# 1981 NBL Finals

The 1981 NBL Finals was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball League's 1981 season, which began in February. The finals began on 27 June. The tournament concluded with the Launceston Casino City defeating the Nunawading Spectres in the NBL Grand Final on 28 June.

## Format

The NBL finals series in 1981 consisted of two semifinal games, and one championship-deciding grand final. The finals were contested between the top four teams of the regular season, with the finals weekend hosted at the neutral Apollo Entertainment Centre in Adelaide.

## Qualification
### Qualified teams

| Team | Finals appearance | Previous appearance | Previous best performance |
| Launceston Casino City | 1st | - | - |
| West Adelaide Bearcats | 2nd | 1980 | Runner-up (1980) |
| Nunawading Spectres | 2nd | 1980 | Semi-finalist (1980) |
| Brisbane Bullets | 2nd | 1980 | Semi-finalist (1980) |

### Ladder

| Pos | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte | 1981 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | St. Kilda Saints$^1$ | 22 | 17 | 5 | 77.27% | 5–0 | W6 | 10–1 | 7–4 | 2134 | 1927 | 110.74% |
| 2 | Launceston Casino City | 22 | 14 | 8 | 63.64% | 4–1 | W3 | 7–4 | 7–4 | 1895 | 1810 | 104.70% |
| 3 | West Adelaide Bearcats$^2$ | 22 | 13 | 9 | 59.09% | 3–2 | W1 | 10–1 | 3–8 | 1848 | 1823 | 101.37% |
| 4 | Nunawading Spectres$^2$ | 22 | 13 | 9 | 59.09% | 3–2 | L1 | 8–3 | 5–6 | 1706 | 1566 | 108.94% |
| 5 | Brisbane Bullets$^{123}$ | 22 | 13 | 9 | 59.09% | 3–2 | W1 | 6–5 | 7–4 | 1712 | 1592 | 107.54% |
| 6 | Newcastle Falcons$^{23}$ | 22 | 13 | 9 | 59.09% | 0–5 | L6 | 9–2 | 4–7 | 1779 | 1714 | 103.79% |
| 7 | Canberra Cannons | 22 | 12 | 10 | 54.55% | 3–2 | W3 | 10–1 | 2–9 | 1700 | 1719 | 98.89% |
| 8 | Illawarra Hawks | 22 | 9 | 13 | 40.91% | 3–2 | L1 | 8–3 | 1–10 | 1889 | 1949 | 96.92% |
| 9 | City of Sydney Astronauts | 22 | 8 | 14 | 36.36% | 4–1 | W2 | 5–6 | 3–8 | 1711 | 1898 | 90.15% |
| 10 | Coburg Giants$^4$ | 22 | 7 | 15 | 31.82% | 0–5 | L5 | 6–5 | 1–10 | 1690 | 1746 | 96.79% |
| 11 | Bankstown Bruins$^4$ | 22 | 7 | 15 | 31.82% | 1–4 | L1 | 5–6 | 2–9 | 1746 | 1897 | 92.04% |
| 12 | Forestville Eagles | 22 | 6 | 16 | 27.27% | 1–4 | L3 | 5–6 | 1–10 | 1719 | 1888 | 91.05% |
Updated to match(es) played on 21 June 1981. 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.
$^1$St. Kilda Saints chose to participate in the 1981 FIBA Club World Cup in Brazil, instead of the 1981 NBL Finals. They were replaced by the Brisbane Bullets.
$^2$4-way Head-to-Head between West Adelaide Bearcats (5-1), Nunawading Spectres (3-3), Brisbane Bullets (2-4) and Newcastle Falcons (2-4).
$^3$Head-to-Head between Brisbane Bullets and Newcastle Falcons (1-1). Brisbane Bullets won For and Against (+15).
$^4$Head-to-Head between Coburg Giants and Bankstown Bruins (1-1). Coburg Giants won For and Against (+24).

## Playoff bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Launceston Casino City | 71 | | | |
| 4 | Brisbane Bullets | 69 | | | |
| 4 | Brisbane Bullets | 69 | 1 | Launceston Casino City | 75 |
| | | | 2 | Nunawading Spectres | 54 |
| 2 | West Adelaide Bearcats | 71 | 2 | Nunawading Spectres | 54 |
| 3 | Nunawading Spectres | 74 | | | |

## Semifinals

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Box Score |
| 27 June 1981 | Launceston Casino City | 71–69 | Brisbane Bullets | {{{venue}}} | {{{crowd}}} | boxscore |
| 27 June 1981 | West Adelaide Bearcats | 71–74 | Nunawading Spectres | {{{venue}}} | {{{crowd}}} | boxscore |

## Grand Final

| Date | Home | Score | Away | Box Score |
| 28 June 1981 | Launceston Casino City | 75–54 | Nunawading Spectres | {{{venue}}} | {{{crowd}}} | boxscore |