# 1988 NBL Finals

The 1988 NBL Finals was the championship series of the 1988 season of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Canberra Cannons defeated the North Melbourne Giants in three games (2-1) for their third NBL championship.

## Format

The 1988 National Basketball League Finals started on 14 July and concluded on 7 August. The playoffs consisted of two knockout Quarter finals, two best of three Semi-finals and the best of three game Grand Final series. As the two top teams at the end of the regular season, the Adelaide 36ers and North Melbourne Giants both qualified for home court advantage during the Semi-finals.
The finals series were played earlier than usual due to the 1988 Summer Olympic Games which were held at the time the NBL normally held their finals (September–October).

## Qualification
### Qualified teams

| Team | Finals appearance | Previous appearance | Previous best performance |
| Adelaide 36ers | 5th | 1987 | Champions (1986) |
| North Melbourne Giants | 1st | - | 6th in 1987 |
| Canberra Cannons | 7th | 1987 | Champions (1983, 1984) |
| Brisbane Bullets | 7th | 1987 | Champions (1985, 1987) |
| Perth Wildcats | 2nd | 1987 | Runner up (1987) |
| Newcastle Falcons | 4th | 1987 | 4th in 1984 and 1985 |

### Ladder

| Pos | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte | 1988 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | Adelaide 36ers | 24 | 19 | 5 | 79.17% | 4–1 | W2 | 11–1 | 8–4 | 2744 | 2400 | 114.33% |
| 2 | North Melbourne Giants$^1$ | 24 | 18 | 6 | 75.00% | 4–1 | W3 | 9–3 | 9–3 | 2903 | 2697 | 107.64% |
| 3 | Brisbane Bullets$^1$ | 24 | 18 | 6 | 75.00% | 3–2 | W1 | 9–3 | 9–3 | 2603 | 2423 | 107.43% |
| 4 | Canberra Cannons | 24 | 16 | 8 | 66.67% | 5–0 | W7 | 9–3 | 7–5 | 2691 | 2515 | 107.00% |
| 5 | Newcastle Falcons$^2$ | 24 | 13 | 11 | 54.17% | 3–2 | L1 | 8–4 | 5–7 | 2850 | 2832 | 100.64% |
| 6 | Perth Wildcats$^2$ | 24 | 13 | 11 | 54.17% | 3–2 | W1 | 9–3 | 4–8 | 2653 | 2573 | 103.11% |
| 7 | Illawarra Hawks$^3$ | 24 | 11 | 13 | 45.83% | 1–4 | L2 | 6–6 | 5–7 | 2455 | 2410 | 101.87% |
| 8 | Eastside Spectres$^3$ | 24 | 11 | 13 | 45.83% | 3–2 | W2 | 7–5 | 4–8 | 2495 | 2500 | 99.80% |
| 9 | Hobart Tassie Devils$^4$ | 24 | 10 | 14 | 41.67% | 1–4 | L4 | 7–5 | 3–9 | 2298 | 2414 | 95.19% |
| 10 | Sydney Kings$^4$ | 24 | 10 | 14 | 41.67% | 2–3 | L2 | 7–5 | 3–9 | 2460 | 2554 | 96.32% |
| 11 | Westside Saints | 24 | 9 | 15 | 37.50% | 1–4 | W1 | 6–6 | 3–9 | 2534 | 2589 | 97.88% |
| 12 | Melbourne Tigers | 24 | 8 | 16 | 33.33% | 2–3 | L1 | 4–8 | 4–8 | 2562 | 2681 | 95.56% |
| 13 | Geelong Supercats | 24 | 0 | 24 | 00.00% | 0–5 | L24 | 0–12 | 0–12 | 2298 | 2958 | 77.69% |
Updated to match(es) played on 9 July 1988. Source: NBL.com.au

## Playoff bracket

| Elimination Finals | Elimination Finals | Elimination Finals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| | | | 1 | Adelaide 36ers | 91 | 95 | X | | | | | |
| 4 | Canberra Cannons | 107 | 4 | Canberra Cannons | 100 | 100 | X | | | | | |
| 5 | Newcastle Falcons | 92 | | | | | | 2 | North Melbourne Giants | 95 | 117 | 101 |
| | | | | | | | | 4 | Canberra Cannons | 120 | 101 | 108 |
| | | | 2 | North Melbourne Giants | 105 | 137 | 134 | | | | | |
| 3 | Brisbane Bullets | 98 | 6 | Perth Wildcats | 108 | 113 | 111 | | | | | |
| 6 | Perth Wildcats | 113 | | | | | | | | | | |

## Elimination Finals
### (3) Canberra Cannons vs (6) Newcastle Falcons

* Seven Network
* 14 July
* boxscore
Canberra Cannons 107, Newcastle Falcons 92 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24-16, 23-33, 30-23, 30-20 |||
| Pts: Simon Cottrell 23 Rebs: Willie Simmons 23 Asts: Phil Smyth 7 | Pts: Wayne Mcdaniel 37 Rebs: Jerry Everett 19 Asts: Jerry Everett 2 |
* AIS Arena, Canberra Referees: Bill Mildenhall, Robert Barnett

