2019 NBL Finals
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Countries |  Australia New Zealand |
| Dates | 28 February – 17 March 2019 |
| Season | 2018–19 |
| Teams | 4 |
| Defending champions | Melbourne United |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Perth Wildcats (9th title) |
| Runner-up | Melbourne United |
| Semifinalists | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 8 |
| Attendance | 84,212 (10,527 per match) |
| Scoring leader(s) | Terrico White (Perth) |
| Terrico White (Perth) | |
The 2019 NBL Finals were the championship series of the 2018–19 NBL season and the conclusion of the season. The semi-finals started on 28 February and ended 3 March 2019, making way for the Grand Final series to commence on 8 March and end on 17 March 2018. The Perth Wildcats were 3-1 victors over Melbourne United in the best of 5 series, winning their ninth NBL championship title.[1]
Format
The finals were played in February and March 2020 between the top four teams of the regular season, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final and one best-of-five final series, where the higher seed hosts the first, third and fifth games.[2]
Qualification
Qualified teams
| Team | Date of
qualification |
Round of
qualification |
Finals
appearance |
Previous
appearance |
Previous best
performance |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth Wildcats | 1 February 2019 | 16 | 33rd | 2018 | Champions (1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017) | [3] |
| Melbourne United | 3 February 2020 | 16 | 24th | 2018 | Champions (1993, 1997, 2006, 2008, 2018) | [4] |
| Sydney Kings | 3 February 2019 | 16 | 14th | 2013 | Champions (2003, 2004, 2005) | [5] |
| Brisbane Bullets | 17 February 2019 | 18 | 21st | 2008 | Champions (1985, 1987, 2007) | [6] |
Ladder
| Pos | 2018–19 NBL season | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP | |
| 1 | Perth Wildcats1 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 64.29% | 4–1 | L1 | 12–2 | 6–8 | 2499 | 2355 | 106.11% |
| 2 | Melbourne United1 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 64.29% | 3–2 | W1 | 10–4 | 8–6 | 2586 | 2478 | 104.36% |
| 3 | Sydney Kings1 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 64.29% | 4–1 | W1 | 9–5 | 9–5 | 2438 | 2380 | 102.44% |
| 4 | Brisbane Bullets2 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 50.00% | 2–3 | W1 | 9–5 | 5–9 | 2503 | 2480 | 100.93% |
| 5 | Adelaide 36ers2 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 50.00% | 2–3 | L2 | 6–8 | 8–6 | 2687 | 2681 | 100.22% |
| 6 | New Zealand Breakers3 | 28 | 12 | 16 | 42.86% | 2–3 | L1 | 7–7 | 5–9 | 2649 | 2641 | 100.30% |
| 7 | Illawarra Hawks3 | 28 | 12 | 16 | 42.86% | 1–4 | L3 | 8–6 | 4–10 | 2493 | 2664 | 93.58% |
| 8 | Cairns Taipans | 28 | 6 | 22 | 21.43% | 2–3 | L1 | 3–11 | 3–11 | 2400 | 2576 | 93.17% |
Updated to match(es) played on 17 February 2019. Source: NBL.com.au
Ladder progression
- Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top four.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
| 2018–19 NBL season | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Adelaide 36ers | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Brisbane Bullets | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Cairns Taipans | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Illawarra Hawks | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Melbourne United | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| New Zealand Breakers | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Perth Wildcats | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Sydney Kings | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Seedings
The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the overall points percentage will determine order of seeding.
