# 2016–17 NBL season

The 2016–17 NBL season was the 39th season of the National Basketball League since its establishment in 1979. A total of eight teams contested the league. The regular season was played between October 2016 and February 2017, followed by a post-season featuring the top four in late February and March 2017.
During the off-season Townsville Crocodiles folded with Brisbane Bullets returning.
Australian broadcast rights to the season were held by Fox Sports, in the second year of a five-year deal, with one game per week simulcast on SBS. In New Zealand, Sky Sport are the official league broadcaster.

## Pre-season
### 2016 NBL All-Australian Tour of China

NBL All-Australian Team won the series 2–1.

### 2016 Australian Basketball Challenge

A pre-season tournament featuring all eight teams and two invited CBA teams was held on 23–26 September 2016 at Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane. The winner will receive the fourth annual Loggins–Bruton Cup.
Illawarra Hawks are pre-season champions.

## Ladder

| Pos | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte | 2016–17 NBL season vte |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PCT | Last 5 | Streak | Home | Away | PF | PA | PP |
| 1 | Adelaide 36ers | 28 | 17 | 11 | 60.71% | 1–4 | L4 | 9–5 | 8–6 | 2582 | 2505 | 103.07% |
| 2 | Cairns Taipans$^1$ | 28 | 15 | 13 | 53.57% | 4–1 | W3 | 10–4 | 5–9 | 2305 | 2301 | 100.17% |
| 3 | Perth Wildcats$^1$ | 28 | 15 | 13 | 53.57% | 4–1 | W2 | 10–4 | 5–9 | 2294 | 2257 | 101.64% |
| 4 | Illawarra Hawks$^1$ | 28 | 15 | 13 | 53.57% | 3–2 | W1 | 9–5 | 6–8 | 2486 | 2444 | 101.72% |
| 5 | New Zealand Breakers | 28 | 14 | 14 | 50.00% | 3–2 | W2 | 9–5 | 5–9 | 2353 | 2387 | 98.58% |
| 6 | Melbourne United$^2$ | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46.43% | 2–3 | L2 | 9–5 | 4–10 | 2351 | 2337 | 100.60% |
| 7 | Sydney Kings$^2$ | 28 | 13 | 15 | 46.43% | 2–3 | L2 | 7–7 | 6–8 | 2295 | 2311 | 99.31% |
| 8 | Brisbane Bullets | 28 | 10 | 18 | 35.71% | 1–4 | L4 | 6–8 | 4–10 | 2268 | 2392 | 94.82% |
Updated to match(es) played on 12 February 2017. 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$3-way Head-to-Head between Cairns Taipans (5-3), Perth Wildcats (4-4) and Illawarra Hawks (3-5).
$^2$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.
2016–17 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 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Brisbane Bullets | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Cairns Taipans | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Illawarra Hawks | 1 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Melbourne United | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| New Zealand Breakers | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| Perth Wildcats | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Sydney Kings | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 |

## Finals

The 2016–17 National Basketball League finals were played in late February and March 2017, consisting of two best-of-three semi-final series and the 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 hosted the first, third and fifth games.

### Playoff Seedings

* Adelaide 36ers
* Cairns Taipans
* Perth Wildcats
* Illawarra Hawks
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 | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Adelaide 36ers | 93 | 94 | 98 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Illawarra Hawks | 78 | 100 | 106 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Illawarra Hawks | 78 | 100 | 106 | 3 | Perth Wildcats | 89 | 89 | 95 | X | X |
| | | | | | 4 | Illawarra Hawks | 77 | 77 | 86 | X | X |
| 2 | Cairns Taipans | 69 | 66 | X | 4 | Illawarra Hawks | 77 | 77 | 86 | X | X |
| 3 | Perth Wildcats | 91 | 74 | X | | | | | | | |

### Semi-finals

Adelaide 36ers (1) vs. Illawarra Hawks (4)
Cairns Taipans (2) vs. Perth Wildcats (3)

### Grand final

Perth Wildcats (3) vs. Illawarra Hawks (4)

## Awards
### Player of the Month

| Month | Player | Team |
| October | Chris Goulding | Melbourne United |
| November | Brad Newley | Sydney Kings |
| December | Kevin Lisch | Sydney Kings |
| January | Jerome Randle | Adelaide 36ers |

### Coach of the Month

| Month | Player | Team |
| October | Andrew Gaze | Sydney Kings |
| November | Joey Wright | Adelaide 36ers |
| December | Joey Wright | Adelaide 36ers |
| January | Joey Wright | Adelaide 36ers |

### Pre-season

* Most Valuable Player (Ray Borner Medal): Cameron Gliddon, Cairns Taipans

### Season

* Most Valuable Player (Andrew Gaze Trophy): Jerome Randle, Adelaide 36ers
* Rookie of the Year: Anthony Drmic, Adelaide 36ers
* Best Defensive Player: Torrey Craig, Brisbane Bullets
* Best Sixth Man: Rotnei Clarke, Illawarra Hawks
* Most Improved Player: Nathan Sobey, Adelaide 36ers
* Coach of the Year (Lindsay Gaze Trophy): Joey Wright, Adelaide 36ers
* Referee of the Year: Vaughan Mayberry
* All-NBL First Team:
** Jerome Randle – Adelaide 36ers
** Casper Ware – Melbourne United
** Casey Prather – Perth Wildcats
** Daniel Johnson – Adelaide 36ers
** Andrew Ogilvy – Illawarra Hawks
* All-NBL Second Team:
** Kevin Lisch – Sydney Kings
** Nathan Sobey – Adelaide 36ers
** Brad Newley – Sydney Kings
** Torrey Craig – Brisbane Bullets
** Daniel Kickert – Brisbane Bullets

### Finals

* Grand Final Series MVP (Larry Sengstock Medal): Bryce Cotton, Perth Wildcats