### (4) Brisbane Bullets vs (5) Perth Wildcats

* Seven Network
* 16 July
* boxscore
Brisbane Bullets 98, Perth Wildcats 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26-27, 26-28, 23-27, 31-23 |||
| Pts: Leroy Loggins 31 Rebs: Leroy Loggins 11 Asts: Leroy Loggins 8 | Pts: Cal Bruton 31 Rebs: Kendal Pinder 21 Asts: Mike Ellis 4 |
* Brisbane Entertainment Centre Referees: Ray Hunt, Geoff Weeks

## Semifinals
### (1) Adelaide 36ers vs (3) Canberra Cannons
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 19 July
* boxscore
Canberra Cannons 100, Adelaide 36ers 91 :
| Scoring by quarter: 19-26, 37-21, 27-17, 17-27 |||
| Pts: Tad Dufelmeier 23 Rebs: Willie Simmons 11 Asts: Smyth, Mceachin 4 each | Pts: Mark Davis 27 Rebs: Mark Davis 15 Asts: Darryl Pearce 4 |
| Canberra lead the series 1-0 |||
* AIS Arena, Canberra Attendance: 5,200 Referees: Ray Hunt, Robert Barnett

### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 22 July
* boxscore
Adelaide 36ers 95, Canberra Cannons 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21-23, 33-29, 18-27, 23-21 |||
| Pts: Mark Davis 26 Rebs: Mark Davis 20 Asts: Al Green 5 | Pts: Phil Smyth 28 Rebs: Willie Simmons 17 Asts: Phil Smyth 6 |
| Canberra win the series 2-0 |||
* Apollo Stadium, Adelaide Attendance: 3,000 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall

### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 20 July
* boxscore
Perth Wildcats 108, North Melbourne Giants 105 :
| Scoring by quarter: 35-32, 28-31, 29-22, 16-20 |||
| Pts: Kendal Pinder 25 Rebs: James Crawford 15 Asts: Cal Bruton 6 | Pts: Fisher, Dillon 26 each Rebs: Fisher, Leader 11 each Asts: Leader, Graham 4 each |
| Perth lead the series 1-0 |||
* Perth Superdrome Attendance: 4,500 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Geoff Weeks

### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 22 July
* boxscore
North Melbourne Giants 137, Perth Wildcats 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27-26, 26-28, 40-27, 44-32 |||
| Pts: Tim Dillon 44 Rebs: Tim Dillon 15 Asts: Dillon, Fisher 7 each | Pts: Kendal Pinder 23 Rebs: Paul Kuiper 10 Asts: Cal Bruton 4 |
| Series tied at 1-1 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Ray Hunt, Geoff Weeks

### Game 3

* Seven Network
* 24 July
* boxscore
North Melbourne Giants 134, Perth Wildcats 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31-29, 33-21, 24-37, 46-24 |||
| Pts: Tim Dillon 44 Rebs: Tim Dillon 9 Asts: Wayne Carroll 10 | Pts: Kendal Pinder 40 Rebs: Kendal Pinder 17 Asts: Mike Ellis 10 |
| North Melbourne win the series 2-1 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Ray Hunt, Eddie Crouch

## Grand Final series
### (2) North Melbourne Giants vs (3) Canberra Cannons
#### Game 1

* Seven Network
* 30 July
* boxscore
Canberra Cannons 120, North Melbourne Giants 95 :
| Scoring by quarter: 30-25, 25-24, 37-22, 28-24 |||
| Pts: Phil Smyth 25 Rebs: Willie Simmons 12 Asts: Phil Smyth 8 | Pts: Tim Dillon 29 Rebs: Tim Dillon 16 Asts: Wayne Carroll, Fisher 3 each |
| Canberra leads series 1-0 |||
* AIS Arena, Canberra Attendance: 5,200 Referees: Ray Hunt, Bill Mildenhall

#### Game 2

* Seven Network
* 5 August
* boxscore
North Melbourne Giants 117, Canberra Cannons 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33-32, 29-11, 34-28, 30-21 |||
| Pts: Tim Dillon 43 Rebs: Tim Dillon 11 Asts: Wayne Carroll 7 | Pts: Jamie Kennedy 27 Rebs: Willie Simmons 13 Asts: Phil Smyth 7 |
| Series tied at 1-1 |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Geoff Weeks

#### Game 3

* Seven Network
* 7 August
* boxscore
North Melbourne Giants 101, Canberra Cannons 108 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24-26, 23-26, 28-25, 26-31 |||
| Pts: David Graham 28 Rebs: Tim Dillon 10 Asts: Wayne Carroll 6 | Pts: Willie Simmons 23 Rebs: Willie Simmons 10 Asts: Herb Mceachin 6 |
| Canberra wins series and NBL Championship, 2–1 Grand Final MVP: Phil Smyth (Canberra) |||
* The Glass House, Melbourne Attendance: 7,200 Referees: Eddie Crouch, Bill Mildenhall