# 2015–16 NBL season

The 2015–16 NBL season was the 38th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of eight teams contested the league. The regular season was played between 7 October 2015 and 14 February 2016, followed by a post-season featuring the top four in late February and March 2016.
During the off-season the Wollongong Hawks reverted to their original name Illawarra Hawks which was last used in 1998.
Australian broadcast rights to the season are held by Fox Sports, in the first year of a five-year deal, with one game per week simulcast on the Nine Network. In New Zealand Sky Sport are the official league broadcaster.

## Pre-season
### 2015 NBL Pre-Season Blitz

A pre-season tournament featuring all eight teams was held on 24–27 September 2015 at Townsville RSL Stadium, Townsville. The winner will receive the third annual Loggins-Bruton Cup.
Melbourne United are pre-season champions.

## Ladder

| Pos | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte | 2015–16 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | Melbourne United$^1$ | 28 | 18 | 10 | 64.29% | 2–3 | L2 | 11–3 | 7–7 | 2384 | 2342 | 101.79% |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats$^1$ | 28 | 18 | 10 | 64.29% | 3–2 | W1 | 12–2 | 6–8 | 2391 | 2266 | 105.52% |
| 3 | Illawarra Hawks | 28 | 17 | 11 | 60.71% | 3–2 | W2 | 11–3 | 6–8 | 2637 | 2486 | 106.07% |
| 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 28 | 16 | 12 | 57.14% | 5–0 | W5 | 11–3 | 5–9 | 2357 | 2282 | 103.29% |
| 5 | Adelaide 36ers | 28 | 14 | 14 | 50.00% | 1–4 | L4 | 10–4 | 4–10 | 2495 | 2500 | 99.80% |
| 6 | Cairns Taipans | 28 | 12 | 16 | 42.86% | 2–3 | L2 | 11–3 | 1–13 | 2238 | 2354 | 95.07% |
| 7 | Townsville Crocodiles | 28 | 11 | 17 | 39.29% | 3–2 | W2 | 8–6 | 3–11 | 2271 | 2390 | 95.02% |
| 8 | Sydney Kings | 28 | 6 | 22 | 21.43% | 1–4 | L1 | 5–9 | 1–13 | 2416 | 2569 | 94.04% |
Updated to match(es) played on 14 February 2016. 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.
$^1$Melbourne United won Head-to-Head (3-1).

### 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.
2015–16 NBL season vte :
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Adelaide 36ers | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Cairns Taipans | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Illawarra Hawks | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Melbourne United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| New Zealand Breakers | 5 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Perth Wildcats | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Sydney Kings | 1 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Townsville Crocodiles | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |

## Finals

The 2015–16 National Basketball League Finals were played in late February and March 2016, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final and final series, where the higher seed hosts the first and third games.

### Playoff Seedings

* Melbourne United
* Perth Wildcats
* Illawarra Hawks
* New Zealand Breakers
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.

### Playoff bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Melbourne United | 82 | 78 | X | | | | | |
| 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 91 | 91 | X | | | | | |
| 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 91 | 91 | X | 2 | Perth Wildcats | 82 | 68 | 75 |
| | | | | | 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 76 | 72 | 52 |
| 2 | Perth Wildcats | 80 | 87 | 89 | 4 | New Zealand Breakers | 76 | 72 | 52 |
| 3 | Illawarra Hawks | 68 | 104 | 74 | | | | | |

### Grand final
## Awards
### Player of the Month

| Month | Player | Team |
| October | Chris Goulding | Melbourne United |
| November | Corey Webster | New Zealand Breakers |
| December | Kevin Lisch | Illawarra Hawks |
| January | Jerome Randle | Adelaide 36ers |
| February | Cedric Jackson | New Zealand Breakers |

### Coach of the Month

| Month | Player | Team |
| October | Dean Demopoulos | Melbourne United |
| November | Dean Vickerman | New Zealand Breakers |
| December | Rob Beveridge | Illawarra Hawks |
| January | Joey Wright | Adelaide 36ers |
| February | Dean Vickerman | New Zealand Breakers |

### Pre-season

* Most Valuable Player (Ray Borner Medal): Stephen Holt, Melbourne United & Markel Starks, Cairns Taipans

### Season

* Most Valuable Player (Andrew Gaze Trophy): Kevin Lisch, Illawarra Hawks
* Rookie of the Year: Nick Kay, Townsville Crocodiles
* Best Defensive Player: Kevin Lisch, Illawarra Hawks
* Best Sixth Man: Hakim Warrick, Melbourne United
* Most Improved Player: Clint Steindl, Townsville Crocodiles
* Coach of the Year (Lindsay Gaze Trophy): Shawn Dennis, Townsville Crocodiles
* Referee of the Year: Vaughan Mayberry
* All-NBL First Team:
** Jerome Randle – Adelaide 36ers
** Kevin Lisch – Illawarra Hawks
** Chris Goulding – Melbourne United
** Daniel Kickert – Melbourne United
** Andrew Ogilvy – Illawarra Hawks
* All-NBL Second Team:
** Stephen Holt – Melbourne United
** Corey Webster – New Zealand Breakers
** Kirk Penney – Illawarra Hawks
** Matthew Knight – Perth Wildcats
** Daniel Johnson – Adelaide 36ers

### Finals

* Grand Final Series MVP (Larry Sengstock Medal): Damian Martin, Perth Wildcats