# 1990 NBL Finals

The 1990 NBL Finals was the championship series of the 1990 season of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Perth Wildcats defeated the Brisbane Bullets in three games (2-1) for their first NBL championship.

## Format

The 1990 National Basketball League Finals started on 26 September and concluded on 28 October. The playoffs consisted of two best of three Elimination Finals, two best of three Semifinals and the best of three game Grand Final series. As the two top teams at the end of the regular season, the North Melbourne Giants and Eastside Spectres both qualified for home court advantage during the Semifinals.

## Qualification
### Qualified teams

| Team | Finals appearance | Previous appearance | Previous best performance |
| North Melbourne Giants | 3rd | 1989 | Champions (1989) |
| Eastside Spectres | 6th | 1985 | Runner up (1981) |
| Brisbane Bullets | 8th | 1988 | Champions (1985, 1987) |
| Perth Wildcats | 4th | 1989 | Runner up (1987) |
| Melbourne Tigers | 2nd | 1989 | 5th in 1989 |
| Sydney Kings | 2nd | 1989 | 4th in 1989 |

### Ladder

| Pos | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte | 1990 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | North Melbourne Giants | 26 | 20 | 6 | 76.92% | 3–2 | W3 | 10–3 | 10–3 | 3111 | 2889 | 107.68% |
| 2 | Eastside Spectres$^1$ | 26 | 18 | 8 | 69.23% | 3–2 | W1 | 10–3 | 8–5 | 3028 | 2858 | 105.95% |
| 3 | Brisbane Bullets$^1$ | 26 | 18 | 8 | 69.23% | 3–2 | W1 | 9–4 | 9–4 | 3053 | 2902 | 105.20% |
| 4 | Melbourne Tigers$^2$ | 26 | 17 | 9 | 65.38% | 4–1 | L1 | 11–2 | 6–7 | 3226 | 3018 | 106.89% |
| 5 | Perth Wildcats$^2$ | 26 | 17 | 9 | 65.38% | 3–2 | W2 | 11–2 | 6–7 | 2926 | 2791 | 104.84% |
| 6 | Sydney Kings$^3$ | 26 | 16 | 10 | 61.54% | 3–2 | W2 | 9–4 | 7–6 | 2819 | 2710 | 104.02% |
| 7 | Canberra Cannons$^3$ | 26 | 16 | 10 | 61.54% | 4–1 | L1 | 10–3 | 6–7 | 2918 | 2843 | 102.64% |
| 8 | Illawarra Hawks | 26 | 13 | 13 | 50.00% | 1–4 | L2 | 9–4 | 4–9 | 3056 | 3094 | 98.77% |
| 9 | Adelaide 36ers | 26 | 12 | 14 | 46.15% | 3–2 | L1 | 9–4 | 3–10 | 3042 | 2997 | 101.50% |
| 10 | Geelong Supercats | 26 | 11 | 15 | 42.31% | 3–2 | W1 | 8–5 | 3–10 | 3002 | 2997 | 100.17% |
| 11 | Gold Coast Cougars | 26 | 9 | 17 | 34.62% | 1–4 | L3 | 6–7 | 3–10 | 2880 | 2978 | 96.71% |
| 12 | Hobart Tassie Devils | 26 | 8 | 18 | 30.77% | 1–4 | L1 | 5–8 | 3–10 | 2926 | 3149 | 92.92% |
| 13 | Newcastle Falcons | 26 | 4 | 22 | 15.38% | 3–2 | W1 | 4–9 | 0–13 | 2796 | 3135 | 89.19% |
| 14 | Westside Saints | 26 | 3 | 23 | 11.54% | 0–5 | L7 | 2–11 | 1–12 | 2713 | 3135 | 86.54% |
Updated to match(es) played on 22 September 1990. Source: NBL.com.au
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 results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding.
$^1$Head-to-Head between Eastside Spectres and Brisbane Bullets (1-1). Eastside Spectres won For and Against (+7).
$^2$Head-to-Head between Melbourne Tigers and Perth Wildcats (1-1). Melbourne Tigers won For and Against (+11).
$^3$Sydney Kings won Head-to-Head (2-0).

