2019 NBL Finals

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]

2019 NBL Finals

Tournament details
Country	Australia
Dates	28 February – 17 March
Season	2018–19
Teams	4
Defending champions	Melbourne United
Final positions
Champions	Perth Wildcats (9th title)
Runners-up	Melbourne United
Semifinalists	Sydney Kings Brisbane Bullets
Tournament statistics
Matches played	8
Attendance	84,212 (10,527 per match)
Scoring leader(s)	Terrico White
Awards
MVP	Terrico White (Perth)
← 2018 2020 →

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 v t e
	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 v t e
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

1. Perth Wildcats
2. Melbourne United
3. Sydney Kings
4. Brisbane Bullets

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

Melbourne United v Sydney Kings

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

Sydney Kings v Melbourne United

(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

Perth Wildcats v Brisbane Bullets

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

Brisbane Bullets v Perth Wildcats

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

Perth Wildcats v Melbourne United

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

Melbourne United v Perth Wildcats

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

Perth Wildcats v Melbourne United

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

Melbourne United v Perth Wildcats

See also: 2018–19 NBL season