Basketball tournament
The National Basketball League (NBL) Finals is a tournament held at the end of each NBL season to determine the league champions.
The top six teams qualify for the finals based on the regular season results. The current finals format consists of four rounds: two sudden-death play-in games then the best-of-three Semifinals and best-of-five Grand Final series.[ 1]
Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 2 3
Preliminary / Elimination finals Qualifying finals Semifinals Grand final 1 4 5 8 6 7 2 3
Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Quarterfinals Semifinals Grand Final 1 8 4 5 3 6 2 7
Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Qualifying Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 1 6 2 5 3 6
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. Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Qualifying Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 1 6 2 5 3 6
Elimination Finals Quarterfinals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 8 2 3 Third place 6 7
Elimination Finals Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 5 2 3 6
Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 2 3
Semifinals Grand Final 1 4 2 3
The top four teams at the end of the regular season advance to the finals under this playoff system:
The semifinals of the postseason sees the team that finishes in first place at the end of the regular season against the team that finishes fourth; and second plays third. All four teams play a best-of-three semifinal series. The two winning teams from the semifinals meet in a best-of-five Grand Final series to determine the champion.[ 2] Play-in / Seeding qualifier Play-in game Semifinals Grand Final 5 1 6 3 2 4
This is a complete listing of National Basketball League (NBL) Finals series, grouped by franchise. Series featuring relocated and/or renamed teams are kept with their ultimate relocation franchises. Bolded years indicate wins. Years in italics indicate series in progress. Tables are sorted first by the number of series, then the number of wins, and then by year of first occurrence.[ 3] [ 4]
Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Perth Wildcats 10 1987 , 1989 , 1991 , 1995 , 1996 , 1998 , 1999 , 2003 , 2014 , 2018 25 4–6 .400 Melbourne United 5 1991 , 1994 , 2004 , 2014 , 2018 13 3–2 .600 Illawarra Hawks 5 1986 , 1999 , 2001 , 2002 , 2017 11 3–2 .600 Victoria Titans 4 1999 , 2000 , 2001 , 2002 12 3–1 .750 Brisbane Bullets 4 1985 , 1986 , 1994 , 2005 8 2–2 .500 S.E. Melbourne Magic 3 1993 , 1996 , 1998 6 1–2 .333 Newcastle Falcons 2 1985 ,1995 4 0–2 .000 New Zealand Breakers 2 2009 , 2015 3 0–2 .000 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2002 3 1–0 1.000 Canberra Cannons 1 1988 2 0–2 .000 North Melbourne Giants 1 1994 2 0–1 .000 Nunawading Spectres 1 1984 1 0–1 .000 Cairns Taipans 1 2006 1 0–1 .000 Totals 40 91 17–24 .415
As of the end of the 2018 season
Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Perth Wildcats 7 1987 , 1988 , 1990 , 1993 , 1997 , 2006 , 2019 14 1–6 .143 Melbourne United 6 1996 , 1998 , 1999 , 2004 , 2007 , 2008 14 3–3 .500 Sydney Kings 5 1990 , 1992 , 2004 , 2005 , 2007 11 2–3 .400 Adelaide 36ers 4 1985 , 1986 , 1994 , 2005 8 2–2 .500 Canberra Cannons 3 1984 , 1985 , 1986 3 2–1 .667 North Melbourne Giants 2 1984 , 1995 3 1–1 .500 Illawarra Hawks 1 1987 3 1–0 1.000 Newcastle Falcons 1 1993 2 1–0 1.000 Eastside Spectres 1 1990 2 1–0 1.000 S.E. Melbourne Magic 1 1998 2 0–1 .000 Geelong Supercats 1 1984 1 1–0 1.000 Hunter Pirates 1 2005 1 1–0 1.000 New Zealand Breakers 1 2008 1 1–0 1.000 Sydney Supersonics 1 1986 1 1–0 1.000 Launceston Casino City 1 1981 1 0–1 .000 West Adelaide Bearcats 1 1980 1 0–1 .000 Totals 37 68 18–19 .486
As of the end of the 2019 season
As of the end of the 2023 season
Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Perth Wildcats 10 1998 , 2001 , 2003 , 2006 , 2010 , 2013 , 2014 , 2016 , 2017 , 2021 24 1–9 .100 Adelaide 36ers 5 1986 , 1999 , 2001 , 2002 , 2017 11 2–3 .400 Townsville Crocodiles 4 2001 , 2003 , 2005 2010 10 4–0 1.000 Melbourne United 3 1993 , 1994 , 2024 7 0–3 .000 Sydney Kings 2 2005 , 2022 5 0–2 .000 North Melbourne Giants 2 1987 , 1992 3 1–1 .500 Brisbane Bullets 1 1987 3 0–1 .000 S.E. Melbourne Magic 1 1995 3 0–1 .000 Victoria Titans 1 1999 2 0–1 .000 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2004 2 0–1 .000 New Zealand Breakers 1 2024 1 1–0 1.000 West Sydney Westars 1 1986 1 1–0 1.000 Newcastle Falcons 1 1984 1 0–1 .000 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2024 1 0–1 .000 Totals 34 74 10–24 .294
As of the end of the 2024 season
Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Perth Wildcats 8 1990 , 1992 , 1993 , 1995 , 2005 , 2006 , 2019 , 2021 21 5–3 .625 Sydney Kings 7 1989 , 1992 , 2003 , 2006 , 2008 , 2019 , 2020 22 4–3 .571 Brisbane Bullets 6 1996 , 1998 , 1999 , 2004 , 2007 , 2008 14 3–3 .500 Adelaide 36ers 5 1991 , 1994 , 2004 , 2014 , 2018 13 2–3 .400 S.E. Melbourne Magic 4 1992 , 1993 , 1996 , 1997 11 2–2 .500 Victoria Titans 3 1999 , 2000 , 2002 8 1–2 .333 Illawarra Hawks 3 1993 , 1994 , 2024 7 3–0 1.000 New Zealand Breakers 3 2009 , 2016 , 2018 6 2–1 .667 Tasmania JackJumpers 2 2022 , 2024 8 0–2 .000 South Dragons 1 2009 5 0–1 .000 Canberra Cannons 1 1996 3 1–0 1.000 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 1 2021 3 1–0 1.000 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2002 3 0–1 .000 Cairns Taipans 1 2007 2 1–0 1.000 North Melbourne Giants 1 1997 2 1–0 1.000 Townsville Crocodiles 1 2005 1 0–1 .000 Totals 48 129 26–22 .542
As of the end of the 2024 season
New Zealand Breakers [ edit ] Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Perth Wildcats 4 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2016 11 3–1 .750 Sydney Kings 3 2013 , 2023 , 2024 8 2–1 .667 Cairns Taipans 3 2008 , 2011 , 2015 6 3–0 1.000 Melbourne United 3 2009 , 2016 , 2018 6 1–2 .333 Adelaide 36ers 2 2009 , 2015 3 2–0 1.000 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2023 3 1–0 1.000 Townsville Crocodiles 1 2012 3 1–0 1.000 Brisbane Bullets 1 2008 1 0–1 .000 Illawarra Hawks 1 2024 1 0–1 .000 Totals 19 42 13–6 .684
As of the end of the 2024 season
Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Adelaide 36ers 10 1987 , 1989 , 1991 , 1995 , 1996 , 1998 , 1999 , 2003 , 2014 , 2018 25 6–4 .600 Illawarra Hawks 10 1998 , 2001 , 2003 , 2006 , 2010 , 2013 , 2014 , 2016 , 2017 , 2021 24 9–1 .100 Melbourne United 8 1990 , 1992 , 1993 , 1995 , 2005 , 2006 , 2019 , 2021 21 3–5 .375 Brisbane Bullets 7 1987 , 1988 , 1990 , 1993 , 1997 , 2006 , 2019 14 6–1 .857 Cairns Taipans 6 2004 , 2007 , 2015 , 2017 , 2020 , 2023 10 2–4 .333 North Melbourne Giants 5 1988 , 1989 , 1990 , 1993 , 1995 15 3–2 .600 New Zealand Breakers 4 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2016 11 1–3 .250 Sydney Kings 3 2003 , 2008 , 2020 8 1–2 .333 Townsville Crocodiles 3 2000 , 2008 , 2009 5 2–1 .667 Gold Coast Blaze 2 2010 , 2012 5 2–0 1.000 West Sydney Razorbacks 2 2000 , 2002 5 1–1 .500 S.E. Melbourne Magic 2 1994 , 1997 4 0–2 .000 Eastside Spectres 1 1991 3 1–0 1.000 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2024 3 0–1 .000 Victoria Titans 1 2000 2 1–0 1.000 Canberra Cannons 1 1987 1 1–0 1.000 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 1 2023 1 1–0 1.000 Totals 67 157 40–27 .597
As of the end of the 2024 season
S.E. Melbourne Phoenix [ edit ] As of the end of the 2023 season
Opponent S Occurrences GP Rec % Melbourne United 7 1989 , 1992 , 2003 , 2006 , 2008 , 2019 , 2020 22 3–4 .429 Brisbane Bullets 5 1990 , 1992 , 2004 , 2005 , 2007 11 3–2 .600 Perth Wildcats 3 2003 , 2008 , 2020 8 2–1 .667 New Zealand Breakers 3 2013 , 2023 , 2024 8 1–2 .333 Townsville Crocodiles 3 2001 , 2003 , 2007 7 2–1 .667 Canberra Cannons 2 1989 , 1996 6 0–2 .000 Cairns Taipans 2 2006 , 2023 5 2–0 1.000 Illawarra Hawks 2 2005 , 2022 5 2–0 1.000 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2004 5 1–0 1.000 North Melbourne Giants 1 1994 3 0–1 .000 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2022 3 1–0 1.000 Totals 30 83 17–13 .567
As of the end of the 2024 season
Tasmania JackJumpers [ edit ] As of the end of the 2024 season
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s