## Playoff bracket

| Elimination Finals | Elimination Finals | Elimination Finals | Elimination Finals | Elimination Finals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| | | | | | 1 | North Melbourne Giants | 111 | 131 | 110 | | | | | |
| 4 | Melbourne Tigers | 100 | 113 | X | 5 | Perth Wildcats | 121 | 110 | 112 | | | | | |
| 5 | Perth Wildcats | 122 | 123 | X | | | | | | 3 | Brisbane Bullets | 106 | 106 | 86 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Perth Wildcats | 112 | 90 | 109 |
| | | | | | 2 | Eastside Spectres | 111 | 119 | X | | | | | |
| 3 | Brisbane Bullets | 87 | 124 | 107 | 3 | Brisbane Bullets | 121 | 120 | X | | | | | |
| 6 | Sydney Kings | 98 | 96 | 104 | | | | | | | | | | |

## Elimination Finals
### (4) Perth Wildcats vs (5) Melbourne Tigers
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 26 September
* boxscore
Perth Wildcats 122, Melbourne Tigers 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26-24, 29-29, 28-22, 39-25 |||
| Pts: Ricky Grace 30 Rebs: Kendal Pinder 11 Asts: Ricky Grace 7 | Pts: Dave Colbert 52 Rebs: Dave Colbert 9 Asts: Nigel Purchase 4 |
| Perth lead the series 1-0 |||
* Perth Entertainment Centre Attendance: 8,200 Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Geoff Weeks

#### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 28 September
* boxscore
Melbourne Tigers 113, Perth Wildcats 123 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24-21, 32-32, 28-31, 29-39 |||
| Pts: Dave Colbert 42 Rebs: Colbert, Simmons 9 each Asts: Nigel Purchase 7 | Pts: Kendal Pinder 29 Rebs: James Crawford 9 Asts: Mike Ellis 10 |
| Perth win the series 2-0 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Geoff Weeks

### (3) Brisbane Bullets vs (6) Sydney Kings
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 26 September
* boxscore
Sydney Kings 98, Brisbane Bullets 87 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25-19, 24-24, 21-26, 28-18 |||
| Pts: Damian Keogh 26 Rebs: Mark Ridlen 13 Asts: Damian Keogh 5 | Pts: Andre Moore 28 Rebs: Leroy Loggins 11 Asts: Derek Rucker 6 |
| Sydney lead the series 1-0 |||
* State Sports Centre, Sydney Attendance: 5,006 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Ray Hunt

#### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 28 September
* boxscore
Brisbane Bullets 124, Sydney Kings 96 :
| Scoring by quarter: 30-30, 28-20, 38-21, 28-25 |||
| Pts: Derek Rucker 37 Rebs: Loggins, Moore 10 each Asts: Derek Rucker 5 | Pts: Steve Carfino 30 Rebs: Ridlen, Svaldenis 6 each Asts: Carfino, Robilliard, Dalton 5 each |
| Series tied at 1-1 |||
* Brisbane Entertainment Centre Referees: Eddie Crouch, Ray Hunt

#### Game 3

* Seven Network
* 30 September
* boxscore
Brisbane Bullets 107, Sydney Kings 104 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33-25, 28-23, 25-26, 21-30 |||
| Pts: Derek Rucker 46 Rebs: Andre Moore 9 Asts: Rucker, Fox 6 each | Pts: Mark Ridlen 35 Rebs: Mark Dalton 9 Asts: Steve Carfino 4 |
| Brisbane wins the series 2-1 |||
* Brisbane Entertainment Centre Referees: Eddie Crouch, Ray Hunt

## Semifinals
### (2) Eastside Spectres vs (3) Brisbane Bullets
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 6 October
* boxscore
Brisbane Bullets 121, Eastside Spectres 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 38-30, 23-22, 26-26, 34-33 |||
| Pts: Andre Moore 36 Rebs: Andre Moore 13 Asts: Greg Fox 9 | Pts: Darren Perry 22 Rebs: Dean Uthoff 12 Asts: Darren Perry 12 |
| Brisbane lead the series 1-0 |||
* Brisbane Entertainment Centre Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Ray Hunt

#### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 13 October
* boxscore
Eastside Spectres 119, Brisbane Bullets 120 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26-32, 31-28, 27-35, 29-18 |||
| Pts: Bruce Bolden 35 Rebs: Dean Uthoff 12 Asts: Bruce Bolden 8 | Pts: Andre Moore 35 Rebs: Andre Moore 10 Asts: Greg Fox 10 |
| Brisbane wins the series 2-0 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Ray Hunt

### (1) North Melbourne Giants vs (4) Perth Wildcats
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 6 October
* boxscore
Perth Wildcats 121, North Melbourne Giants 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 29-28, 28-30, 35-29, 29-24 |||
| Pts: Ricky Grace 39 Rebs: Kendal Pinder 14 Asts: Mike Ellis 12 | Pts: Scott Fisher 27 Rebs: Scott Fisher 12 Asts: Joe Hillman 7 |
| Perth lead the series 1-0 |||
* Perth Entertainment Centre Attendance: 8,200 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Geoff Weeks

#### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 12 October
* boxscore
North Melbourne Giants 131, Perth Wildcats 110 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31-23, 31-37, 35-23, 34-27 |||
| Pts: Scott Fisher 35 Rebs: Scott Fisher 14 Asts: Joe Hillman 4 | Pts: Ricky Grace 25 Rebs: James Crawford 15 Asts: Mike Ellis 7 |
| Series tied at 1-1 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Geoff Weeks

#### Game 3

* Seven Network
* 14 October
* boxscore
North Melbourne Giants 110, Perth Wildcats 112 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 20-25, 34-23, 26-30, 20-22, Overtime: 10-12 |||
| Pts: Scott Fisher 32 Rebs: Scott Fisher 21 Asts: Hillman, Fisher 4 each | Pts: Kendal Pinder 28 Rebs: Kendal Pinder 13 Asts: Ricky Grace 11 |
| Perth win the series 2-1 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Geoff Weeks

## Grand Final series

The 1990 Grand Final series between the Brisbane Bullets and Perth Wildcats saw a then record aggregate attendance for an NBL Grand Final series with 34,580 attending the 3 games. Game 2 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre attracted a then record Australian indoor sporting attendance (and NBL record crowd) of 13,221.

### (3) Brisbane Bullets vs (4) Perth Wildcats
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 19 October
* boxscore
Perth Wildcats 112, Brisbane Bullets 106 :
| Scoring by quarter: 32-20, 20-32, 32-23, 28-31 |||
| Pts: Ricky Grace 32 Rebs: James Crawford 14 Asts: Mike Ellis 9 | Pts: Derek Rucker 27 Rebs: Andre Moore 14 Asts: Derek Rucker 10 |
| Perth leads series 1-0 |||
* Perth Entertainment Centre Attendance: 8,200 Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Eddie Crouch

#### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 26 October
* boxscore
Brisbane Bullets 106, Perth Wildcats 90 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28-20, 23-17, 34-27, 21-26 |||
| Pts: Derek Rucker 27 Rebs: Andre Moore 13 Asts: Derek Rucker 7 | Pts: James Crawford 22 Rebs: James Crawford 14 Asts: Ricky Grace 7 |
| Series tied at 1-1 |||
* Brisbane Entertainment Centre Attendance: 13,221 Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Eddie Crouch

#### Game 3

* Seven Network
* 28 October
* boxscore
Brisbane Bullets 86, Perth Wildcats 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22-27, 25-31, 13-22, 26-29 |||
| Pts: Derek Rucker 21 Rebs: Andre Moore 9 Asts: Derek Rucker 5 | Pts: Ricky Grace 25 Rebs: Kendal Pinder 8 Asts: Grace, Ellis 7 each |
| Perth wins series and NBL Championship 2–1 Grand Final MVP: Ricky Grace (Perth) |||
* Brisbane Entertainment Centre Attendance: 13,159 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall