984. Now in the ABA.
Gold Coast Blaze	3	Last season in 2012.
Southern Melbourne Saints	3	Last season in 1991. Formed the South East Melbourne Magic in 1992.
West Sydney Razorbacks	3	Became Sydney Spirit in 2009.
Hunter Pirates	2	Last season in 2006. Became the Singapore Slingers in the 2006–07 NBL season.
South Dragons	2	Left the NBL in 2009.
Sydney Supersonics	2	Formed the Sydney Kings in 1988.
Launceston Casino City	1	Last season in 1982.
Singapore Slingers	1	Left the NBL in 2008. Now in the ABL.
West Sydney Westars	1	Formed the Sydney Kings in 1988.

See also

• WNBL Finals