Playoff bracket
| Semifinals | Grand Final | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Perth Wildcats | 89 | 84 | X | |||||||||||
| 4 | Brisbane Bullets | 59 | 79 | X | |||||||||||
| 1 | Perth Wildcats | 81 | 74 | 96 | 97 | X | |||||||||
| 2 | Melbourne United | 71 | 92 | 67 | 82 | X | |||||||||
| 2 | Melbourne United | 95 | 90 | X | |||||||||||
| 3 | Sydney Kings | 73 | 76 | X | |||||||||||
Semi-Finals Series
(2) Melbourne United vs. (3) Sydney Kings
| 28 February 2019 | Melbourne United | 95–73 (Series: Melbourne leads series, 1–0) |
Sydney Kings | Melbourne Arena, Melbourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:50 | Scoring by quarter: 24–24, 28–11, 19–18, 24–20 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: Ware 22 Rebs: Boone 7 Asts: Ware 7 |
boxscore | Pts: Newley 17 Rebs: Bogut 7 Asts: Bowen, Lisch, Newley 3 |
Attendance: 7,566 |
| 3 March 2019 | Sydney Kings | 76–90 (Series: Melbourne wins series, 2–0) |
Melbourne United | Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:20 | Scoring by quarter: 24–22, 16–20, 18–25, 18–23 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: Adnam, Lisch 13 Rebs: Bogut 12 Asts: Bogut, Randle 5 |
boxscore | Pts: Ware 30 Rebs: Boone 8 Asts: McCarron 5 |
Attendance: 14,569 |
(1) Perth Wildcats vs. (4) Brisbane Bullets
| 28 February 2019 | Perth Wildcats | 89–59 (Series: Perth leads series, 1–0) |
Brisbane Bullets | RAC Arena, Perth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:20 | Scoring by quarter: 23–16, 18–24, 30–15, 18–4 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: Cotton 22 Rebs: Kay 10 Asts: Cotton 6 |
boxscore | Pts: Gliddon 18 Rebs: Hodgson 7 Asts: Patterson 6 |
Attendance: 10,587 |
| 2 March 2019 | Brisbane Bullets | 79–84 (Series: Perth wins series, 2–0) |
Perth Wildcats | Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:50 | Scoring by quarter: 20–25, 21–24, 21–20, 17–15 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: Patterson 19 Rebs: Bairstow 7 Asts: Gibson 5 |
boxscore | Pts: White 24 Rebs: Kay 15 Asts: Cotton 10 |
Attendance: 5,519 |
Grand Final Series
(1) Perth Wildcats vs. (2) Melbourne United
| 8 March 2019 | Perth Wildcats | 81–71 (Series: Perth leads series, 1–0) |
Melbourne United | RAC Arena, Perth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:20 | Scoring by quarter: 14–13, 15–20, 31–14, 21–24 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: White 19 Rebs: Cotton, White 8 Asts: Cotton 8 |
boxscore | Pts: Ware 19 Rebs: Boone 12 Asts: Ware 4 |
Attendance: 12,490 |
| 10 March 2019 | Melbourne United | 92–74 (Series: Series tied, 1–1) |
Perth Wildcats | Melbourne Arena, Melbourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:50 | Scoring by quarter: 20–20, 22–21, 26–16, 24–17 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: Goulding, Ware 14 Rebs: Kennedy 14 Asts: Kennedy, McCarron 4 |
boxscore | Pts: Cotton 19 Rebs: Kay 8 Asts: Cotton, White 4 |
Attendance: 10,062 |
| 15 March 2019 | Perth Wildcats | 96–67 (Series: Perth leads series, 2–1) |
Melbourne United | RAC Arena, Perth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:35 | Scoring by quarter: 21–16, 21–20, 28–15, 26–16 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: White 31 Rebs: Kay, White 7 Asts: Cotton 10 |
boxscore | Pts: Barlow, Kennedy 13 Rebs: Kennedy 10 Asts: Kennedy 6 |
Attendance: 13,412 |
| 17 March 2019 | Melbourne United | 84–97 (Series: Perth wins series, 3–1) |
Perth Wildcats | Melbourne Arena, Melbourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:20 | Scoring by quarter: 28–26, 17–27, 12–15, 27–29 | |||
| Fox Sports | Pts: Ware 18 Rebs: Boone 7 Asts: Goulding, Ware 4 |
boxscore | Pts: Cotton 28 Rebs: Kay 10 Asts: Martin 6 |
Attendance: 10,007 |
References
- ^ Ward, Roy (17 March 2019). "Perth win ninth NBL title with game 4 victory over Melbourne United". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ "National Basketball League | NBL". nbl.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ "National Basketball League | NBL". nbl.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ "National Basketball League | NBL". nbl.com.au. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ "Kings lock in finals spot after blowout win over the Bullets". www.sydneykings.com. Retrieved 5 April 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "National Basketball League | NBL". www.brisbanebullets.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2020.