2018–19 NBL season

The 2018–19 NBL season was the 41st season of the National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. A total of eight teams have contested the league. The regular season had been played between October 2018 and February 2019, followed by a post-season featuring the top four in March 2019.

2018–19 NBL season
League	National Basketball League
Season	2018–19
Teams	8
Dates	11 October 2018 – 17 March 2019
TV	Australia: Fox Sports Nine Network 9Go! New Zealand: Sky Sport Online: NBL TV
Finals
Top seed	Perth Wildcats
Champions	Perth Wildcats (9th title)
Runners-up	Melbourne United
Semifinalists	Sydney Kings Brisbane Bullets
Awards
MVP	Andrew Bogut (Sydney)
Finals MVP	Terrico White (Perth)
Statistical leaders
Efficiency Deng Deng (Sydney) 67% Points Bryce Cotton (Perth) 22.5 Rebounds Andrew Bogut (Sydney) 11.6 Assists Nathan Sobey (Adelaide) 5.2

Australian broadcast rights to the season are held by Fox Sports, in the fourth year of a five-year deal, with two game per week simulcast on the Nine Network. In New Zealand, Sky Sport are the official league broadcaster.

As Australia and New Zealand are participating in 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification, the league will take a break during the FIBA international windows of 26 November to 4 December 2018 and 18–26 February 2019.

The Perth Wildcats won their ninth NBL championship after defeating Melbourne United in the Grand Final.

Pre-season

The pre-season featured games in China and Maylasia. As well, it featured the NBLxNBA 2018 Tour in which five NBL teams played a total of seven games. Five NBL teams played a total of seven games against NBA teams in the 2018 pre-season.[1]

Regular season

Ladder

2018-19 NBL ladder
Ladder	Information
Pos. Nat. Name Pld. W. L. Last 5 Streak Home Away For Against Pts % Win % 1 Perth Wildcats 28 18 10 4-1 L1 12-2 6-8 2499 2355 106.11% 64.29% 2 Melbourne United (RC) 28 18 10 3-2 W1 10-4 8-6 2586 2478 104.36% 64.29% 3 Sydney Kings 28 18 10 4-1 W1 9-5 9-5 2438 2380 102.44% 64.29% 4 Brisbane Bullets 28 14 14 2-3 W1 9-5 5-9 2503 2480 100.93% 50.00% 5 Adelaide 36ers 28 14 14 2-3 L2 6-8 8-6 2687 2681 100.22% 50.00% 6 New Zealand Breakers 28 12 16 2-3 L1 7-7 5-9 2649 2641 100.30% 42.86% 7 Illawarra Hawks 28 12 16 1-4 L3 8-6 4-10 2493 2664 93.58% 42.86% 8 Cairns Taipans 28 6 22 2-3 L1 3-11 3-11 2400 2576 93.17% 21.43%	Total Rounds 18 Games per Team 28 Total Games 112 Legend (NT) New Team (RC) Reigning Champion Updated: 5 October 2019

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 between the teams will determine order of seeding.

¹Perth Wildcats won on overall points percentage. Melbourne United finished 2nd on overall points percentage.

²Brisbane Bullets won on overall points percentage.

³New Zealand Breakers won on overall points percentage.

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.

	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

Finals series

The 2018–19 National Basketball League Finals were played in February and March 2019, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final series and the best-of-five Grand Final series. In the semi-finals, the higher seed hosts the first and third games. In the Grand Final, the higher seed hosts the first, third and fifth games.

After winning both of their semi-finals in straight games, the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United progressed to the Grand Final where the Wildcats triumphed 3–1.[2]

Playoff Bracket

	Semi-finals							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

Awards

Pre-season

• Most Valuable Player (Ray Borner Medal): Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)

Season

• Most Valuable Player (Andrew Gaze Trophy): Andrew Bogut (Sydney Kings)
• Rookie of the Year: Harry Froling (Adelaide 36ers)
• Best Defensive Player: Andrew Bogut (Sydney Kings)
• Best Sixth Man: Reuben Te Rangi (Brisbane Bullets)
• Most Improved Player: Reuben Te Rangi (Brisbane Bullets)
• Fans MVP: Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)
• Coach of the Year (Lindsay Gaze Trophy): Dean Vickerman (Melbourne United)
• Referee of the Year: Michael Aylen
• All-NBL First Team:
  • Casper Ware (Melbourne United)
  • Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)
  • Lamar Patterson (Brisbane Bullets)
  • Nick Kay (Perth Wildcats)
  • Andrew Bogut (Sydney Kings)
• All-NBL Second Team:
  • Jerome Randle (Sydney Kings)
  • Melo Trimble (Cairns Taipans)
  • Nathan Sobey (Adelaide 36ers)
  • Daniel Johnson (Adelaide 36ers)
  • Shawn Long (New Zealand Breakers)

Finals

• Grand Final Series MVP (Larry Sengstock Medal): Terrico White (Perth Wildcats)

References

1. "NBL Teams to Play Historic Seven Game Series in 2018 NBA Preseason". National Basketball League. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
2. "Wildcats Clinch Ninth Championship on the Road". NBL.com.au. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2020.