Hoops Heaven’s Basketball Hustle – Season 4, Episode 19

Just a wild finish to #NBL23 regular season and we break it all down on Hoops Heaven's Basketball Hustle as we discuss Perth Wildcats bumping out Melbourne United, if the current system is the right one and the merits of how important it is to play out games to the very end in the NBL.

Not only do Cody Ellis and Chris Pike break down the finish to #NBL23 and teams who made finals but also look at Melbourne United, Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets and Illawarra Hawks who didn't make it and summing up their NBL seasons.

We then make our #NBL23 award predictions before taking a preview at the finals beginning with the play-in tournament and Cody Ellis predicts South East Melbourne Phoenix and Cairns Taipans to join New Zealand Breakers and Sydney Kings in semi finals.

We started this week's episode of Hoops Heaven's Basketball Hustle by looking back on the wild finish to the NBL season which saw the Perth Wildcats beat the Sydney Kings by 12 when 11 was the magic number to eliminate Melbourne United.

We discuss that along with why playing games out to the end all season long has been so important when ultimately a finals position was decided by two points between the Wildcats and United. We also talk about the merits of percentage deciding finals spot and if that's the right way to go.

We then have a full rundown of the last round action starting with the New Zealand Breakers and Cairns Taipans battling over second spot, and ultimately New Zealand getting that thanks to beating the Brisbane Bullets in overtime.

The Tasmania JackJumpers secured fourth spot meaning it was just those fifth and sixth spots that would be decided on Sunday. Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers played a shootout at John Cain Arena, and eventually Melbourne won by nine to mean they would reach the finals unless the Wildcats beat the Kings by 11 points or more.

The Wildcats did open up a 23-point lead in the fourth quarter but the regular season champion Kings fired back to bring it back to eight until Perth scored the game's last four points to lock in that sixth position.

We discuss all of that and why that Wildcats' miracle after trailing United by eight points with 45 seconds to go earlier in the season was so crucial, and talk about if the top six teams are the ones most deserving of taking part in the finals.

We then look at the quick turnaround to the finals starting this Thursday night and look back on the seasons of those four teams not taking part – Melbourne United, Adelaide 36ers, Brisbane Bullets and Illawarra Hawks.

We then turn our attention to the NBL end of season awards and make our selection on the winners of the MVP, Next Generation, Best Sixth Man, Best Defensive, Coach of the Year and Most Improved awards along with selecting out All-NBL First and Second teams.

Before wrapping up, we preview the NBL Finals starting on Thursday night with the Cairns Taipans against the Tasmania JackJumpers, and the South East Melbourne Phoenix against the Perth Wildcats with the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers waiting in the wings.

All made possible thanks to the support of Hoops Heaven (www.hoopsheaven.com.au).