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 their regular season performance. The current Finals format consists of four rounds: two sudden-death play-in games, followed by the best-of-three Semifinals and the best-of-five NBL Championship series.
Format
1980–1983
1984
1985
1986
1987–1988
1989–1991
1992–1996
1997–1998
1999; 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.
2000
2004–2008
2009
2010–2016
2017–2022
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.
2023–present
List of finals 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.
Adelaide 36ers Opponent Occurrences Brisbane Bullets 4 1985, 1986, 1994, 2005 8 4–4 Cairns Taipans 1 2006 1 0–1 Canberra Cannons 1 1988 2 0–2 Eastside Spectres 1 1984 1 0–1 Illawarra Hawks 5 1986, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2017 11 7–4 Melbourne United 5 1991, 1994, 2004, 2014, 2018 13 8–5 Newcastle Falcons 2 1985, 1995 4 3–1 New Zealand Breakers 2 2009, 2015 3 0–3 North Melbourne Giants 1 1994 2 0–2 Perth Wildcats 10 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2014, 2018 25 12–13 S.E. Melbourne Magic 3 1992, 1996, 1998 6 2–4 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 1 2025 1 0–1 Sydney Kings 1 2025 1 1–0 Victoria Titans 4 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 12 7–5 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2002 3 2–1 Totals 42 93 46–47
As of the end of the 2025 season
Brisbane Bullets Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 4 1985, 1986, 1994, 2005 8 4–4 Canberra Cannons 3 1984, 1985, 1986 3 2–1 Eastside Spectres 1 1990 2 2–0 Geelong Cats 1 1984 1 1–0 Hunter Pirates 1 2005 1 1–0 Illawarra Hawks 1 1987 3 2–1 Launceston Casino City 1 1981 1 0–1 Melbourne United 6 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008 14 7–7 Newcastle Falcons 1 1993 2 2–0 New Zealand Breakers 1 2008 1 1–0 North Melbourne Giants 2 1984, 1995 3 1–2 Perth Wildcats 7 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2006, 2019 14 4–10 S.E. Melbourne Magic 1 1998 2 0–2 Sydney Kings 6 1986, 1990, 1992, 2004, 2005, 2007 12 5–7 West Adelaide Bearcats 1 1980 1 0–1 Totals 37 68 32–36
As of the end of the 2019 season
Cairns Taipans Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 1 2006 1 1–0 Hunter Pirates 1 2006 1 1–0 Melbourne United 1 2007 2 0–2 New Zealand Breakers 3 2008, 2011, 2015 6 1–5 Perth Wildcats 6 2004, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2023 10 6–4 South Dragons 1 2007 1 1–0 Sydney Kings 2 2006, 2023 5 1–4 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2023 1 0–1 Townsville Crocodiles 1 2011 3 2–1 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2004 1 0–1 Totals 18 31 13–18
As of the end of the 2023 season
Illawarra Hawks Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 5 1986, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2017 11 4–7 Brisbane Bullets 1 1987 3 1–2 Melbourne United 4 1993, 1994, 2024, 2025 12 4–8 Newcastle Falcons 1 1984 1 0–1 New Zealand Breakers 1 2024 1 1–0 North Melbourne Giants 2 1987, 1992 3 1–2 Perth Wildcats 10 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021 24 5–19 S.E. Melbourne Magic 1 1995 3 1–2 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 1 2025 3 2–1 Sydney Kings 2 2005, 2022 5 0–5 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2024 1 0–1 Townsville Crocodiles 4 2001, 2003, 2005, 2010 10 8–2 Victoria Titans 1 1999 2 0–2 West Sydney Razorbacks 2 1986, 2004 3 1–2 Totals 36 82 28–54
As of the end of the 2025 season
Melbourne United Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 5 1991, 1994, 2004, 2014, 2018 13 5–8 Brisbane Bullets 6 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008 14 7–7 Cairns Taipans 1 2007 2 2–0 Canberra Cannons 1 1996 3 2–1 Illawarra Hawks 4 1993, 1994, 2024, 2025 12 8–4 New Zealand Breakers 3 2009, 2016, 2018 6 4–2 North Melbourne Giants 1 1997 2 2–0 Perth Wildcats 9 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2019, 2021, 2025 24 14–10 South Dragons 1 2009 5 2–3 S.E. Melbourne Magic 4 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 11 6–5 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 1 2021 3 2–1 Sydney Kings 7 1989, 1992, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2019, 2020 22 13–9 Tasmania JackJumpers 2 2022, 2024 8 3–5 Townsville Crocodiles 1 2004 1 0–1 Victoria Titans 3 1999, 2000, 2002 8 3–5 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2002 3 1–2 Totals 50 137 74–63
As of the end of the 2025 season
