# 2019–20 NBL season

The 2019–20 NBL season was the 42nd season of the National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. The Perth Wildcats became champions. They drew an average home attendance of 12,974, the highest in the 2019–20 NBL season.

## Teams

Nine teams competed in the 2019–20 Season with the addition of South East Melbourne Phoenix.
* Breakers
* Bullets
* Hawks
* Kings
* Taipans
* United
* Wildcats
* 36ers
* Phoenix
| Team | Location | Coach | Captain | Stadium | Capacity | Founded | Main Sponsor |
| Adelaide 36ers | Adelaide | Joey Wright | Brendan Teys Kevin White | Adelaide Entertainment Centre | 11,300 | 1982 | Scouts Australia |
| Brisbane Bullets | Brisbane | Andrej Lemanis | Rotating captaincy | Nissan Arena | 5,000 | 1979 | Tyrepower |
| Cairns Taipans | Cairns | Mike Kelly | Nathan Jawai D. J. Newbill | Cairns Convention Centre | 5,300 | 1999 | CQUniversity |
| Illawarra Hawks | Wollongong | Matt Flinn | David Andersen Todd Blanchfield | WIN Entertainment Centre | 6,000 | 1979 | SLAM Media Inc. |
| Illawarra Hawks | Wollongong | Matt Flinn | David Andersen Todd Blanchfield | AIS Arena | 5,200 | 1979 | SLAM Media Inc. |
| Melbourne United | Melbourne | Dean Vickerman | Chris Goulding | Melbourne Arena | 10,500 | 1984 | SodaStream |
| New Zealand Breakers | Auckland | Dan Shamir | Thomas Abercrombie | Spark Arena | 9,300 | 2003 | Sky Sport |
| New Zealand Breakers | Auckland | Dan Shamir | Thomas Abercrombie | Eventfinda Stadium | 4,400 | 2003 | Sky Sport |
| New Zealand Breakers | Auckland | Dan Shamir | Thomas Abercrombie | ILT Stadium Southland | 4,000 | 2003 | Sky Sport |
| Perth Wildcats | Perth | Trevor Gleeson | Damian Martin | Perth Arena | 14,800 | 1982 | Pentanet |
| South East Melbourne Phoenix | Melbourne | Simon Mitchell | Mitch Creek Adam Gibson | Melbourne Arena | 10,500 | 2019 | Dreamstreet Lending |
| South East Melbourne Phoenix | Melbourne | Simon Mitchell | Mitch Creek Adam Gibson | State Basketball Centre | 3,200 | 2019 | Dreamstreet Lending |
| Sydney Kings | Sydney | Will Weaver | Kevin Lisch | Qudos Bank Arena | 18,200 | 1988 | Hostplus |

### Off-season changes

* The South East Melbourne Phoenix joined the NBL.
* Will Weaver replaced Andrew Gaze as head coach of the Sydney Kings.
* Dan Shamir replaced Kevin Braswell as head coach of the New Zealand Breakers.
* Matt Flinn replaced Rob Beveridge as head coach of the Illawarra Hawks.

## Pre-season

The pre-season games started on 19 June 2019 and ended on 16 October 2019. The pre-season featured games in China, the Philippines and the United States, and featured the NBLxNBA 2019 Tour in which five NBL teams played a total of seven games.

### Ladder
#### NBL Blitz ladder
## Regular season

The 2019–20 regular season took place over 20 rounds between 3 October 2019 and 16 February 2020.

### Ladder

| Pos | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte | 2019–20 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | Sydney Kings | 28 | 20 | 8 | 71.43% | 4–1 | W2 | 12–2 | 8–6 | 2642 | 2472 | 106.88% |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 28 | 19 | 9 | 67.86% | 4–1 | W3 | 11–3 | 8–6 | 2529 | 2409 | 104.98% |
| 3 | Cairns Taipans | 28 | 16 | 12 | 57.14% | 3–2 | L2 | 11–3 | 5–9 | 2587 | 2547 | 101.57% |
| 4 | Melbourne United | 28 | 15 | 13 | 53.57% | 4–1 | W3 | 9–5 | 6–8 | 2638 | 2560 | 103.05% |
| 5 | Brisbane Bullets | 28 | 15 | 13 | 53.57% | 3–2 | W1 | 10–4 | 5–9 | 2607 | 2557 | 101.96% |
| 6 | New Zealand Breakers | 28 | 15 | 13 | 53.57% | 4–1 | W4 | 9–5 | 6–8 | 2514 | 2468 | 101.86% |
| 7 | Adelaide 36ers | 28 | 12 | 16 | 42.86% | 1–4 | L2 | 8–6 | 4–10 | 2654 | 2768 | 95.88% |
| 8 | S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | 28 | 9 | 19 | 32.14% | 0–5 | L8 | 6–8 | 3–11 | 2671 | 2761 | 96.74% |
| 9 | Illawarra Hawks | 28 | 5 | 23 | 17.86% | 0–5 | L10 | 3–11 | 2–12 | 2354 | 2654 | 88.70% |
Updated to match(es) played on 16 February 2020. 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 overall points percentage between the teams will determine order of seeding.
$^1$Melbourne United won on overall points percentage. Brisbane Bullets finished 5th 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.
2019–20 NBL season vte :
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Adelaide 36ers | – | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Brisbane Bullets | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Cairns Taipans | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Illawarra Hawks | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Melbourne United | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| New Zealand Breakers | – | – | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Perth Wildcats | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| S.E. Melbourne Phoenix | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Sydney Kings | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |

## Finals

The 2020 NBL Finals were played in February and March 2020, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final series and a best-of-five Grand Final series. In the semi-finals, the higher seed hosted the first and third games. In the Grand Final, the higher seed hosts the first, third and fifth games.
Despite the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple other sporting events being cancelled due to the pandemic, the Grand Final series started on 8 March 2020. Beginning with Game 2, all remaining games would be played behind closed doors with no spectators. After Game 3, the Sydney Kings (who were trailing 2–1 in the series) announced that they would pull out of the Grand Final due to COVID-19 concerns. The NBL therefore cancelled the remainder of the series, and named the Perth Wildcats as NBL champions by default.

### Playoff bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Sydney Kings | 86 | 80 | 89 | | | | | |
| 4 | Melbourne United | 80 | 125 | 87 | | | | | |
| 4 | Melbourne United | 80 | 125 | 87 | 1 | Sydney Kings | 86 | 97 | 96 |
| | | | | | 2 | Perth Wildcats | 88 | 85 | 111 |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 108 | 74 | 93 | 2 | Perth Wildcats | 88 | 85 | 111 |
| 3 | Cairns Taipans | 107 | 85 | 82 | | | | | |

## Awards
### Pre-season

* Most Valuable Player (Ray Borner Medal): John Roberson (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
* 3 Point Shootout: David Barlow (Melbourne United)
* Dunk Contest: Terry Armstrong (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

### Regular season
#### Player of the Week

| Rounds | Player | Team |
| Round 1 | Mitch Creek | South East Melbourne Phoenix |
| Round 2 | Bryce Cotton | Perth Wildcats |
| Round 3 | Andrew Bogut | Sydney Kings |
| Round 4 | Shawn Long | Melbourne United |
| Round 5 | Jason Cadee | Brisbane Bullets |
| Round 6 | LaMelo Ball | Illawarra Hawks |
| Round 7 | Jerome Randle | Adelaide 36ers |
| Round 8 | LaMelo Ball | Illawarra Hawks |
| Round 9 | Cameron Oliver | Cairns Taipans |
| Round 10 | Nick Kay | Perth Wildcats |
| Round 11 | John Roberson | South East Melbourne Phoenix |
| Round 11 | Jerome Randle | Adelaide 36ers |
| Round 12 | Scotty Hopson | New Zealand Breakers |
| Round 13 | Lamar Patterson | Brisbane Bullets |
| Round 14 | Dane Pineau | South East Melbourne Phoenix |
| Round 15 | Scott Machado | Cairns Taipans |
| Round 16 | Scotty Hopson | New Zealand Breakers |
| Round 17 | Miles Plumlee | Perth Wildcats |
| Round 18 | Nick Kay | Perth Wildcats |
| Round 19 | Cameron Oliver | Cairns Taipans |
| Round 20 | Chris Goulding | Melbourne United |

#### Awards night

* Most Valuable Player (Andrew Gaze Trophy): Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)
* Rookie of the Year: LaMelo Ball (Illawarra Hawks)
* Best Defensive Player: D. J. Newbill (Cairns Taipans)
* Best Sixth Man: Jason Cadee (Brisbane Bullets)
* Most Improved Player: Will Magnay (Brisbane Bullets)
* Fans MVP: Scott Machado (Cairns Taipans)
* Coach of the Year (Lindsay Gaze Trophy): Mike Kelly (Cairns Taipans)
* Referee of the Year: Vaughan Mayberry
* GameTime by Kmart: Dane Pineau (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
* All-NBL First Team:
** Scott Machado (Cairns Taipans)
** Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)
** Lamar Patterson (Brisbane Bullets)
** Jae'Sean Tate (Sydney Kings)
** Nick Kay (Perth Wildcats)
* All-NBL Second Team:
** Casper Ware (Sydney Kings)
** D. J. Newbill (Cairns Taipans)
** Scotty Hopson (New Zealand Breakers)
** Cameron Oliver (Cairns Taipans)
** Andrew Bogut (Sydney Kings)

### Post-season

* Semi-finals MVP: Nick Kay (Perth Wildcats), Jae'Sean Tate (Sydney Kings)
* Grand Final Series MVP (Larry Sengstock Medal): Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats)

## Media

Australian Broadcast Rights to the 2019–20 season were held by SBS Viceland in the first year of a two-year deal. All 126 games were available live and free on streaming platforms such as SBS On Demand. ESPN also broadcast 59 games including all games after 7.30pm AEDT. In New Zealand, Sky Sport were the official league broadcaster. The NBL also became the first Australian sports body to broadcast their matches online with them signing a two-year deal with Twitch which included all pre-season games. The NBL also signed a deal with Facebook Watch, which broadcast 52 games across the season in the United States.