New Zealand Breakers Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 2 2009, 2015 3 3–0 Brisbane Bullets 1 2008 1 0–1 Cairns Taipans 3 2008, 2011, 2015 6 5–1 Illawarra Hawks 1 2024 1 0–1 Melbourne United 3 2009, 2016, 2018 6 2–4 Perth Wildcats 4 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 11 7–4 Sydney Kings 3 2013, 2023, 2024 8 5–3 Townsville Crocodiles 1 2012 3 2–1 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2023 3 2–1 Totals 42 26–16
As of the end of the 2024 season
Perth Wildcats Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 10 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2014, 2018 25 13–12 Brisbane Bullets 7 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2006, 2019 14 10–4 Cairns Taipans 6 2004, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2023 10 4–6 Canberra Cannons 1 1987 1 1–0 Eastside Spectres 1 1991 3 2–1 Gold Coast Blaze 2 2010, 2012 5 4–1 Illawarra Hawks 10 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021 24 19–5 Melbourne United 9 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2019, 2021, 2025 24 10–14 New Zealand Breakers 4 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 11 4–7 North Melbourne Giants 5 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995 15 8–7 S.E. Melbourne Magic 2 1994, 1997 4 0–4 S.E. Melbourne Phoenix 2 2023, 2025 2 2–0 Sydney Kings 3 2003, 2008, 2020 8 3–5 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2024 3 1–2 Townsville Crocodiles 3 2000, 2008, 2009 5 3–2 Victoria Titans 1 2000 2 2–0 West Sydney Razorbacks 2 2000, 2002 5 2–3 Totals 69 161 88–73
As of the end of the 2025 season
S.E. Melbourne Phoenix Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 1 2025 1 1–0 Illawarra Hawks 1 2025 3 1–2 Melbourne United 1 2021 3 1–2 Perth Wildcats 2 2023, 2025 2 0–2 Totals 5 9 3–6
As of the end of the 2025 season
Sydney Kings Opponent Occurrences Adelaide 36ers 1 2025 1 0–1 Brisbane Bullets 6 1986, 1990, 1992, 2004, 2005, 2007 12 7–5 Cairns Taipans 2 2006, 2023 5 4–1 Canberra Cannons 2 1989, 1996 6 2–4 Illawarra Hawks 2 2004, 2022 5 5–0 Melbourne United 7 1989, 1992, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2019, 2020 22 9–13 Newcastle Falcons 1 1983 1 1–0 New Zealand Breakers 3 2013, 2023, 2024 8 3–5 North Melbourne Giants 2 1983, 1994 4 2–2 Perth Wildcats 3 2003, 2008, 2020 8 5–3 Tasmania JackJumpers 1 2022 3 3–0 Townsville Crocodiles 3 2001, 2003, 2007 7 4–3 West Adelaide Bearcats 1 1983 1 0–1 West Sydney Razorbacks 1 2004 5 3–2 Totals 35 88 48–40
As of the end of the 2025 season
Tasmania JackJumpers Opponent Occurrences Cairns Taipans 1 2023 1 1–0 Illawarra Hawks 1 2024 1 1–0 Melbourne United 2 2022, 2024 8 5–3 New Zealand Breakers 1 2023 3 1–2 Perth Wildcats 1 2024 3 2–1 Sydney Kings 1 2022 3 0–3 Totals 7 19 10–9
As of the end of the 2024 season
Finals appearances TeamAppearancesNotesPerth Wildcats3935 straight Finals appearances from 1987 to 2021.Melbourne United30Rebranded as Melbourne United in 2014, and represents the whole of Melbourne.Adelaide 36ers27Formerly the Adelaide City Eagles (1982 only).Illawarra Hawks24Only team to play all seasons since 1979.Brisbane Bullets22Foundation club since 1979.Sydney Kings20Formerly the Sydney Supersonics and the West Sydney Westars.North Melbourne Giants15Last season in 1998. Formed the Victoria Titans in 1998.Canberra Cannons11Last season in 2003. Became the Hunter Pirates in 2003.New Zealand Breakers10Joined the NBL in 2003. First club outside of Australia.Townsville Crocodiles10Competed in the league for 24 seasons. Last season in 2016.Cairns Taipans9Joined the NBL in 1999.Eastside Spectres8Last season in 1991. Formed the South East Melbourne Magic in 1992.S.E. Melbourne Magic7Last season in 1998. Formed the Victoria Titans in 1998.Newcastle Falcons6Competed in the league for 21 seasons. Last season in 1999.Geelong Supercats4Last season in 1996. Now in NBL1 South.S.E. Melbourne Phoenix4Joined the NBL in 2019.Tasmania JackJumpers4Joined the NBL in 2021.Victoria Titans4Became the Victoria Giants in 2002.West Adelaide Bearcats4Last season in 1984. Now in NBL1 Central.Gold Coast Blaze3Last season in 2012.St. Kilda Saints3Last season in 1991. Formed the South East Melbourne Magic in 1992.West Sydney Razorbacks3Became Sydney Spirit in 2008.Hunter Pirates2Last season in 2006. Became the Singapore Slingers in 2006.South Dragons2Left the NBL in 2009.Sydney SuperSonics2Formed the Sydney Kings in 1988.Launceston Casino City1Last season in 1982.Singapore Slingers1Left the NBL in 2008. Joined the ABL in 2009.West Sydney Westars1Formed the Sydney Kings in 1988.
See also
NBL Championship NBL Cup WNBL Finals Basketball Basketball in Australia Australia men's national basketball team List of NBA playoff series List of WNBA playoff series
References
External links